The Winter of the Dollhouse

Newbery Medalist and master storyteller Laura Amy Schlitz conjures a wry and captivating coming-of-age story about the fated friendship between a girl and her stolen doll.

Tiphany Stokes is in a new school in a new town--and she is not sure where she fits in. Sixth grade is challenging, and life at home with her stepmother and two toddler siblings often feels overwhelming, especially when they are crying. Tiph sometimes takes Philip in his stroller to the toy store, where the miniature dolls in the window calm her nerves.

On one such November day, something amazing happens--Tiph saves a dog from traffic, makes friends with his owner, and lands a job. Her new friend likes dollhouses as much as Tiph does--and might buy a doll for Tiph to show her gratitude. Tiph would love the tiny Gretel doll, with her long braids, even though the Red Riding Hood doll is prettier.

Surprisingly, perhaps, Gretel also wishes for something: to be played with by a real child, the way Red was before she landed back in the shop window. After witnessing the dog rescue, Gretel wants that child to be the daring Tiph, a hero child.

This skillfully plotted novel, with its overlapping storylines, weaves a tale of loss, theft, stepfamilies, growth, and adventure into a satisfying fabric, with a perfect fairy-tale ending.