Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Scholastic Inc.
Pages
244
Description
Zach, Alice, and Poppy, friends from a Pennsylvania middle school who have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures, embark on a real-life quest to Ohio to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl.
Description
Zach, Alice, and Poppy, friends from a Pennsylvania middle school who have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures, embark on a real-life quest to Ohio to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013-05-07
Physical description
244 p.; 7.6 inches
ISBN
0545766028 / 9780545766029
Other editions
Doll Bones by Holly Black (Hardcover)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member pussreboots
Doll Bones is by Holly Black is a standalone Gothic adventure for tweens. Long time friends, Zach, Poppy and Alice go on a quest to put the Great Queen to rest.
Zach, Poppy and Alice have been playing a complicated adventure story using their collected dolls, action figures and other toys, for
The doll is made from bone china — and the bones used were those of a little girl who died tragically. Her hair was used for the doll's hair and her ashes serve as stuffing. And she wants to be put to rest.
It's not so much that the other two children believe Poppy but it's a chance for one last adventure. There are enough clues pointing to a near by town — one accessible by over night bus. What should be an easy (but tiring) trip, soon goes awry. The closer they get, the more the ghost seems to be calling the shots.
From the very first chapter, I adored Doll Bones. Zach, Poppy and Alice are credible (though not always likable) characters. The trip to East Liverpool, Ohio while altered for dramatic effect is still bound enough in real life geography and history to make their trip seem all the more real. Finally, the adults in the story aren't just villains — they are real people too who do have the children's best interests at heart even when they don't have the full picture.
My all time favorite part of the book comes near the end of the second third. The kids find shelter in a library and their misadventures there had me roaring with laughter. Holly Black knows how libraries work even behind the scenes and at times when they're not open to the library.
Zach, Poppy and Alice have been playing a complicated adventure story using their collected dolls, action figures and other toys, for
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years. Ruling over all of them is the Great Queen, an antique doll kept in a class display case in Poppy's home. Their adventure is put on hold when Zach's father throws out all his toys in the hope of helping him grow up. Poppy, trying to keep Zach as part of the game, brings out the Great Queen. And that's when the ghost appears.The doll is made from bone china — and the bones used were those of a little girl who died tragically. Her hair was used for the doll's hair and her ashes serve as stuffing. And she wants to be put to rest.
It's not so much that the other two children believe Poppy but it's a chance for one last adventure. There are enough clues pointing to a near by town — one accessible by over night bus. What should be an easy (but tiring) trip, soon goes awry. The closer they get, the more the ghost seems to be calling the shots.
From the very first chapter, I adored Doll Bones. Zach, Poppy and Alice are credible (though not always likable) characters. The trip to East Liverpool, Ohio while altered for dramatic effect is still bound enough in real life geography and history to make their trip seem all the more real. Finally, the adults in the story aren't just villains — they are real people too who do have the children's best interests at heart even when they don't have the full picture.
My all time favorite part of the book comes near the end of the second third. The kids find shelter in a library and their misadventures there had me roaring with laughter. Holly Black knows how libraries work even behind the scenes and at times when they're not open to the library.
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been playing an imaginative adventure game with dolls and action figures for a long time. In the back of his mind, Zach knows that the game can't go on forever, and now that they're in middle school, he really doesn't want his school friends to know that he still plays
This is a fantastic and well-written story, and definitely worth reading. It was not, however, as scary as I had been led to expect. It's entirely appropriate for the middle-grade readers that are its intended audience, which is a testimony to Holly Black's writing skill, since she often writes darker young adult fiction. I didn't expect young adult-level horror, but I think I was anticipating a somewhat better written version of R.L. Stine. This book has some decidedly creepy moments, particularly toward the end of the book, but it is really more about the themes of friendship, imagination, and growing up than about haunted dolls. And the kids spend a night in a library during their quest, which is always a bonus for librarian readers! Recommended.
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with dolls -- but he also doesn't want the game to end. But when Zach's father throws away Zach's bag of action figures in an attempt to get him to grow up, Zach calls an end to the game rather than admit that his characters are gone. Poppy, in a desperate attempt to keep the game going, convinces Zach and Alice to accompany her on one final quest. You see, the Great Queen, an antique bone china doll, has always ruled over the game from afar. Poppy claims to have seen the ghost of a girl who was murdered, whose bones were incorporated into the china that became the Great Queen and whose ashes serve as stuffing. Now, Poppy says, the girl wants to be laid to rest. To do so, the friends must take a bus to the town where the doll was created and find the cemetery where the girl is supposed to be buried. At first, Zach is skeptical . . . but strange things start to happen when the doll is with them. Is the girl's ghost really haunting the three friends, and if so, will burying the doll in the girl's grave put her spirit to rest?This is a fantastic and well-written story, and definitely worth reading. It was not, however, as scary as I had been led to expect. It's entirely appropriate for the middle-grade readers that are its intended audience, which is a testimony to Holly Black's writing skill, since she often writes darker young adult fiction. I didn't expect young adult-level horror, but I think I was anticipating a somewhat better written version of R.L. Stine. This book has some decidedly creepy moments, particularly toward the end of the book, but it is really more about the themes of friendship, imagination, and growing up than about haunted dolls. And the kids spend a night in a library during their quest, which is always a bonus for librarian readers! Recommended.
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LibraryThing member CurrerBell
Is the ghost real? Or is it a children's fantasy game?
This coming-of-age quest reminds me of The Turn of the Screw. All right, it's not entirely Jamesian – certainly not as long a read as the typical Jamesian work – but there's that ambiguity that I find so wonderful in ghost stories like The
It's this ambiguity – is the Doll Queen really possessed or is it just Poppy's imaginings which spur Zach and Alice to join her in the quest – that provides the heart of the coming-of-age story as the three twelve-year-olds can come to the end of their quest only by telling each other some very simple truths about themselves.
This coming-of-age quest reminds me of The Turn of the Screw. All right, it's not entirely Jamesian – certainly not as long a read as the typical Jamesian work – but there's that ambiguity that I find so wonderful in ghost stories like The
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Turn of the Screw or Shirley Jackson's "The Daemon Lover." Here, though, it's not a question of ghostly apparition versus a character's psychotic imaginings but of ghostly possession of a doll versus a twelve-year-old girl's imaginings prompted by her desire to maintain an unchanging friendship with her two best friends.It's this ambiguity – is the Doll Queen really possessed or is it just Poppy's imaginings which spur Zach and Alice to join her in the quest – that provides the heart of the coming-of-age story as the three twelve-year-olds can come to the end of their quest only by telling each other some very simple truths about themselves.
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LibraryThing member klack128
I love this book. I remember Holly Black talking about it when she came to visit our library a couple of years back, and I loved the idea behind it, of the importance of play and playing pretend. She said something I will never forget, that "writers are just adults who never stopped playing
That idea really hit home for me, and this book does such a great job of showing kids who refuse to let their love of playing pretend and creating stories go, even as the world around them makes them feel like they have to. Their journey is suspenseful, interesting, and at times supremely creepy. I mean, for a children's book, I was shocked to find myself thoroughly creeped out a couple of times whole reading.
Great book, that proves Holly Black's excellence once again.
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pretend."That idea really hit home for me, and this book does such a great job of showing kids who refuse to let their love of playing pretend and creating stories go, even as the world around them makes them feel like they have to. Their journey is suspenseful, interesting, and at times supremely creepy. I mean, for a children's book, I was shocked to find myself thoroughly creeped out a couple of times whole reading.
Great book, that proves Holly Black's excellence once again.
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LibraryThing member Erika.D
Short quick read. Very spooky! I thought this would be a fun book to read as I get ready for October and it sure did set the mood. Well written with some light humor and enjoyable characters. I would recommend this title to elementary kids and parents wanting to read a good book with their child.
LibraryThing member Tip44
YA, but really well done. The characters are distincly drawn personalities dealing with real emotions.
LibraryThing member nmhale
Zachary, Alice, and Poppy are three best friends that have created The Game together, an immersive fantasy story where their various toys are actually characters in an elaborate and ever-evolving story. Their game does not involve a playing board or set of dice, but is all a product of their
Needless to say, both girls are incredibly hurt. Not only do they want Zach to continue playing with them, but they take it as an indirect insult against them, that they are playing childish games, and think that he might just be saying it because he no longer wants to be their friend. Alice backs off because of her injured feelings, but Poppy, following her aggressive nature, keeps picking at it, pushing Zach to act colder and meaner than he intended. When it seems that the trio are heading to certain break up, Poppy approaches Zach with an odd story: she thinks her doll is possessed by a ghost named Eleanor and is communicating with her.
At first, Zach ignores Poppy's story. He thinks she is making one last, far-fetched attempt to get him back into The Game. Because the doll is an integral part of their fantasy world; she is the Great Queen, the ruler who runs all of the activities in the made-up land they created. The doll actually belongs to Poppy's mom, and is a delicate, antique toy that is kept secure behind glass. The kids don't physically involve the doll in their games, but do bring their other toy characters to see her. She is like the supreme being of their world. It is not surprising, then, that Zack thinks Poppy is just employing her typical dramatic flair to affect a reconciliation. However, when quiet and more serious Alice tells him that she is on board, too, Zach agrees to Poppy's plan. Which is that the three of them take the doll to find Eleanor's grave, so that she can finally be at peace. Of course, the grave isn't in their city, so the three preteen children will have to sneak out, disobey their parents, and steal the doll to make it happen. Considering that all three of them have some unresolved issues with their families - Zach is still mad at his dad and not willing to let him back into his life, Alice is bridling under the strict and overprotective care of her grandmother, and Poppy isn't too happy with her parents hardly being around and leaving their large gang of children to fend for themselves - so more issues than the dolls haunting are at stake. They take a bus out of their town in the middle of the night, and experience plenty of strange and sometimes unsettling events to make them feel that they are on a real-life adventure: the strange man on the bus that talks about aliens changing people's faces, the night their campsite is trashed and it seems that only Eleanor (the doll) could have done it, the strange dreams that Zach and Poppy keep having that seem to be about Eleanor's past life, the day they borrow a boat to try to travel more quickly, to name just a few. Eventually they do make it to their desired location, only to realize that resolving Eleanor's problem isn't their only mission on this quest - they also need to make some decisions about their families and lives, too.
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imaginations, which means it can be done anywhere and at any time. However, the trio are getting older, and playing epic quests with toys is starting to become more difficult. Hormones are starting to come into play, and they might be worrying about what their other friends would say if they find out, and that doesn't even take into account the possibility of romantic interference. To make things worse, Zachary's dad has recently moved back in with the family, and is trying to reconnect by asserting himself as a father figure. This results in his one day throwing out all of Zach's toys, deeming them too babyish and likely to get him teased. Some of those figurines, though, were the characters that Zach played with as his main characters in The Game. Torn by a whirlwind of conflicting emotions - rage at his father, embarrassment when wondering what his basketball friends would say, and a suspicion that maybe he was being too childish after all - Zach doesn't know what to do. Rather than have to explain all of this, and bring in his problematic relationship with father, he decides not to tell Poppy and Alice what actually happened. Instead, he tells them that he thinks The Game is a silly game that he has outgrown, and he doesn't want to play any more.Needless to say, both girls are incredibly hurt. Not only do they want Zach to continue playing with them, but they take it as an indirect insult against them, that they are playing childish games, and think that he might just be saying it because he no longer wants to be their friend. Alice backs off because of her injured feelings, but Poppy, following her aggressive nature, keeps picking at it, pushing Zach to act colder and meaner than he intended. When it seems that the trio are heading to certain break up, Poppy approaches Zach with an odd story: she thinks her doll is possessed by a ghost named Eleanor and is communicating with her.
At first, Zach ignores Poppy's story. He thinks she is making one last, far-fetched attempt to get him back into The Game. Because the doll is an integral part of their fantasy world; she is the Great Queen, the ruler who runs all of the activities in the made-up land they created. The doll actually belongs to Poppy's mom, and is a delicate, antique toy that is kept secure behind glass. The kids don't physically involve the doll in their games, but do bring their other toy characters to see her. She is like the supreme being of their world. It is not surprising, then, that Zack thinks Poppy is just employing her typical dramatic flair to affect a reconciliation. However, when quiet and more serious Alice tells him that she is on board, too, Zach agrees to Poppy's plan. Which is that the three of them take the doll to find Eleanor's grave, so that she can finally be at peace. Of course, the grave isn't in their city, so the three preteen children will have to sneak out, disobey their parents, and steal the doll to make it happen. Considering that all three of them have some unresolved issues with their families - Zach is still mad at his dad and not willing to let him back into his life, Alice is bridling under the strict and overprotective care of her grandmother, and Poppy isn't too happy with her parents hardly being around and leaving their large gang of children to fend for themselves - so more issues than the dolls haunting are at stake. They take a bus out of their town in the middle of the night, and experience plenty of strange and sometimes unsettling events to make them feel that they are on a real-life adventure: the strange man on the bus that talks about aliens changing people's faces, the night their campsite is trashed and it seems that only Eleanor (the doll) could have done it, the strange dreams that Zach and Poppy keep having that seem to be about Eleanor's past life, the day they borrow a boat to try to travel more quickly, to name just a few. Eventually they do make it to their desired location, only to realize that resolving Eleanor's problem isn't their only mission on this quest - they also need to make some decisions about their families and lives, too.
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LibraryThing member shelley.s
I read the Spiderwicke Chronicles when i was younger and was really excited to discover doll bones as id really enjoyed the other books by Holly Black. I was however slightly disappointed. The book should have felt really nostalgic, the characters reminded me of myself, not wanting to grow up and
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still trying to play games that really i was too old for but it just didn't. The plot is good and there's times where its exciting but it never really gripped me as not much actually really happened with the doll. I can see that the man story line was about the fact they were having to grow up and deal with their relationships with their parents etc but that part of it wasn't load and clear enough. Its a nice simple read, very much so more for children than YA's. Im glad i read it, just for old times sake but i probably wont pursue any more of her books just because i felt just a bit too old to be reading it. It would be a good read for children between 9-12yrs i think Show Less
LibraryThing member LemurKat
I completed this creepy little tale about growing up within hours of picking it up from the library. It appears, on the surface, to be a modern-day ghost story, but it is mostly a little adventure about three children - a boy and two girls, who get together and sort of do a combination of playing
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with toys/roleplaying. The sort of game that makes me want to hark back to my own childhood and gets me all nostalgic. After Zach quits the game, the Queen, a spooky porcelain doll, steps in to lead them off on one final adventure - an adventure that will take them on a quest of their own. It was a fun and easy read, but not exactly life-shattering, and not particularly chilling either. Could have done with a bit more build up and tension. Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
Betsy Bird, my guru in all things pertaining to children's literature, mentioned this book in a post about possible Newbery Award winners. If you are a fan of scary doll books (like Behind the Attic Wall) you'll like this book as well. A doll tells its young human that she (the doll) is made of a
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girl's bones and convinces 3 children to go to Ohio to bury the doll. Lots of creepy, and scary encounters. The book is well-written and the characters are three-dimensional. The plot is well conceived and carried out. But personally, I am NOT fond of scary dolls. It is a Junior Literary Guild choice and I am always impressed with books that make that cut. Show Less
LibraryThing member ChristianR
Creepy, surreal, and also very true to life, Doll Bones is about the pain of letting go of childhood. Zach, Alice and Poppy for years have played an intricate game of their devising, using dolls and action figures as characters in their story. When Zach's dad throws his dolls out in an attempt to
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turn him into a man, Zach is heartbroken but can't bear to tell the others. So he just tells them he won't play anymore. Poppy, whose mother's precious and ancient doll is at the heart of their game, tells them that Queen, the doll, has come to her in her dreams and told her that she was created from the bones of a girl named Eleanor, who was murdered. Queen wants to be buried with her family so she can rest. Misgivings aside, the three reunite on a quest to find Queen's rightful burial place, a quest that is at turns strange, scary, exhilarating, healing and bonding. Show Less
LibraryThing member mountie9
Mini Book Review: A delightfully dark and creepy tale, perfect for the more sophisticated middle grader. As an adult reading it reminded me of that time in your life where you are still a child but things are becoming more complicated as you move into the teenage years. I was hooked into this one
Favorite Quote
"There was a kind of quiet that hung over the world in the middle of the night, as though there was no one else awake anywhere. It felt ripe with magic and endless possiblitiy."
4 Dewey's
Jenn H sent this to me from OLA
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right away and didn't want to put it down. I hate to invoke the term "coming of age" but it really is the heart of the story. In fact coming of age -- meets creepy china doll (ok creepy and china doll - same thing - man those toys always creep the hell out of me) really sums it up. All of the characters are realistic and I really enjoyed the fact that the parents were not caricatures. A nice quick read that will hook the right kid.. A truly imaginative and adventurous story of friendship, growing up all wrapped up with a mysterious ghost story involving a china doll. Man wish there were more of these types of stories when I was that age. Also, Black really has a gift when it comes to setting a mood - felt like I was living the adventure with Zach, Poppy and Alice. One last thing -- excellent Librarian character who was also not a caricature.Favorite Quote
"There was a kind of quiet that hung over the world in the middle of the night, as though there was no one else awake anywhere. It felt ripe with magic and endless possiblitiy."
4 Dewey's
Jenn H sent this to me from OLA
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I was really excited to read this book. I have been a huge fan of Holly Black’s books (especially her Modern Fairy tale and Spiderwick series) and was excited to see what she came up with next. This was a good book and eerily creepy, it didn’t blow me away but it was entertaining.
Zach, Poppy,
This book is a well done and creepy story. It is about the creepy china doll, but even more it is about friendship and growing up. All of the kids have big issues with their families, and this final adventure helps them to grow up and understand the world a bit better.
Honestly I had some trouble engaging with these characters. This might be because this was such a short book and we hear from all three characters’ point of view. They came off as somewhat selfish to me. Poppy is very manipulative of her friends. Alice only goes on the adventure because she’s in love with Zach. Zach is pretty bitter (and a bit clueless about the girls) through the whole thing.
The story is very, very predictable. Things end exactly as you think they will. The adventure the kids go on is brief and honestly not all that magical. Mainly they spend time trudging through urban and suburban landscapes trying to find The Queen’s grave. As soon as I felt like I was starting to get engaged in the adventure...then it was over.
The Queen is very well done and extraordinarily creepy. If you are already creeped out by china dolls or dolls in general this book might totally freak you out. The Queen seems to move when no one is looking, destroys things when people are sleeping, and even takes over people’s minds a bit.
As I mentioned above this book is mostly about the pressures and expectations of growing up and how that can put stress on a friendship. It was a decent story and the idea was a good one, I just had trouble engaging in it.
Overall an okay creepy, adventure read. The Queen is really well done, but I had a lot of trouble engaging with the characters and the plot was very predictable. The story is really more about growing up and friendship than about creepy hauntings. I would recommend for middle grade and older kids because the story is about a young girl being murdered and the doll is super creepy. This was an okay book, but by no means my favorite Holly Black book. It was lacking in a lot of the wonderful description her books normally have.
Zach, Poppy,
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and Alice have been friends forever and love playing creative games of fantastical adventure with their action figures. However, as they grow up their friendship is being torn apart. When Zach’s father throws his action figures away it’s the last straw for Zach, he refuses to play. Poppy in a desperate maneuver to save their friendship takes a mysterious china doll (that they in their game they have dubbed The Queen) out of her box. However things take a dark turn when Poppy claims The Queen is haunting her. The Queen tells Poppy she will not rest until Poppy buries her in the grave of the girl whose bones were used to make The Queen’s china. So all three friends set off on a desperate adventure to put Queenie to rest.This book is a well done and creepy story. It is about the creepy china doll, but even more it is about friendship and growing up. All of the kids have big issues with their families, and this final adventure helps them to grow up and understand the world a bit better.
Honestly I had some trouble engaging with these characters. This might be because this was such a short book and we hear from all three characters’ point of view. They came off as somewhat selfish to me. Poppy is very manipulative of her friends. Alice only goes on the adventure because she’s in love with Zach. Zach is pretty bitter (and a bit clueless about the girls) through the whole thing.
The story is very, very predictable. Things end exactly as you think they will. The adventure the kids go on is brief and honestly not all that magical. Mainly they spend time trudging through urban and suburban landscapes trying to find The Queen’s grave. As soon as I felt like I was starting to get engaged in the adventure...then it was over.
The Queen is very well done and extraordinarily creepy. If you are already creeped out by china dolls or dolls in general this book might totally freak you out. The Queen seems to move when no one is looking, destroys things when people are sleeping, and even takes over people’s minds a bit.
As I mentioned above this book is mostly about the pressures and expectations of growing up and how that can put stress on a friendship. It was a decent story and the idea was a good one, I just had trouble engaging in it.
Overall an okay creepy, adventure read. The Queen is really well done, but I had a lot of trouble engaging with the characters and the plot was very predictable. The story is really more about growing up and friendship than about creepy hauntings. I would recommend for middle grade and older kids because the story is about a young girl being murdered and the doll is super creepy. This was an okay book, but by no means my favorite Holly Black book. It was lacking in a lot of the wonderful description her books normally have.
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LibraryThing member Mrsbaty
I loved this book. This is exactly the kind of book I was always looking for as a kid and rarely found. It had a bit of reality, just enough to make you think these are real kids. It had a lot of fantasy, make-believe, adventure and friendship. The illustrations are fabulous.
Poppy, Alice and Zach
Just when they think their game is over, the Queen makes it clear she needs them to complete a quest for them. What is more perfect for fantasy lovers than a quest? The three friends take it on and embark on the quest.
I feel that the book was a great portrayal of what happens when people are in the difficult transition from being kids to being teenagers. It affects friendships in many ways and it feels like leaving one is leaving some great things behind without really knowing what comes next.
This book reminded me of the books by Edward Eager and E. Nesbit that I loved as a kid. I'll be saving it to read to my granddaughters when they are the proper age for it.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Poppy, Alice and Zach
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have been playing fantasy games together since they were kids, with a antique china doll, kept in the china cabinet, as the Queen. With them turning 12, most people think they are too old for this and should move on. The trouble this causes between the 3 friends tears their game and friendship apart.Just when they think their game is over, the Queen makes it clear she needs them to complete a quest for them. What is more perfect for fantasy lovers than a quest? The three friends take it on and embark on the quest.
I feel that the book was a great portrayal of what happens when people are in the difficult transition from being kids to being teenagers. It affects friendships in many ways and it feels like leaving one is leaving some great things behind without really knowing what comes next.
This book reminded me of the books by Edward Eager and E. Nesbit that I loved as a kid. I'll be saving it to read to my granddaughters when they are the proper age for it.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
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LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
Just one of my favorite books of the year. This book is creepy but also a strong story about three best friends on a quest. I just loved it!
LibraryThing member punkypower
Doll Bones is a fun children's book that is light on spooky, full on adventure and heart. I love how Black ties everything together. I adored the gothic and simple illustrations.
Zach, Poppy and Alice are best friends. After school, they are best friends in their world of make-believe. They're
Zach, Poppy and Alice are best friends. After school, they are best friends in their world of make-believe. They're
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getting older. Zach's dad trashes his toys. Alice and Poppy are temperamental and keeping secrets. Poppy brings them huge news that involves the center of their other world, the Queen. A quest!! Will this quest bring them back together to what they love or drive them further apart? Show Less
LibraryThing member 68papyrus
Doll Bones is an eclectic combination of ghost story, adventure and coming of age tale. I listened to the audio version of the book and Nick Podehl has a great reading voice and did a nice job of bringing the characters to life. Zack, Poppy and Alice have been best friends forever and their role
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playing game has been a big part of the friendship. Now that the friends are in middle school they seem to be changing and Poppy worries that their friendship may be ending. When Poppy begins having dreams of her bone china doll, affectionately known as the Queen by the three friends, indicating that the doll is inhabited by a restless spirit the friends set off on an epic quest. The journey is plagued by mishaps and it seems they will never complete their quest. The book was well written and it was headed for 4 stars but the ending was a bit abrupt and I thought there could have been more creepy details added to the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member Imandayeh
Zach, Poppy, and Alice live in their own imaginary world with quests to complete. They are now in middle school and battling being friends through their own personal changes. After their bone-china doll begins haunting Poppy she insists they need to bury the doll for the spirit to rest. On their
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quest they experience a variety of changes within. This spooky tale leaves you wondering if the ghost was real or just their imagination? I enjoyed this book it is fun, whimsical, and imaginative. The coming of age story is not for young children. I would recommend it for middle-school. Show Less
LibraryThing member NCDonnas
Doll Bones is dark and whimsical, heartwarming and bittersweet, and so beautifully written that it will definitely find its way to my favorites shelf.
Zach, Poppy, and Alice are on a quest to return the "queen" (creepy porcelain doll possibly made from murdered child bones) to her grave. This quest
I grabbed Doll Bones as soon as I saw that it was by Holly Black without even knowing what it was about but I was fairly certain I would enjoy it. And I was right. I Loved this story. The main characters are just 12 years old, at that in between age when they begin moving away from play and make believe and start focusing more on social expectations. I have a son that is 11 and so I could relate to this book so much as a mom watching as my son is going through these exact changes. Holly Black so perfectly captures the essence of this transition from child to adolescent while at the same time giving the reader a creepy adventure to enjoy.
I would highly recommend Doll Bones to readers of ALL ages. This is highly readable and exciting for younger readers and also has a depth and poignancy that older readers will appreciate. This is hands down my favorite read of 2013.
Zach, Poppy, and Alice are on a quest to return the "queen" (creepy porcelain doll possibly made from murdered child bones) to her grave. This quest
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takes them across Pennsylvania and into Ohio and into some pretty scary situations. Throughout their adventure, the kids begin to explore their changing relationships with one another, with their parents, and within themselves. At the same time, they have to overcome many obstacles preventing them from completing their quest and returning the Doll Bones to it's proper grave.I grabbed Doll Bones as soon as I saw that it was by Holly Black without even knowing what it was about but I was fairly certain I would enjoy it. And I was right. I Loved this story. The main characters are just 12 years old, at that in between age when they begin moving away from play and make believe and start focusing more on social expectations. I have a son that is 11 and so I could relate to this book so much as a mom watching as my son is going through these exact changes. Holly Black so perfectly captures the essence of this transition from child to adolescent while at the same time giving the reader a creepy adventure to enjoy.
I would highly recommend Doll Bones to readers of ALL ages. This is highly readable and exciting for younger readers and also has a depth and poignancy that older readers will appreciate. This is hands down my favorite read of 2013.
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LibraryThing member prkcs
Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been playing the same game for years, but Zach's dad has decided that 12 is too old to play with dolls. So he throws all of Zach's figures in the garbage forcing Zach to end the game abruptly. In a desperate attempt to get Zach to play again, Poppy takes her mother's
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very fragile and expensive china doll known to Poppy, Zach and Alice as "the Queen", out of the cabinet and unwittingly starts opens communication with a dead girl. The three friends end up on a bus in the middle of the night in an attempt to put the ghost to rest. Along the way they also discover that growing up doesn't necessarily mean growing apart. Show Less
LibraryThing member literaryvalerie
Holly Black is a master storyteller with the Spiderwick Chronicles and several other popular series for teens and children. Her newest release “Doll Bones” is a spooky tale about a possessed doll and 3 children who must return her to her grave. This book keeps popping up on different lists as a
Synopsis-
Poppy, Zach, and Alice love to have grand adventures with their action figures and dolls. They have been playing an evolving game with them forever. It doesn’t matter to them that they are at an age where playing with dolls is considered babyish. All that matters is their friendship, adventures, and pleasing the Great Queen doll who lives in the china cabinet. One fateful day everything changes for Zach when his Dad ruins the game. Nothing will ever be the same. As Zach withdraws from his friends, a new mystery begins when Poppy releases the Queen from her cabinet. All of a sudden the 3 friends are thrust into a quest that will challenge their friendship and could ruin their lives. Is the creepy Queen doll really made out of a dead girls bones? Is she trying to get them all killed? Will anything ever be the same?
Find out in this twisty tale of mystery, friendship and possible murder!
Review-
This book was more than just a ghost story. It more about the power of friendship and how we change as we get older. Poppy, Zach, and Alice all have hardships that they are facing in their personal lives. Poppy has parents who are overworked and too busy for her. Zach has a complicated relationship with his Dad, and Alice is alone with her aging Grandmother who has crazy rules. Each character has been developed very well and I think many of my students will be able to identify with their struggles. The author did a great job of creating a realistic world for these middle grade kids that has lots of the trials and tribulations that tweens often deal with.
I have always been slightly creeped out by porcelain/china dolls. Especially the ones with the eyes that open and close. The Queen is no exception. She is an old doll with a faded dress and eyes that don’t really open or close right. Black does a good job making her seem sinister and evil without making her too scary. I have noticed that dolls are often the main characters in scary books for kids so I am not alone in thinking that they are extra creepy! This one might even be made of the bones of a dead child who is desperate to get back to her grave…yikes! While the story is very scary at times (the doll often seems to come to life) it is not gory or over the top. The murder is only hinted at and there are no scenes of blood and guts. I can see my 3rd and 4th grade students liking this book. I also won’t have to worry about parents thinking it is too scary.
There is a extra tiny bit of romance between the characters but you really have to squint to see it. It really does not add or detract from the story and there is nothing inappropriate going on. I really liked that this part was touched on but not the main part of the story. The rest of the story shows how hard growing up can be when you are still a kid and not yet a teen. That is what resonated most with me and I think that readers will identify with this the most. It has enough scary and enough heart to keep you reading to the very last page.
4 out of 5 stars and a definite purchase for our children’s library!
Other books you might like that are similar to this one:
Dollhouse Murders- Betty Ren Wright (Ages 10 and up)
Doll in the Garden- Mary Downing Hahn (Ages 10 and up)
Bad girls don’t die- Katie Alender (Ages 12 and up)
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popular tween book. After hearing about it again at the MLA conference I decided to give it a try. The publisher recommends this title to ages 10-14 and is 244 pages long.Synopsis-
Poppy, Zach, and Alice love to have grand adventures with their action figures and dolls. They have been playing an evolving game with them forever. It doesn’t matter to them that they are at an age where playing with dolls is considered babyish. All that matters is their friendship, adventures, and pleasing the Great Queen doll who lives in the china cabinet. One fateful day everything changes for Zach when his Dad ruins the game. Nothing will ever be the same. As Zach withdraws from his friends, a new mystery begins when Poppy releases the Queen from her cabinet. All of a sudden the 3 friends are thrust into a quest that will challenge their friendship and could ruin their lives. Is the creepy Queen doll really made out of a dead girls bones? Is she trying to get them all killed? Will anything ever be the same?
Find out in this twisty tale of mystery, friendship and possible murder!
Review-
This book was more than just a ghost story. It more about the power of friendship and how we change as we get older. Poppy, Zach, and Alice all have hardships that they are facing in their personal lives. Poppy has parents who are overworked and too busy for her. Zach has a complicated relationship with his Dad, and Alice is alone with her aging Grandmother who has crazy rules. Each character has been developed very well and I think many of my students will be able to identify with their struggles. The author did a great job of creating a realistic world for these middle grade kids that has lots of the trials and tribulations that tweens often deal with.
I have always been slightly creeped out by porcelain/china dolls. Especially the ones with the eyes that open and close. The Queen is no exception. She is an old doll with a faded dress and eyes that don’t really open or close right. Black does a good job making her seem sinister and evil without making her too scary. I have noticed that dolls are often the main characters in scary books for kids so I am not alone in thinking that they are extra creepy! This one might even be made of the bones of a dead child who is desperate to get back to her grave…yikes! While the story is very scary at times (the doll often seems to come to life) it is not gory or over the top. The murder is only hinted at and there are no scenes of blood and guts. I can see my 3rd and 4th grade students liking this book. I also won’t have to worry about parents thinking it is too scary.
There is a extra tiny bit of romance between the characters but you really have to squint to see it. It really does not add or detract from the story and there is nothing inappropriate going on. I really liked that this part was touched on but not the main part of the story. The rest of the story shows how hard growing up can be when you are still a kid and not yet a teen. That is what resonated most with me and I think that readers will identify with this the most. It has enough scary and enough heart to keep you reading to the very last page.
4 out of 5 stars and a definite purchase for our children’s library!
Other books you might like that are similar to this one:
Dollhouse Murders- Betty Ren Wright (Ages 10 and up)
Doll in the Garden- Mary Downing Hahn (Ages 10 and up)
Bad girls don’t die- Katie Alender (Ages 12 and up)
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LibraryThing member scote23
Slightly creepy, and a really good take on how friendships change in middle school.
LibraryThing member nycke137
This is a good book with a good story. Perfect for a reader under the age of 12, boy or girl.
LibraryThing member MVTheBookBabe
Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.
2.5 Stars
Doll Bones was something I just picked up. I had no prior interest in it, and honestly, I don't particularly have any interest in it now. My only real interest in it was the scare factor. How scary could a MG book be? But then I started it.
The doll's story was actually fairly mediocre. That may have just been because I was expecting to have the wits scared out of me, but I can't discount the fact that it just wasn't scary. But I need to move on.
I don't very often read books with male narrators, so Doll Bones was unique in that way. Zach was kind of a funny kid, but the more I read from his point of view, the more I realized...he's like twelve. Maybe 13, and they're playing with "dolls"? That was a slight character flaw in itself. I mean, I realize that some people are more mature than others, but does a twelve year old boy really play with dolls? Not in this day and age. You'd be lucky to find a twelve year old that hasn't already had a girlfriend.
But aside from that, I did enjoy Zach and his friends, Alice and Poppy. Their adventure was awesome, and I liked the way that they were around each other. They were just simply friends.
All in all, Doll Bones was neither creepy enough, mature enough or interesting enough to have me hooked, but it was an okay read.
2.5 Stars
Doll Bones was something I just picked up. I had no prior interest in it, and honestly, I don't particularly have any interest in it now. My only real interest in it was the scare factor. How scary could a MG book be? But then I started it.
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And realized, that, well, yes, as expected, it wasn't that scary. But first, let's get this out of the way-- I am deathly afraid of some of those porcelain dolls. They just freak me out, and that being said, well, this one didn't. Ouch, that's pretty sad.The doll's story was actually fairly mediocre. That may have just been because I was expecting to have the wits scared out of me, but I can't discount the fact that it just wasn't scary. But I need to move on.
I don't very often read books with male narrators, so Doll Bones was unique in that way. Zach was kind of a funny kid, but the more I read from his point of view, the more I realized...he's like twelve. Maybe 13, and they're playing with "dolls"? That was a slight character flaw in itself. I mean, I realize that some people are more mature than others, but does a twelve year old boy really play with dolls? Not in this day and age. You'd be lucky to find a twelve year old that hasn't already had a girlfriend.
But aside from that, I did enjoy Zach and his friends, Alice and Poppy. Their adventure was awesome, and I liked the way that they were around each other. They were just simply friends.
All in all, Doll Bones was neither creepy enough, mature enough or interesting enough to have me hooked, but it was an okay read.
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LibraryThing member R.K.G.
Doll Bones by Holly Black is a reviting story about three friends, Alice, Poppy, and Zach, and their discovery and connection to one special doll named Eleanor. The theme of this book is extremely chilling and dark, especially when we find out about the fate of the "Queen." Although the characters
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are 12, I would recommend this book for ages 13 to adult. Show Less
Awards
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2016)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2016)
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2014)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2015)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2015)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2016)
Newbery Medal (Honor Book — 2014)
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2015)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 2015, 2016)
Garden State Teen Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-8 — 2016)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2014)
California Young Reader Medal (Nominee — 2016)
Blue Hen Book Award (Nominee — Middle Readers — 2015)
Iowa Children's Choice Award (Nominee — 2016)
Rhode Island Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
Colorado Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Nominee — 2017)
CCBC Choices (2014)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 2014)
Notable Children's Book (2014)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Kids (Fiction for Older Readers — 2013)
Call number
J4A.Bla