I found this to be a hard book to read. I
think Mrs. Reed was not thinking to clearly herself when she sent her
youngest children back. The whole group suffered severely.
I
wonder if it was really written with grade school kids in mind.
It is pretty critical of Mr. Reed for taking the route suggested
by someone he didn't know. There was enough in the book about
Dollie to seemingly appeal to grade schoolers, but perhaps shouldn't be
read by that age group. It is history, and history isn't always
pleasant. The author wrote it for her master's degree project, so
it needed to be factual. As you said, it's good that she left out
the really dreadful parts!
I agree, I really do not think the book was for
pleasure reading. You know it would have been
a much better book about Dolly if it would have been
about her life after they arrive in Califioria.
anyhow, I am glad I read the book for History reasons.
"Patty Reed's Doll" is a reasonable introduction to the story of
the Donner Party for older children. The real accounts and the
sensationalized have been circulating since the event, but even
completely factual history is not always suitable for the young.
Growing up in California, trust me, even in grade school, it was still
the stuff of schoolyard whispers.
I can appreciate the book for history and that it helps Dolly achieve
Patty's wish as stated at the end of the book..."she must go back to
Sutter's Fort to tell the story of the children and their dolls who
crossed the plains in '46."
Dolly is a Real Doll with a Real Story - that is pretty exciting!
I am late as usual.. But had to let you all know, I feel much the same
as everyone else who read and shared their views on this book.
I enjoyed learning about the Donner party, I had heard but not really
learned about them.. So at least now I know a little more..
The best part of this story is that I saw some very cute Dolly's...
Thanks for sharing them.
Well, I have to say, I wasn't impressed with this
book. It was well-written, and I enjoyed reading it. However, I
think the book could have been much better if it had been much more
from the point of Dollie. Dollie (despite the title!) seemed to
be a peripheral character. She should have been the main
character, much as Hitty is in her book.
Many of the later chapters were dreary and depressing, and made me
uncomfortable with the things they included in a book 'by a doll' and
for children.
On the other hand, I was very very grateful the author left out the
more 'sensational' and dreadful parts of the whole experience.