The Most Wonderful Doll in the World

by Phyllis McGinley, Helen Stone (Illustrator)

Originally published in 1950, this Caldecott Honor Book follows Dulcy as she describes to her father why her missing doll, Angela, was the most wonderful doll in the world. Reprint.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction, Classics, Realistic Fiction, Chapter Books, Middle Grade

61 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

McGinley was educated at the University of Southern California and at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. After receiving her diploma in 1927, she taught for a year in Ogden and then at a junior high school in New Rochelle, New York. Once she had begun to establish a reputation for herself as a writer, McGinley gave up teaching and moved to New York City, where she held various jobs. She married Charles Hayden in 1937, and the couple moved to Larchmont, New York. The suburban landscape and culture of her new home was to provide the subject matter of much of McGinley's work.

McGinley was elected to the National Academy of Arts and Letters in 1955. She was the first writer to win the Pulitzer for her light verse collection, Times Three: Selected Verse from Three Decades with Seventy New Poems (1960).

In addition to poetry, McGinley wrote essays and children's books, as well as the lyrics for the 1948 musical revue Small Wonder.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is more of a Middle grade chapter book than a children's picture book. There are pages of only words. The artwork was nice what little there was of it, but I think it's because the story is so tedious. The art by itself wouldn't be that exciting either.

This book felt moldy to me. It is very repetitious and a list of what this doll does over and over and over getting longer and longer till I wanted to throw it across the room. Because it was so long, I did not read this to the kids.

This girl makes herself miserable and has no gratitude for what she does have. Maybe, a point in this story is about gratitude. I like dolls and I like stories about dolls and this did not grab me if you can't tell. Maybe, if I read it as a child it would have been different, but as an adult, this story had little charm. A spoiled child. I did see that many people loved this book, so I will assume it is my age and I am missing the charm of this story. I have missed it almost totally.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! A wonderful story about a wonderful doll. I love how the "moral of the story" is handled, that Dulcy isn't made into a typical spoiled brat but that her nature of finding it "hard to be satisfied with Things as They Are" combined with her imagination do run away with her and lead her into troubles for awhile. The resolution is realistic and satisfying. I think many children (and adults, if they are honest with themselves) could relate. The Caldecott-winning illustrations are lovely and both the illustrations and descriptions of the dolls are enchanting.

"Don't grown-ups have dreams?" asked Dulcy.
"Oh, yes," her mother said. "Of course they do. But they know the difference between what is true and what is not. They keep the dream glowing like a little fire at which they can warm their hearts."

Books like this are good for warming hearts, too ;-)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a favorite of mine when I was around 5 or 6 years old, and I probably read it at least a hundred times.

I would recommend this book to any young girl between 4 and 8 because it is about a life they understand. Although this book was written a long time ago and times have changed drastically since then, most girls still love dolls, blankets, stuffed animals, or all three. This means that almost every little girl can understand how Dulcy feels about her doll and how she is always wishing it was different or better. Another reason I would recommend this book is because it encourages imagination. Although Dulcy’s imagination gets her into trouble, she learns at the end that imagination is a good thing when tempered with a realistic understanding of things as they really are. Anything that encourages the use of imagination in these days of television and video games is beneficial. However, I cannot see a boy of any age liking this book. It is very sentimental, for one, and it is about dolls, which boys tend to avoid as much as possible. But I believe that every little girl should read this book to help them learn to appreciate what they have but also keep their dreams and desires alive.

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child. I had always loved dolls and this book reinforced my love of dolls. I remember I got this book for free from my second grade teacher. I wish I still had it.

[Loralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is SUCH a great book to read at this time of the year. We had some great discussions about being grateful for what you have, and learning to be "satisfied with Things as They Are". Both kids committed to being happy and grateful for all of their possessions, regardless of what others have and recognized how miserable Dulcy was when she was constantly pining for her lost doll.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

1951 Caldecott honor

this was beautifully done. I like the constant change between black & white & color. & it's a perfect story for a little girl today. I collected dolls when I was little & would have loved this book.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great story to teach children to appreciate what you have. The illustrations are beautiful and it definitely deserved the Caldecott Honor it received.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This chapter book has been now duly filed under my “art of girlhood” shelf. Ah, the innocence of imagination and learning the difference between what is real and what we imagined things to be. Love the old-fashioned drawings and the normality of childhood play.

[Jean Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 9yr loved reading this on her own and my 3 and 5 yr old love listening to it as a read aloud. This is a great early chapterbook for those beginning to read independently. I also love Helen Stone's illustrations.

[Becky B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dulcy is never completely satisfied with the dolls she has. One day she is given a very nice doll by an older neighbor, a doll which she manages to lose before she gets home. Dulcy's description of the doll magnifies and becomes increasingly extraordinary, in fact, well past believable when Dulcy and a new friend stumble across the real doll in the garden and Dulcy is confronted with her out of control imagination and mouth.

I think the point of this story was to give a little lesson to kids prone to exaggeration and/or telling whoppers, though I'm not sure how much it worked. Dulcy still seems to have a tendency to tell some ridiculous stories at the end, though she does start admitting after the fact that it's just imaginary. I guess that's a step in the right direction. The illustrations are ok, definitely a product of the times. I don't know how well accepted they'd be with today's kids, I know for sure modern kids would struggle with some of the vocabulary and slang. What's probably most impressive is the extent of illustrations in this book that is over 60 pages long.

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a little girl, Dulcy, who loves her dolls more than anything in the world. However, someone else's doll has a prettier dress or curlier hair than her dolls. She is never truly satisfied with what she has. One day her neighbor, Mrs. Primrose, gives her a doll named Angela. Unfortunately on the way home, Angela is misplaced. As Dulcy tells each new person about Angela, Angela becomes prettier and has more beautiful clothes. The story grows and grows until a year later, Angela is found. Dulcy realizes that Angela isn't as wonderful as she had imagined.

Continue reading on Examiner.com The Most Wonderful Doll in the World by Phyllis McGinley and Helen Stone, Caldecott Honor book - San Francisco fiction | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/fiction-in-sa...

[Angelica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts out "There once was a girl named Dulcy who had lots of imagination. "Too much imagination," her mother would say to her father. Dulcy was a little girl who wanted to things she couldn't have. Things like dolls for example, Dulcy had way to many of them but she loved Angela the most and flaunted about how she was the best doll. Then she finds that all the things she flaunted about Angela were all in her imaginaton.

Girls tend to use their imaginations as often as possible, they pretend to have tea parties and dress up with their dolls. This book really centers around the active imagination of one girl. But when the reality hits that her doll isn't the most wonderful doll, and that she has made her up she comes back down to that reality.

This book is good for girls 2nd and 3rd grade. This is a good book for Doll Club. I think girls and maybe even boys could relate to Dulcy.

[Kathleen Behrendt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This charming, nostalgic story of a little girl who is not satisfied with all she has is, unfortunately, out of print. Dulcy is a the daughter of a family with wealth and she owns many beautiful dolls. She receives the doll Angela from her neighbor, Mrs. Primrose, and has the bad luck of loosing it. As she describes the doll to family and friends, it becomes more and more fantastic. She becomes unhappy with all her other dolls and her friends don't want to play with her anymore. Dulcy is very lonely and sad. The doll is eventually found, and Duly realizes that it doesn't live up to her imagination.


Recommend this book to girls who like reading books about dolls. This book makes a great read aloud to younger girls. Girls interested in stories about dolls may also enjoy "Miss Hickory" by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, "Hitty, Her First Hundred Years" by Rachel Field and the Raggedy Ann & Andy books by Johnny Gruelle.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dulcy has a collection of dolls though she's not quite satisfied with any of them. One day a neighbor woman gifts her a doll named Angela that Dulcy misplaces in her excitement over a freshly raked pile of leaves. For months afterward whenever she recalls Angela the doll's features become more and more exaggerated until almost everyone in her life tires from hearing about the doll. In the spring, Dulcy finds Angela in the yard under a pile of leaves, but she looks nothing like the wondrous doll she has built her up to be.

Illustrations look like watercolor. Some are full color, others are black and white. This wasn't the read I predicted it would be. I expected a tale about a beloved toy, but what I got was a story about a spoiled child and her dissatisfaction with her many fine things.

[SamZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

1951 Caldecott Honor; Favorite Illustration: the two page spread showing Dulcy looking over her array of dolls.
Dulcy loves dolls, but she has a problem accepting things as they are. She is always wising for things to be a little bit different, or better, or nicer. One day she gets a new doll named Angela, but loses her on the way home. As time goes on, Angela's memory becomes so much better than Angela herself. When Dulcy finds her the following Spring, she learns a hard truth: sometimes having an imagination and a dream is not a bad thing, but letting it run away from you can ruin your happiness.
This was a cute story with a pretty good moral, and while I enjoyed it, I had a hard time identifying with Dulcy - I kind of wanted to slap her. Also, this book was too wordy for my 5 year old to enjoy.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dulcy's doll Angela is lost, and this is terrible, because she was the most wonderful doll in the world. Dulcy tells anyone and everyone about her terrible loss, until there is no one left who wants to hear about how great Angela was or how many accessories she had. When the real Angela turns up, Dulcy learns a little bit about Things As They Are.

Delightfully vintage in voice, but still classic in appeal, this 1951 Caldecott Honor winner is many things - honest, amusing, dazzling, and more. Dulcy is an imperfect character, important in the sea of Dicks and Janes of the era during which it was published.

Suggest to: patrons who enjoy Maud Hart Lovelace or Rumer Godden, who need shorter chapter books, who like dolls or classic literature

[Marissa Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dulcy's doll Angela is lost, and this is terrible, because she was the most wonderful doll in the world. Dulcy tells anyone and everyone about her terrible loss, until there is no one left who wants to hear about how great Angela was or how many accessories she had. When the real Angela turns up, Dulcy learns a little bit about Things As They Are.

Delightfully vintage in voice, but still classic in appeal, this 1951 Caldecott Honor winner is many things - honest, amusing, dazzling, and more. Dulcy is an imperfect character, important in the sea of Dicks and Janes of the era during which it was published.

Suggest to: patrons who enjoy Maud Hart Lovelace or Rumer Godden, who need shorter chapter books, who like dolls or classic literature.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

1950 Caldecott Honor Book and part of the series of Blue Ribbon Books.

A story about a little girl that gets a doll from an older woman who is leaving town for a short time and wants her to have this doll to take care. The girl has many dolls but this one is very special, until she gets side tracked and leaves it in a pile of leaves. She begins to invent stories of her adventures with the doll, but will not share that she has lost the doll till one day after a long winter the doll appears right where she left it. The doll is a little worse for the wear.

Here are a couple of interesting quotes from the book that I found interesting from this dated story.

"We learn to be more satisfied with Things As They Are" As grownups, Dreams are like fire that can warm hearts.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will admit that I did not want to read this book for a long time because it is about dolls, as I've always found them a little creepy. This book won a 1951 Caldecott Honor book, and is about a little girl named Dulcy (this name really dates the book) who has a large collection of dolls to play with but has just lost a doll named Angela she just received as a gift from a friend of the family. She goes on and on about the doll, each time inventing better and better things that it does. When she finally finds it again, she realizes that it didn't do anything of things she said it did, but she was just imagining it. Recommended for ages 4-8, 2 stars.

[Maria Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

• 1951 Caldecott Honor Book •

I really liked this book! It was fun to read. Dulcy is never satisfied with “Things As They Are”. She’s given a doll, promptly loses it, and she starts to built the doll up in her mind of how wonderful it was and then she doesn’t want to play with her other dolls because she misses the doll she lost. I like how this book teaches the moral of being grateful for what you have and also a little of being more careful with your stuff. Dulcy is a little annoying (and spoiled) but overall I enjoyed this anyway.

Materials used: unlisted
Typeface used: unlisted

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads like an early chapter book, despite its lack of chapters. I’m not crazy about the illustrations, but I really enjoyed the story. I was a kid who had a lot of dolls, and I could relate to Dulcy’s love for her own dolls, and especially for the lost Angela. Dulcy remains realistic throughout the story - both in her building up of Angela and her bragging about her, and in her transformation after she realizes there is a difference between lying and imagining. Dulcy and the reader both learn a lesson, but from a child’s point of view, not because of outside adult influences.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as the story of this book, I HATED IT. I found the little girl an annoying spoiled brat, and the story was painful to read. It was very repetitive, and the it was like listening to a long, boring joke in a bar. I did love the illustrations, and this is the perfect example of a book that deserved the Caldecott for its illustrations, but makes it hard to read it for #nerdcott. I fought my way through the story, and I am giving it 4 stars for illustration, and 1 star for story.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dulcy is not satisfied with what she has - she imagines that everything would be perfect if it were different. Her doll with yellow hair she wishes had brown hair. She wishes another doll had a lace slip. When her neighbor Mrs. Primrose gives her another doll, Angela, Dulcy promptly loses it. While it remains lost she builds it up in her mind as something far more wonderful than it really is; when she finds it again will she be satisfied with "things as they are?"

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

I put off reading this as long as I could - the subject of a doll made it feel like a little-girl book from 1950 - exactly what it was and little more. Helen Stone's illustrations, especially the color two-page spreads are what rescue the book. The story of Dulcy's ongoing disappointment with everything she has, especially her dolls, is a bit hard to bear - her imagination and several influential adults keep her from going under. 2.4 stars just because of the illustrations.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to say about this book. It was very interesting. I think Elizabeth is too young for it, though. It is about a girl who makes us a story and tells it so many times she begins to believe it, too.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caldecott Honor, 1951

It looks like an early chapter book.

Favorite illustration: page 34

Favorite line: "There was once a little girl named Dulcy who found it hard to be satisfied with things as they are."

[Laura5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This really has the feel of an early chapter book.
There was a part at the end that felt a bit didactic as far as the lesson the main character has learned, but other than that I appreciated the main character's exaggeration, and the sweet illustrations.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Caldecott Honor Book. They don't write them like this anymore and that's a good thing. Lame and wordy with not especially interesting art. The main pov character is just plain irritating. Sure it ends well but getting to that point was a slog.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a really cute story about a little girl and her doll.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reminder to appreciate what we have