Rag Doll Press

Biscuit, Buttons & Pickles

by E.J. Taylor

Two rag dolls share some adventures with their friends during a snowstorm and find a front-page story for the newspaper they are starting

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1985

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rag dolls Violet Pickles and Ruby Buttons and their retired nanny companion Miss Biscuit return in this fourth picture-book devoted to their adventures. When Violet spies a dusty old-fashioned printing press in shopkeeper Mr. Bickerstaff's basement, inspiration strikes: she will create a newspaper for children. With the help of Ruby and Miss Biscuit, and some interesting developments involving their friend Skeeter and an injured puppy, she manages to do just that...

Like its predecessors, I thought that Rag Doll Press paired an engaging, ultimately heartwarming tale with charming illustrations. I was curious about author/illustrator E.J. Taylor, who appears to be a doll enthusiast, judging by the fact that his published titles include the Biscuit, Buttons & Pickles series about two rag dolls, as well as the 1987 instructional title, Dollmaking . I was therefore not surprised to learn, after a cursory google search, and the discovery of Taylor's website, that he is a doll artist who has exhibited his work all over the world. That said, I was a little surprised by the fact that he is an American, as these books were originally published in the UK. Apparently he lived in that country for a number of years, although he is now back home, and teaching classes through the NIADA (National Institute of American Doll Artists). His doll art is really quite striking - beautiful, and a little creepy! - so I am glad to have discovered it.

In any case, I did enjoy this one, and recommend it to those who have enjoyed others stories about these characters, as well as to picture-book readers who enjoy stories featuring living dolls and/or young writers. For my own part, I would love to track down the fifth and final installment of this series, Christmas at Ivy Cottage , published a number of years after the other four titles, but it was never published here in the states, and appears to be rather difficult to find.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read this one because it's part of the same series as one of my childhood favorites, Ivy Cottage. This one was still good, but nowhere near my love for that other one.

[Robert Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very sweet story.

[Cws]

JE-Tay

[Hockley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rag Doll Press made my All time top 5 picture books list!

See the list here http://raven-reads.blogspot.co.uk/201...