Doll Family

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Colette
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Joined: 12 Jan 2013, 16:28

Doll Family

Post by Colette »

Its not an Enid Blyton (sorry - but hoping someone can help :) ) It is all a bit vague, but its been bugging me for aggges and maybe a detail will click with someone..

I was given a copy, along with everyone in my school, in the early to mid 90s.. About a family of dolls (mum, dad, children) who lived in their house in a shop. I think they were bought, and 2 more dolls were added into the house, children, a boy and a girl and of course there was friction between the girl and a daughter of the family. I remember, random detail, that as the girl (Amanda?) was very nearly grown up she didn't drink milk like the rest of the children but had a cup of half milk and half tea..

What is this book?? Google buns for anyone who can help :D :D
Katharine
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Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 15:50

Re: Doll Family

Post by Katharine »

Collett, for a moment I thought you were referring to one of my favourite books from childhood. That too was about a family of dolls who lived in a dolls house, one of them was called Amanda in that too. However there wasn't a father doll in that book, and the conflict was with a French visitor rather than an American. Also, the dolls house belonged to a little girl, rather than being in a shop. There was a monkey doll who lived on the roof and would shout rude things down the chimney.

I just went upstairs to check the title (some like "The Dolls House Family") and it's not on the shelf I thought it was, so it's temporarily vanished.

Good luck with tracking down the book you are after.
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Colette
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Re: Doll Family

Post by Colette »

Thanks, anyway, Katherine!

Your book is called 'Five Dolls in a House' btw :)
Katharine
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Re: Doll Family

Post by Katharine »

Wow Colette, how did you figure that out? I did manage to track the book down in the end - in a pile on my son's bedroom floor poor lad. Good thing none of his mates spotted it there! I've now put it on my 'to read' pile just to see if it's still as good as I remember it.
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Colette
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Re: Doll Family

Post by Colette »

:D Your poor son, could have been worse though! It just caught my eye on amazon (no luck finding my own book though!)

Hope its as good as you remember!
Katharine
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Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 15:50

Re: Doll Family

Post by Katharine »

Sorry you haven't tracked your book down yet, if it's from the 1990s, then sadly it's too 'new' for me to have come across.

Just had a look on Amazon and nearly fell off my chair - £35 for Five Dolls in a House. I'd have thought it would be worth about £1 in a secondhand book shop. Best not tell the family - they'll be wanting to flog it!

I've also had a look on E-bay and it's mainly similar prices on there too. I've also noticed that there seem to be a couple of other books in the series which I didn't realise, I just assumed it was a one off. Oh dear, something else for me to try and collect. :roll: :D
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MummyRivett
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Re: Doll Family

Post by MummyRivett »

Did you know its the first of a series?

http://www.goodreads.com/series/44833-five-dolls

:D
Mara
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Joined: 12 Oct 2016, 23:16

Re: Doll Family

Post by Mara »

Colette, the book you are talking about is “A child of their own” by Justine Rendal first published in 1990. The doll family is known as the Darling family. Oddly the part about the dolls drinking tea is the only bit I remembered about the book.
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mikki
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Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Find Outers and The Boy Next Door
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Re: Doll Family

Post by mikki »

Colette, Mara is spot on! I just saw this thread now and recognised it right away as A Child of Their Own. I am a dolls house collector and have a shelf full of books like this. This particular one is one of my favourites and I've re-read it many times. How wonderful that everyone in your school was given a copy.

BTW, the two child dolls who were added into the family were called Amanda Miranda and Revely.
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