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Floating Island
When the doll house they inhabit is shipped overseas as a gift, a terrible storm results in shipwreck on an uninhabited tropical island for the Doll family. This includes Mr. and Mrs. Doll, their children William and Annabelle, and Dinah the cook. The story follows their adventures with affection and humor.
265 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1930
3 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Anne Parrish
43 books4 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Three-time Newbery Honor winner, Anne Parrish came from a distinguished and artistic Philadelphia family. Her younger brother was author Dillwyn Parrish. Parrish trained at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, although she later chose a career in literature. In 1923 her first romantic novel, Pocketful of Poses, was published simultaneously to her children's book, Knee-High to a Grasshopper, illustrated by her brother Dillwyn. Their collaboration was followed by 'Lustres' (1924). In 1925 'The Perennial Bachelor' was the eighth best-selling book for the entire year according to the New York Times and won the Harper Prize from her publisher. Her 1928 bestseller 'All Kneeling' was made into the 1950 film Born to Be Bad, starring Joan Fontaine and Robert Ryan.
Throughout most of her life, Anne Parrish traveled extensively and on a trip to Switzerland, she and her brother purchased Le Paquis, a cottage in a meadow overlooking Lake Geneva not far from Lausanne, between Vevey and Chexbres.
In 1915, she married industrialist Charles Albert Corliss, residing in New York City. Her husband died in 1936. Two years later, she married poet and novelist Josiah Titzell (aka Frederick Lambeck). They made their home in Redding, Connecticut. After he died in 1943, she continued to live there for the rest of her life.
Three-time Newbery Honor winner, Anne Parrish came from a distinguished and artistic Philadelphia family. Her younger brother was author Dillwyn Parrish. Parrish trained at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, although she later chose a career in literature. In 1923 her first romantic novel, Pocketful of Poses, was published simultaneously to her children's book, Knee-High to a Grasshopper, illustrated by her brother Dillwyn. Their collaboration was followed by 'Lustres' (1924). In 1925 'The Perennial Bachelor' was the eighth best-selling book for the entire year according to the New York Times and won the Harper Prize from her publisher. Her 1928 bestseller 'All Kneeling' was made into the 1950 film Born to Be Bad, starring Joan Fontaine and Robert Ryan.
Throughout most of her life, Anne Parrish traveled extensively and on a trip to Switzerland, she and her brother purchased Le Paquis, a cottage in a meadow overlooking Lake Geneva not far from Lausanne, between Vevey and Chexbres.
In 1915, she married industrialist Charles Albert Corliss, residing in New York City. Her husband died in 1936. Two years later, she married poet and novelist Josiah Titzell (aka Frederick Lambeck). They made their home in Redding, Connecticut. After he died in 1943, she continued to live there for the rest of her life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 18, 2019
Chosen as one of eight Newbery Honor books in 1931 - the second of Anne Parrish's titles to be so distinguished, following upon
The Dream Coach
, a Newbery Honor book in 1925 - Floating Island is the story of a family of dolls who are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Purchased, together with their house, the Doll family - Mr. and Mrs. Doll, William and Annabel Doll, Baby Doll, Dinah the Cook, and Finny, Lobby, Chicky and Pudding (the four seemingly sentient side-dishes provided in the Dolls' home) - are meant as a gift for a young girl named Elizabeth, and are shipped to her home in the tropics, only to see themselves stranded on a tropical paradise when the ship on which they are traveling goes down. Profusely illustrated (ostensibly by Mr. Doll), with amusing little captions, and replete with authorial footnotes giving informational asides not immediately pertinent to the Dolls' adventures, the book follows the various members of the family as they struggle to cope with their new environment, and to find one another. The majority of the tale, in fact, is devoted to their search for one another, through the jungles and across the beaches of Floating Island.
Like The Dream Coach , I found myself distinctly underwhelmed by this selection, and at a little bit of a loss to see those qualities in it that merited a nod from the Newbery committee. The tone was just a little too cutesy for me, with that kind of self-conscious wonderment that some earlier authors of children's fare seemed to feel was obligatory, and while the premise was interesting - sentient dolls! being lost on a tropical island! - the story never seemed to go anywhere, and certainly wasn't enough to distract me from my discomfort at certain socially anachronistic passages. To wit: the racist portrayal of Dinah, and her relationship with the rest of the Dolls, which I felt was made all the creepier by the fact that these were dolls. I was grateful that Parrish didn't have Dinah speaking in the stereotypically broken English usually reserved for black characters in vintage children's fiction, but dismayed at the fact that she apparently longs to be white (she wears Mrs. Doll's wig for a time, confessing sadly to Mr. Doll, after the fact, that it only made her feel "blacker," revealing that the point of wearing it was to feel less black), and has some kind of innate connection to the monkeys, and to island life. The assumption that Dinah would feel more at home on a south seas island, because she is black, implies an entire world view that is problematic: all non-European peoples are essentially the same (so what if Dinah's ancestors came from Africa, NOT from this island? It's all the same thing, isn't it?); all non-European people are closer to "nature" (Dinah's instinctive "memory" of how to do things, on the island), and therefore a little less civilized, a little more likely to slide back into barbarity (Dinah's desire to say on the island).
To be clear, Parrish does not suggest these things, but they certainly came to mind, when reading some of her passages, and made me uncomfortable enough that I could not enjoy the other aspects of the story, or the (admittedly) charming artwork. As a consequence, I wouldn't recommend this to contemporary young readers (the original target audience), although I think that older readers with an interest in doll fiction, or Newbery completists like myself, will find much here to interest them.
Like The Dream Coach , I found myself distinctly underwhelmed by this selection, and at a little bit of a loss to see those qualities in it that merited a nod from the Newbery committee. The tone was just a little too cutesy for me, with that kind of self-conscious wonderment that some earlier authors of children's fare seemed to feel was obligatory, and while the premise was interesting - sentient dolls! being lost on a tropical island! - the story never seemed to go anywhere, and certainly wasn't enough to distract me from my discomfort at certain socially anachronistic passages. To wit: the racist portrayal of Dinah, and her relationship with the rest of the Dolls, which I felt was made all the creepier by the fact that these were dolls. I was grateful that Parrish didn't have Dinah speaking in the stereotypically broken English usually reserved for black characters in vintage children's fiction, but dismayed at the fact that she apparently longs to be white (she wears Mrs. Doll's wig for a time, confessing sadly to Mr. Doll, after the fact, that it only made her feel "blacker," revealing that the point of wearing it was to feel less black), and has some kind of innate connection to the monkeys, and to island life. The assumption that Dinah would feel more at home on a south seas island, because she is black, implies an entire world view that is problematic: all non-European peoples are essentially the same (so what if Dinah's ancestors came from Africa, NOT from this island? It's all the same thing, isn't it?); all non-European people are closer to "nature" (Dinah's instinctive "memory" of how to do things, on the island), and therefore a little less civilized, a little more likely to slide back into barbarity (Dinah's desire to say on the island).
To be clear, Parrish does not suggest these things, but they certainly came to mind, when reading some of her passages, and made me uncomfortable enough that I could not enjoy the other aspects of the story, or the (admittedly) charming artwork. As a consequence, I wouldn't recommend this to contemporary young readers (the original target audience), although I think that older readers with an interest in doll fiction, or Newbery completists like myself, will find much here to interest them.
March 29, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed The Floating Island though I do have to count it as one of the strangest books I have ever read. It's basically a retelling of Swiss Family Robinson but from the point of view of a ship wrecked doll house family. Anne Parrish included also did the illustrations for the book (though she credits most of them to Mr. Doll). My son is enthralled with these illustrations, especially the one of the owl. I'm thinking of scanning the owl illustration and printing it out for his wall.
This book was published in 1930 and was the runner up for the Newbery Award (either 1930 or 1931; I'm not sure which). If I ever find out for sure that this book is in the public domain, I'll scan it for Project Gutenberg. In the meantime, I'm keeping the book. This is the first book in two years that I've read that I'm not going to release one way or another. Goodness!
This book was published in 1930 and was the runner up for the Newbery Award (either 1930 or 1931; I'm not sure which). If I ever find out for sure that this book is in the public domain, I'll scan it for Project Gutenberg. In the meantime, I'm keeping the book. This is the first book in two years that I've read that I'm not going to release one way or another. Goodness!
August 19, 2022
There's a delightful interactivity to this early-20th century children's book - Anne Parrish uses the sort of footnotes that today we associate with Terry Pratchett, she poses questions to the read - and in one case offers a list for readers to mark with their preferred answer, which the original owner of my first edition did, and ends the book on a question for the reader. It's pioneering in terms of children's literature and ideas of how to foster literacy in children.
The story itself is fun, and not nearly as racist as I was afraid it would be. Yes, there are definitely issues that are very uncomfortable today, but it's still head-and-shoulders above other comparable books of the same time period, and Parrish does make an attempt to educate not make horrible assumptions. All in all, this holds up surprisingly well.
The story itself is fun, and not nearly as racist as I was afraid it would be. Yes, there are definitely issues that are very uncomfortable today, but it's still head-and-shoulders above other comparable books of the same time period, and Parrish does make an attempt to educate not make horrible assumptions. All in all, this holds up surprisingly well.
December 4, 2008
This delightful book belonged to my mother. Recommended for those who enjoy doll stories (or, like Wendy, are reading the Newbery Honor books). While some object to the depiction of the Doll family's cook, I do not think that should detract from enjoyment of the Dolls' adventures on their desert island.
September 12, 2025
my dear friend conor row bought me this. i like the little monkey with pants. good stuff.
January 18, 2025
This was a great family read aloud!
Creative and comedic for the grown ups.
Adventurous, fun, and silly for the littles.
Creative and comedic for the grown ups.
Adventurous, fun, and silly for the littles.
May 1, 2023
This is a fun kids book about a doll house filled with dolls that gets thrown overboard while traveling on a ship and they all land on an island. It is very cute as the dolls come to life and try to adapt to their new situation. Written in the 1930’s so it must be read in context of what was going on during that time historically.
September 22, 2014
This book was stupid and racist, but interesting enough to avoid the dreaded single-star. Still, I don't know how it won a Newbery Honor. Let me explain.
The book is about a doll family that crashed into an island. Most of the book everyone is just trying to find each other since they all got scattered to different parts of the island. The adventures are somewhat fun, and the author makes a fun time out of the differences between dolls and humans.
Mr. and Mrs. Doll are stupid - they often act like kids. And the author is often degrading to the reader, treating them like they are stupid. I think she expects those that are reading this to be at about a kindergarten level or lower. That's how she treats the reader.
Also, they have a maid. Naturally, she is black. Naturally, the things that she wants most in this life are a soap box so she can make herself a better kitchen/laundry area and to be white. Of course, when she gets abducted by monkeys she finds her true self and starts dancing and chanting in the forest and even sneaks out at night to do more forest dancing with the monkeys. Yeah, this actually happens in this book. And then since she really has more in common with the monkeys, being black and all, she decides to stay with them when the family gets rescued off the island. They make minimal objection. There is a lot more racism throughout the book, but I thought this was enough to state my point.
The book is about a doll family that crashed into an island. Most of the book everyone is just trying to find each other since they all got scattered to different parts of the island. The adventures are somewhat fun, and the author makes a fun time out of the differences between dolls and humans.
Mr. and Mrs. Doll are stupid - they often act like kids. And the author is often degrading to the reader, treating them like they are stupid. I think she expects those that are reading this to be at about a kindergarten level or lower. That's how she treats the reader.
Also, they have a maid. Naturally, she is black. Naturally, the things that she wants most in this life are a soap box so she can make herself a better kitchen/laundry area and to be white. Of course, when she gets abducted by monkeys she finds her true self and starts dancing and chanting in the forest and even sneaks out at night to do more forest dancing with the monkeys. Yeah, this actually happens in this book. And then since she really has more in common with the monkeys, being black and all, she decides to stay with them when the family gets rescued off the island. They make minimal objection. There is a lot more racism throughout the book, but I thought this was enough to state my point.
July 16, 2011
This book was so adorable. It defintiely reminded me of when I was growing up and had my own doll house to play with. I kept feeling that throughout the whole story that there really was a child playing with the dolls and that this child had a really good imagination. While I know that Elizabeth never actually got her dolls and doll house, I felt like a child was playing with them while they were "on the island." I loved reading the perspective of the small dolls and how they interpreted things. I felt that this was a very imaginative story that would be great for girls AND boys of all ages. I loved the plot of this and also loved the drawings done by Mr. Doll.
February 6, 2017
This is a 1930 pick from my Newbery collection. I found it to be a charming little story (with qualifications that I would want to discuss with a child) aimed at youngish children. Its tone makes me think of a fun story hour time with such choices as Peter Pan (completely different plot, of course).
This book is quite dated, though, and contains white patronizing attitudes toward black house servants. Toward the end it goes so far as to hint at Jim Crow beliefs about some races being equal with monkeys. Clearly, this wouldn't pass modern social standards, and has been an appropriate choice of a read during Banned Books Week.
This book is quite dated, though, and contains white patronizing attitudes toward black house servants. Toward the end it goes so far as to hint at Jim Crow beliefs about some races being equal with monkeys. Clearly, this wouldn't pass modern social standards, and has been an appropriate choice of a read during Banned Books Week.
April 16, 2020
I have read this wonderful children's book many times. My mother read it to me, I read it to my children and my children read it to theirs. It is a fantasy, of course, but so well written and illustrated, that it reads as true. It's about the adventures of a family of dolls and their house that is shipwrecked on an island. The drawings are so sweet and special. Anne Parrish was a cousin to the famous painter and illustrator, Maxfield Parrish. The book was written in 1930 and never grows old. If you like fantasies, you'll like this book.
June 27, 2022
This was a stupid book. Not quite as stupid as Appleby Capple but close. Dim witted dolls running around in the jungle. Overly condescending author footnotes that talk down to kids. And the problem with Dinah, the cook doll. My example of egregious racism? All Dinah wished for was a soapbox so she’d have her own kitchen and-wait for it- to have yellow hair like Mrs. Doll. She gets the second wish when the monkeys steal the wig but gives it back when reunited with the family because it “makes her feel blacker”.
13 more books and I’ll be a Newbery completist.
13 more books and I’ll be a Newbery completist.
January 18, 2025
Spoiler-free summary: A family of dolls and their dollhouse is purchased by a man who packs them up and sends them by ship to his niece. However, the ship wrecks in a storm, and the dolls and the dollhouse are washed onto an island and are separated from each other. The family goes through charming trials to reunite, including dealing with some friendly and unfriendly animals. A well done adventure story on par with The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle.
March 27, 2018
The paeans of praise on the back cover might lead you to think you're holding the preeminent children's book of the 20th c. Because the idea of a shipwrecked dollhouse is intriguing, the execution is done fairly well, and the descriptions are very lush, I could give it 4 stars: 1) if the author didn't patronize her child readers when speaking to them directly (not a tactic that I enjoy), 2) if I was more assured that the author had a good command of the knowledge she espouses in the footnotes and elsewhere (I have doubts), 3) if the author had extended herself a wee bit to come up with names better than Mr. and Mrs. Doll, and 4) if we could just excise all the bits with Dinah the cook (they're so very racist). I understand that the book was published in 1930 and is a product of its times so I can excuse the descriptions of the African workers on the cocoa plantation; it is possible that a reader may not have seen a black person before. But I can't excuse the portrayal of Dinah: in the illustrations (they're Maxfield Parrish style,author is a cousin) she's depicted in minstrel show style, she gets on well with the island's monkeys, she is described as becoming "boastful" by Mrs. Doll (the term intended but not used is "uppity"), and Dinah decides to stay on the island because she feels at home (in the jungle). I read this for my 2018 Reading Challenge and for my Newbery Challenge (Honor book 1931),
May 14, 2023
The story was cute: a doll family gets shipwrecked and has many adventures on an island before deciding they need to be with children. The girl they were supposed to be a gift for lived on a plantation in the tropics, and the book's racial attitudes were definitely from that era. The doll family had a cook who was very much of the stereotypical "Mammy" type; Mrs. Doll in particular was extremely annoying in her attitude toward Dinah. There was also a scene with bad "Indian" playacting.
June 19, 2023
Adorable illustrations and cute, imaginative story plot! The adventures of the dolls and other creatures are delightful to read about. Do keep in mind that this book was written almost 100 years ago, and so there are a few remarks in the book that would probably be considered "politically incorrect" in today's times. Just take it in the context and time period in which it was written. I thought the book was cute and funny, and especially loved the little map drawn by the dolls in the book!
August 17, 2023
Mr. Doll has been an artistic influence for a very, very long time. Thank you.
April 18, 2025
Book-in my library
Want to read
June 12, 20251931 Newbery honor book
March 22, 2017
Follows a lost dollhouse and its inhabitants to a 'floating island.'
About as enjoyable as Hitty and her interminably long hundred-year reign. Yeesh.
About as enjoyable as Hitty and her interminably long hundred-year reign. Yeesh.
November 17, 2017
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/newbery-r...
December 22, 2022
Mr. and Mrs. Doll, their children, William, Annabel, and Baby, their cook, Dinah, and their four plates of food, Chicky, Lobby, Finny, and Pudding, all live in a doll house. A man buys the dollhouse for his niece, but the ship it is sent on gets destroyed in a storm, and the dolls are all separated on an island. Mr. Doll paddles a boat out to save Dinah, but just as he gets to her, a seagull swoops down and carries her away. Crabs help William and Pudding get out of a hole, and they find Chicky and Mrs. Doll. Crabs find Baby, and William goes off in the jungle to find Annabel. Mr. and Mrs. Doll wake up to find William missing, and his note he wrote in the sand for them has been washed away, so they go searching for him. After 187 pages, we finally learn what happened to Annabel. She washed up on a beach and is living in a shoe. William finds Annabel, and then they find Finny. All the dolls find each other, and they get their house out of the ocean. The dolls throw a feast for all their friends, and they start a fire so a ship rescues them.
I think I do not like stories about dolls. I found the personalities of the dolls in this book to be irritating, and I thought it was over the top that their plates of food were considered characters.
I think I do not like stories about dolls. I found the personalities of the dolls in this book to be irritating, and I thought it was over the top that their plates of food were considered characters.
December 21, 2011
Three stars because it is loads better than Appleby Capple, but not because I really loved it. I actually rather liked the first half, but the second half really dragged. The Dolls were all quite silly, but there were some entertaining moments.
Once again, however, Ms. Parrish has some cultural issues. The cook, Dinah, who is of course black, is poorly drawn (literally - think a traveling Minstrel show! - as well as in her descriptions) and becomes a savage, engaging in strange rituals and preferring monkeys to humans. We also have some less than flattering descriptions of the various "brown people" who work the fields, and Mr. Doll takes a moment to "play Indian." Lovely. (Thank you, era of all cultures that are not mine must be childlike. I'm glad we are getting past that point!)
Once again, however, Ms. Parrish has some cultural issues. The cook, Dinah, who is of course black, is poorly drawn (literally - think a traveling Minstrel show! - as well as in her descriptions) and becomes a savage, engaging in strange rituals and preferring monkeys to humans. We also have some less than flattering descriptions of the various "brown people" who work the fields, and Mr. Doll takes a moment to "play Indian." Lovely. (Thank you, era of all cultures that are not mine must be childlike. I'm glad we are getting past that point!)
October 10, 2009
from The New York Times: "The book is not only amusing but beautifully written; the descriptions of the various forms of tropical life glow with light and color. In her unique use of frequent footnotes in which she puts things she wants her readers to know but which do not belong in the Doll's story, the author has found a way of seeming to talk directly to her child audience.."
I agree that the descriptions were lovely, but nothing distracts me more or turns me off a book faster than 'frequent footnotes' and the author 'seeming to talk directly to her child audience'. Can't abide either, which is why I could only struggle half-way through this book before giving up in disgust.
To read aloud to very young children.
I agree that the descriptions were lovely, but nothing distracts me more or turns me off a book faster than 'frequent footnotes' and the author 'seeming to talk directly to her child audience'. Can't abide either, which is why I could only struggle half-way through this book before giving up in disgust.
To read aloud to very young children.
July 26, 2011
Written in 1930. I love comparing what children had to read then opposed to now. So much change in characters and attitudes. I trudged through this book for one of the Goodreads childrens' groups. We had a great discussion around ethnic attitudes. It wasn't a great book, but then, I'm not a child! My adult imagination is nowhere to be found!
September 13, 2016
A family of dolls with their cook are packed up in their house for shipping. Along the way they get shipwrecked and survive on a "floating" island. With the help and hinderance they are all reunited and set up home. Written for a younger audience with lots of footnotes about live in the sea and on the island.
Want to read
April 6, 2009I actually think I've read this, but since I can't remember and I don't have my reading log with me, I'll mark it as "to-read".
Want to read
May 9, 2013Newbery Honor Book 1931
August 17, 2013
Another Childhood favorite! The adventures of a shipwrecked dollhouse family
Read
October 23, 2014c817fd62-e75c-4e90-90af-8a15887691e2
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews