100th Anniversary: Raggedy Ann Stories

Raggedy Ann and Andy

by Johnny Gruelle

Celebrate the 100th Ann iversary of Raggedy Ann with this brand-new edition of the beloved classic stories written and illustrated by Johnny Gruelle!

When Raggedy Ann arrived in Marcella’s nursery, she quickly became the leader of all the dolls. Raggedy Ann always strives to be good—and she usually succeeds! Join Raggedy Ann on adventures from rescuing Fido, the family dog, to getting her famous “I LOVE YOU” heart, to flying in a kite, and much more!

Just in time for Raggedy Ann’s 100th birthday, these beloved classics about Raggedy Ann’s adventures are sure to delight fans young and old.

Genres: Classics, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Picture Books, Short Stories, Family

104 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1918

About the author

Johnny Gruelle was an American artist, political cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator (and even songwriter). He is known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. He had such confidence in his design that often he would create the final ink work without first sketching in pencil.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_G...

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had a Raggedy Ann doll for about as long as I can remember - and I knew that there was a bit of a franchise behind her but I never knew quite how much lore there was until now!

Raggedy Ann first began in the early 1900s, and this collection of short stories show us all sorts of adventures she's been on! Some of them were hits and others were a bit of a miss, but regardless, I feel happy that my Raggedy Ann has such a wonderful "life".

One thing that really stuck out to me was the short section at the very end written by a grandchild of the author, explaining that the author (Johnny Gruelle) lost his own daughter, Marcella, due to an infected vaccine in the early 1900s.

After two long years, she passed away. Her favorite doll? Her Raggedy Ann.

Johnny Gruelle then wrote stories about a happy Marcella with a Raggedy Ann by her side for the rest of his life. Yes, I cried reading that section - the fact that he published stories year after year about Marcella really cut me to my core.

A father's grief is never over, but in some small way, Marcella and Raggedy Ann live on in the hearts and minds of children everywhere.

Raggedy Ann Learns a Lesson - ★★★☆☆

"And when the front gate clicked and the dollies knew they were alone in the house, they all scrambled to their feet."

Raggedy Ann is the newest of Marcella's dolls = and she's immediately elected to be the leader of an expedition - to the PANTRY! The dolls are all quite excited to break into the yummy goodies...though they may be in a bit of trouble when Marcella comes home...

I thought this was a fairly good start to the Raggedy Ann stories - we get to see how Raggedy Ann was introduced to Marcella and the dolls get into quite a bit of mischief. I think what prevented me from fully enjoying this story is my adult brain. I kept picturing what it would be like to realize my dolls broke into the pantry and smeared their faces with food to pretend to eat it. The story is framed as a lighthearted and sweet misadventure...but yeeesh. If I was Marcella, I would be RUNNING!

Raggedy Ann and the Washing - ★★★★☆

"Why Dinah! How could you?"

Poor Raggedy Ann is placed in the washing, and during the wringing-out process, she becomes flat as a pancake and some of her buttons pop off! Poor Marcella is distraught but hopefully someone will find a way to fix her beloved doll!

This was quite a nice story - I liked the message (don't carelessly toss your toys, for they may get damaged) and it didn't feel too ham-handed. Raggedy Ann took everything quite calmly, which when I think about it, might sooth other children who may be worried about wear and tear about their own precious toys.

Raggedy Ann and the Kite - ★★★★☆

"When Marcella watched Raggedy Ann rise high above the field, she wondered how much Raggedy Ann enjoyed it, and wished that she, too, might have gone along."

When the boys needed a counterweight for their kite, Marcella is quick to volunteer her doll...with predictably disastrous results! This one had a very sweet ending - with Raggedy Ann finding her way back to her Marcella. I rather liked seeing the doll go on a bit of an adventure on her own!

Raggedy Ann Rescues Fido - ★★★★☆

"I think it would be a good plan for us to show our love for Mistress and try and find Fido!"

After quite a bit of thinking, all of Marcella's dolls realize that Fido is missing. While the family is sleeping, they break out of the house and set off to track down the wayward pooch.

Unlike the 'creepy' factor from the raiding-the-pantry, the unselfish actions of the dolls felt endearing to me. I was excited to see them go about their adventures - and the little nighties that Marcella made for the dolls' pajamas was rather cute in the illustrations!

Raggedy Ann and the Painter - ★★★★☆

"One of the painters, a young fellow, seeing the dolls, reached up and took Raggedy Ann down from the shelf."

The dolls were initially tucked away as the painters worked in Marcella's nursery - which wasn't much fun...but then the youngest painter "borrows" Raggedy Ann and tosses her up in the air. She's delighted, until the fateful accident where she's covered in paint!

This was a longer adventure - during which Raggedy Ann gets some much needed TLC and repair work from the painter's mother. I do wonder where the consciousness resides in the dolls - for it seems that her cotton gets replaced quite frequently and various things are sewn into or on her body. I know I'm overthinking it...but I wonder...

Raggedy Ann's Trip on the River - ★★★☆☆

"...Fido caught up with the new puppy dog and they had a lively tug-of-war with Raggedy Ann stretched between them."

After saving Fido's life, Raggedy Ann is BETRAYED! The family dog's actions directly result in Raggedy Ann plummeting into the river...with little hope of seeing her family again.

One thing I like about these stories is how quick the author is to reassure the audience that no matter what Raggedy Ann goes through, she will be alright. She couldn't drown in the river, she's not hurt when she needs repair work. It's a small, but sweet detail.

Raggedy Ann and the Strange Dolls - ★★★☆☆

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" said the French dolly, as she stood before Annabel and Thomas.

Marcella is given two new dolls (Annabel and Thomas), who are quite beautiful and new...and the dolls certainly think that of themselves. Raggedy Ann is determined to treat them kindly...no matter how the dolls treat her.

This is one of the more old-fashioned stories - where the bullies and the bullied are able to resolve their differences through surface level confrontations. I feel like if this was written in a more modern era, the resolution would've been more robust but overall, not too bad.

Raggedy Ann and the Kittens - ★★★★☆

"Is it a secret?" asked the penny dolls.
"Secret nothing," replied Fido, "It's kittens!"

Fido makes an exciting discovery near his home and rushes to tell Raggedy Ann. He's hoping to redeem himself from the whole river fiasco and Raggedy Ann is ready to put on a wonderful surprise for Marcella.

The illustrations in this one really stood out! Such fun expressions on everyone's faces and the kittens were rather sweet.

Raggedy Ann and the Fairies' Gift - ★★★★★

"The room was flooded with a strange, beautiful light and the music came floating in through the nursery window."

Raggedy Ann and friends were awoken in the middle of the night by music - and soon they realize that the fairies have come to visit...and left behind a very special someone for Marcella to love and look after.

In all honesty, why did we have to go with the stork for the whole how-babies-arrive thing? I love this version. Let the fairies bring the babies! So stinking cute and the illustrations were magical!

Raggedy Ann and the Chickens - ★★★★★

"Raggedy Ann turned her rag head to see the hummingbird and lost her balance - plump! she went, down amongst the chickens."

We mostly get stories centered around Marcella in this collection, so the chicken-centric story was much appreciated. I liked seeing Raggedy Ann do her best to help out the old chickens and it was surprisingly heartwarming for the ending.

Raggedy Ann and the Mouse - ★★★☆☆

"Something or someone had stolen into the nursery last night and nibbled all the wax from Jeanette's beautiful face..."

Here the dolls try to solve a mystery and protect their friend! And when they catch the culprit, they soon realize that things may not be as simple as they first appeared...

One thing that is quite interesting about the stories is all the different types of dolls I'm introduced to. There's the rag dolls, penny dolls, wax dolls, tin soldiers, and so on. It's rather neat to see the variety of toys played with during the early 1900s

Raggedy Ann's New Sisters - ★★★★★

"I will promise to take very good care of her and return her to you in a week."

In the final story of this collection, we learn how Raggedy Ann went from only belonging to Marcella to being a beloved doll across the globe. A kind man borrows the doll and proceeds to make quite a few copies of her, all ready to go to new homes.

Of all the franchise origin stories, this one was one of the sweetest. I liked seeing Raggedy Ann's new sisters and learning about their futures and various adventures. It's a cute way to tie in the store-bought dolls to Marcella's "original".

Overall Thoughts

On a whole, I rather liked this collection of short stories. They were quite sweet and often provided a not-too-obvious moral lesson for children. Some of the language and phrasing felt dated (as does many books written over a hundred years ago) but the charm and whimsy of the dolls comes through quite readily!

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Raggedy Ann Stories at Project Gutenberg quite some time ago but never took the time to read the book until now. Not that I was worried about warping childhood memories; I just forgot about it until recently when I was tidying up my lists for 2016.

I do have lovely memories of Raggedy Ann. She was my favorite doll when I was a child, the only doll I carried with me everywhere. I vaguely remember reading the stories, or at least hearing them, but I didn't remember enough details to spoil the reading now. And I loved the illustrations in the Gutenberg edition. Take a peek for yourself here: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18190/...

We meet Raggedy Ann when little Marcella is playing at her Grandmother's house and discovers the doll in a barrel in a dark corner up in the attic. Grandmother very graciously mends a few raggedy places and presents Ann to Marcella. She has been in the attic for 50 years, so has old-fashioned clothes and a funny painted-on face, but she quickly becomes Marcella's favorite doll. And Marcella had a lot of dolls. I remembered some of them: the French doll, the Dutch doll, the Scotch doll. I liked animal toys better myself, so I was never jealous of how many dolls this little girl had and now as an adult all I can say is Why So Many?!

Anyway, each short chapter relates a different adventure that Raggedy Ann has, because of course she and the other dolls all come to life when no one is around. They all sneak into the pantry and eat lots of treats, they go rescue Fido the puppy from the dog pound, they go out to the barn and convince Mamma Cat to take her three kittens into the nursery so Marcella can play with them. These were active toys!

And through it all, even when she gets washed by accident in a wringer washer and becomes flat as a pancake, Raggedy Ann is always smiling. She is just so cute, it makes me happy even now to see her face. The only time she lost her temper was when a mouse came into the nursery one night and ate the wax face off of a new doll that had just arrived. That chapter was a bit creepy, but Raggedy Ann and the cat (a new one, not one of the three from the barn...they were never mentioned again for some reason) save the day for everyone in more ways than one.

In the last chapter, Raggedy Ann is very brave when she is taken off to what turns out to be a factory. She is taken apart and copied for a pattern, then put back together and returned to Marcella. She tells the other dolls all about it, and how she now has thousands of sisters just like herself....in other words she was cloned! That would be frightening to any other doll, but Raggedy Ann was excited about all the little girls that would now get to have a special friend. She was always excited and happy about life in general, and the lessons in this charming little book are obvious but are gently told.

I am off to read about Raggedy Andy now. I had an Andy doll also, but he was never as much of a pal as Raggedy Ann was. I am curious to learn his background, since I really don't have any memories of how he showed up. He was just there one day. Maybe the Fairies brought him the way they brought Marcella's little brother in one odd chapter of this book? We shall see!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Childhood classics are always dicey things. Sometimes they age better than others. Raggedy Ann falls somewhere in the middle of that spectrum, I think.

I mean, let's get this out of the way: Raggedy's mistress, Marcella, is a spoiled little upper-class white girl, complete with a stereotype of a black servant called Dinah. It was fine in 1918 I'm sure, but it's a bit more outmoded now than, say, the adventures of Peter Rabbit (who slightly predates Raggedy). Raggedy herself is implausibly sweet and patient and universally beloved by all who meet her, and would frankly make Pollyanna look downright pessimistic.

All the same, I can't help feeling a sense of nostalgia as I read these stories to my daughter. And though Raggedy Ann might be overly sweet, she's sweet in a way that I find endearing rather than obnoxious. Marcella might be spoiled, but Raggedy provides a much better example as she thinks through problems, owns up to her mistakes, treats others kindly and helps those in need. Her adventures are varied and inventive, whimsical without entirely losing a sense of realism. (Um. With the possible exception of the story where Marcella's new baby brother is delivered. By fairies, who fly him in through the nursery window. Sigh.)

Speaking of realism: One thing I found particularly interesting was the way Raggedy Ann acts in most of the stories. She is, of course, of the "the toys are secretly alive" genre, and sometimes that means that she and the other dolls get up and walk and talk and have adventures. Just as often, though, she acts like a perfectly normal rag dolly who goes through the same things that other dolls might. In other stories where toys come alive, I often have the sense that the human world isn't really that real, that it's an obstacle for the toys to overcome. That isn't the case here; the world of living toys and the world of the people who play with them are neatly balanced, with adventures happening in both spheres. Somehow it gives me a better sense of the toys needing their mistress (and the other humans) than all the "Ohmygod Andy might get rid of us!" freakouts in the Toy Story movies.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first book in the Raggedy Ann & Andy set of stories. They were poignant, knowing the girl in the story is the author's daughter, who died at age 13.

[Wreade1872 · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing missing from these stories is a list of the dolls. You do get to know them as you go along but a role-call at the start would have been nice so here you go.
Raggedy Ann - Female, cheap stitched doll.
Four Penny Dolls - Female, small dolls.
Indian Doll - Male, given his tracking skills i'm assuming indian as in Native American.
French Doll - Female.
Uncle Clem - Male, scotish doll complete with kilt.
Tin Soldier - Male, made of tin as the name suggests.
Dutch Doll - Male, Dutch dolls are usually wooden. Says 'mamma' when knocked over (i had no idea they had talking dolls as early as 1918 :) ).

Proto-toystory tales. Read about what the dolls get up to when their owner isn't looking. These are really nice kids stories and even the gutenberg versions come illustrated which is great.
There are some minor issues, it can be a little bit twee at times. And by a LITTLE bit, i mean it occasionally feels like your trapped inside a candyfloss, while under rainbow cannon assault by an army of 'Care Bears' riding 'My Little Ponies' :P .
It also goes in the opposite direction on occasion. While its made clear the dolls feel no pain, its still a little unsettling when they get damaged, such as " Raggedy Ann.. smiled so hard she ripped two stitches out of the back of her rag head. " eeew! i know its just a doll but thats still creepy :lol.
Overall, very hard to dislike even for someone as emotionally dead inside as I am ;) .

[Carolyn Fitzpatrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Raggedy Andy is NOT in this book. This book is about Raggedy Ann and some other unmemorable dolls hanging out in a little girl's nursery. Make sure to read the sweet/creepy preface, which talks about how the little girl Marcela was a real person and died horribly young, so her dad decided to write a bunch of stories about a fantasy-land version of her childhood.

Overall the stories themselves were a disappointment, with two crossing the border into disturbing. There is one in which the dolls see a light in the night time and wonder what it was, and it turns out to be fairies bringing a new baby brother to the household. Because children must not learn about the uterus. The other involves a black maid, Dinah, who accidentally damages Raggedy Ann by laundering her with the clothes and running her through the mangle. It isn't a terrible story, but for me was completely ruined by the sentence, "Dinah's big eyes rolled out in a troubled manner," plus the illustration that accompanies this is full-on minstrel show. The story is also made awkward in that at the end Marcela apologizes to her toy for throwing her carelessly so that she landed in the laundry, while no apology is made to Dinah for yelling at her and snatching Raggedy Ann away from her.

In general, I liked the stories as a nostalgia read and from a historical perspective, but it will be a LONG time before I let my daughter read them!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read this again with the youngest at seven, much giggles on the way Raggedy looked all covered with paint. The child said that the funniest one was when they made copies of Raggedy Ann because you can't tell which one is her in the picture. (older more complete book review below)

I finished reading this childhood favorite with all three of my girls, aged 4, 8, and 10. They loved it, even the 10 year old, laughing at all the funny parts. I had told them that it was a little bit like the "Toy Story" movies because all the toys act "real" except whenever there are real people around. I also like how Raggedy Ann's gentleness with those who are rough with her ends up winning over friends.

My 10 year old is probably too old for it, but she is patiently gentle with her sisters. I have now read it with all three girls when they were 4 - 5.

I like what the author Johnny Gruelle's granddaughter says of his works, "His books contained nothing to cause fright, glorify mischief, excuse malice, or condone cruelty."

Now I'll have to dig out some wooden puzzles that we have with some of these illustrations on it.

[Isabella Leake · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is worthwhile -- and celebrated -- only, I believe, on the strength of its illustrations. Raggedy Ann is a sweet, arresting image, and all the pictures have artistic merit.

Raggedy Ann's origin story is also sweet, but the rest of her adventures are lackluster. They aren't conceptually bad stories, but something goes awry in the storytelling. Perhaps it's because they are repetitive (most of the stories involve Raggedy getting lost or bedraggled), because they lack continuity (one plot revolves around kittens born to the barn cat, while in a later story mice are a problem and an entirely different kitten is introduced into the house), or because they tend to be either simplistic or didactic (Raggedy Ann is the paragon of virtue, and all the dolls -- and sometimes the animals -- without much internal struggle learn from her example).

But as I said, for all its narrative flaws the book offers real appeal in the visual arena. As forgettable as her stories are, I hate to think of a world without the image of Raggedy Ann. She is a beloved icon and deserves to be one. I think her case is analogous to Babar or American Girl or most animated Disney films -- unforgettable visuals laid over mediocre storytelling. (Well, actually, maybe Babar stories are better than mediocre, but still his narrative realization isn't as excellent as his visual realization.)

It should also be said that I read this book to my daughter, and she was enchanted. The inferior storytelling dampened my enthusiasm as we progressed through the book, but she continued to carry the book around with her and ask me to read from it, and we're planning to read the next volume together as well. It may not be great literature as literature, but I still think it's worth reading, especially if doing so makes the day of an adorable, bookish, rapt four-year-old.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the doggie because he's cute. I thought the sisters were really spooky.

[Dominick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm. Two stars may be a bit harsh, but I went there because the final chapter is really nothing more than a sales pitch for Raggedy Ann dolls (which Gruelle somehow managed to patent and sold in conjunction with the book), said story being an account of somebody borrowing the doll in order to take her apart and use her to create patterns for creating a potentially infinite number of identical "sisters" for our eternally-smiling, candy-hearted heroine. The candy heart is literal, by the way, a candy heart being sewn into the doll in one of her early adventures, so the excessive sweetness and light of the world depicted here (puppies love kittens, and cats are not even allowed to kill mice, only to scare them into moving out to the barn) is literally woven into the fabric of the protagonist. Oddly, given the rosy view of the world in this book, a significant number of the stories involve Raggedy Ann being taken apart or otherwise damaged, though of course she never feels pain and is always restored to wholeness by the end--and is irrepressibly happy and generous to all, even those who disdain her. Nevertheless, there is a strange and potentially disturbing focus on the malleability and vulnerability of the doll body in these tales. It is never allowed to develop into something profound or poignant (based on what I see here, I don't know whether Gruelle would have been capable of either), but it does make for the occasional arresting image (e.g. of Raggedy Ann with her head all collapsed in). As tales, though, these are . . . well, I guess "insipid" would be fair, even if it sounds harsh. I doubt children today would be willing to accept their naive world view--well, very young children, perhaps....

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I re-read my mother’s 1947 copy that at age 70 she finally decided to give away. I know I enjoyed these as a kid, and clearly she treasured them. Our copy was all taped up after heavy reading wear. I recall well the large Raggedy Ann doll she had kept since her childhood until I was at least ten.

As an adult the stories are only ok, hence the two stars. The second story in this collection is racist, for the only black character who appears in the book is a washerwoman who speaks in dialect. The fairies’ gift story was dumb, as the gift is a human baby. Otherwise, the stories were simple and wholesome and sometimes charming, with positive moral messages. I can only imagine a very young child finding them interesting, though, as there’s much better children’s literature from which to choose. Beatrice Potter, for instance, is so much more imaginative. But someone six and under might like these.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud to J. She loved it. When we finished the last story, she sighed, "That was beautiful." Pretty cute. :)

[Christina Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with my 6 year old. A sweet children’s book about the adventures of Raggedy Ann when her humans are away. I loved the innocence, kindness, and imagination of it. Nostalgic and fun for me as I brought out my old Raggedy Ann dolls for my daughter and remembered all the adventures they went on with me when I was a kid.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories were incredible sweet and childlike without really even being childish. As Johnny Gruelle's granddaughter says in the afterward, they "never glorify mischief, cruelty, or unkindness." Nothing but fun, happy, silly stories for little ones.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

((((Adorable))))

This is so cute and my son liked it, too. It has stood the test of time well.(With the exceptions of Dinah. We read the free kindle version, so there were no illustrations. I just looked at Project Gutenberg's illustrations and skimmed through the pictures.)

I definitely noticed strong influences on "Toy Story." There are lots of similarities. Raggedy is a leader like Woody. She gets lost. And so on.

Also noticed influence on Build a Bear. Hmmmm....just where did they get the idea for the heart inside the animal???? Could it be Raggedy?

Also have to wonder if this book is the first marketing ploy. (I don't want to give spoilers, but it is in the last chapter.). Johnny Gruelle is a genius.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading these stories again! I borrowed this book from a friend who purchased it for her 6 yr old daughter. I remember reading these stories and getting so wrapped up with my imagination as a little girl. I just had the same feeling!!! 25 yrs later!!! My favorite stories in this book: Raggedy Ann and The Kite -and- Raggedy Ann's Trip on the River. The author's message is very positive, "we are indeed happy and proud. For wherever one of the rag dolls goes there will go with it the love and happiness that you give to others."

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded this book from gutenburg press and formatted it in Word, then took it to Office Depot to be bound. It has the original illustrations in it. My daughters have made a rag doll and love hearing the Raggedy Ann stories. They have started taking care of their dolls the same way Marcella takes care of hers. Great, sweet stories.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Raggedy Ann. She is active, intelligent, and warm-hearted.

I put up an illustrated version of the book on Amazon Kindle. I wanted it to be something parents will give to their children, so I edited out the racism.

http://www.amazon.com/Raggedy-Stories...

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Few childhood memories are as special as mine of sitting down with my Raggedy Ann and serving her orange juice that morning I decide to read this book to her. She still wears the faint stain from our glorious time together.

[Jenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, so preachy! and also kinda racist.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too saccharine sweet for me, but I imagine it'd be great if you're 6.

[Kristin Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite from my childhood. My grandmother gave it to me along with handmade dolls.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories captivated our two little girls so the author must have done something right with respect to his target audience :)

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mostly plotless, quite didactic stories about a group of dolls that come to life when their little-girl owner and her family are asleep or away from home. This is a collection of 12 Raggedy Ann stories, each originally published as a separate illustrated story book.

As a child, I had all the Raggedy Ann and Andy story books and both dolls. I remember them as childhood favorites. But re-reading the stories as an adult I am appalled. Chock full of troublesome stereotypes, it's abundantly clear these stories belong to a very different era.

Raggedy Ann is sweet, always smiling, and spreads only sunshine no matter what, even when the dog is ripping her to shreds and leaves her to drown in a river. In one story, fairies arrive to deliver the little girl's new baby brother, who comes as a complete surprise. Don't even get me started on the black washer woman (and the accompanying racist illustration). It's definitely time to let this one go in favor of appropriate role models for today's children.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A selection of a few of Gruelle's children's stories, which he began publishing in the 1910s. Gruelle also created the charming illustrations.
The Raggedy Ann stories were inspired by a rag doll that Gruelle's grandmother made for his mother (according to the cover copy). When his daughter Marcella inherited the doll, he began to write stories about the doll's adventures which took place when Marcella wasn't around. They're sweet, simple adventures which are probably not exciting enough to occupy modern children.
There were a few interesting insights into the period, however. Marcella puts grape jam in her lemonade to flavor and sweeten it and make it turn a pretty color. When the dolls get dirty, Marcella washes them herself without being told and hangs them up to dry--today, it seems parents are responsible for cleaning their children's toys.
In the final story, a strange man comes to visit and borrows Raggedy Ann. He takes her apart to make a pattern, and then a group of women sew copies, mass producing more Raggedy Anns. When the original Raggedy Ann returns, she insists to the other dolls that the others are exactly like her in every way. Obviously, this story was to launch a commercial line of Raggedy Ann dolls inspired by the stories, not unlike how cartoons and animated movies today do the same.
I had a large Raggedy Ann as a child, but I never particularly liked her. I found her vaguely creepy, something about the way her face was painted.
I'm now curious if having stories written about her had any negative impact on Marcella's life. I know other similar children--like Christopher Robin, Alice Liddell, and the brothers who inspired Peter Pan--did not go on to lead long and happy lives. Though it's unclear how much of that was connected to the fame they never sought.
I looked into the history behind the story and learned that Gruelle produced copies of the doll before launching the book, so it was a strategic commercial venture from the start. He also found the doll before his daughter was born, and it was made by his mother for his sister. He decided it would make a good basis for a series of stories. And Marcella's life was tragically cut short--She died at age 13 of an infected vaccination, coincidentally the same month Gruelle sought a patent for Raggedy Ann. The doll became a symbol of the anti-vaccination movement, which made me think of the recent similar movement.

[Rachel Hyland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raggedy Ann is one of those characters we all think we know, but I for one had never read any of the original stories on which her pop culture ubiquity is based. I knew that she was a red-haired doll (I have curly red hair; “Raggedy Ann” was not an uncommon nickname/slur in my childhood) and I have some Little Golden Books starring her and her… I guess, brother?… Raggedy Andy, but aside from the vague feeling of goodwill that she engenders, I really had no idea of the quality of her origin story.

But then I spied a handsome hardcover edition of her collected tales, and of course bought but didn’t read it, until today I babysat my friend Claire’s bibliophilic four-year-old twins and thought this would be the perfect bedtime story.

And it turns out? Raggedy Ann is really quite lovely.

She is indeed a doll, and she is the most popular toy in Marcella’s nursery, her sunny nature and helpful demeanour making her a firm favourite with all her plaything colleagues. The twins sat entranced, alternately open-mouthed and giggling, as I read story after story, and while story time took over an hour, I was totally fine with that, so cute are the stories. It is always with a sense of relief that I read (or hear, or watch) something long-beloved and find it worthy of its long-held popularity, and with this one, I am happy to confirm that the Raggedy Ann stories are cute as anything, and stand up to this very day.

Read them to the four-year-olds in your life. You won’t regret it.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book. Yes, it's of its time, but that's the joy ... something as sweet and simple would seem impossibly naive, today. It's not modern: Marcella treats her doll with equal parts tenderness and unthinking sadism, there's a black servant, and Raggedy Ann's pleasant equanimity must have been easier to swallow in a time when women were supposed to be happily subservient.

And yet ... fairies, kittens, candy hearts, the gentlest of adventures, only happy endings, and the most beautiful illustrations by the author (if you're reading an unillustrated version, you're missing A Lot. Stop right now, and get the illustrated one (it's free on Project Gutenberg). If a book could smell, it would smell like an apple orchard in blossom with English daisies blooming through the meadow-grass below.

Four stars, because I'm reserving five for the odder, later books, when Raggedy Ann throws off the shackles of simply being a doll, and goes on Rupert-or-Oz-like adventures in unusual fairylands.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve!

[Mary Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt quite a wave of nostalgia when I started reading Raggedy Ann Stories. I had a Raggedy Ann doll, as I think most girls of my era did, and I felt sure I must have heard some of the stories growing up but could remember none of them. But when I picked up the book and started reading it was all so cozily familiar. I wish I could remember if, as a child, I enjoyed the stories.

As a grandmother, I thought they were nice, but not spectacular. The settings were very dated (I'm okay with that -- teaches kids a bit about how people used to live), but the themes of kindness, leadership, mercy, etc., were timeless. I'm not sure what age the stories are meant for, but know that my 2-year-old granddaughter is still far too young. The length and vocabulary would be too much for her, but also, I think, the idea of dolls coming to life when we aren't looking. I know it's a common trope, but perhaps better for K - 2nd grade? No nightmares needed. She's already a bit anxious about Pooh getting stuck in that rabbit hole!

So I'll hold off on sharing these stories for now, and just let my granddaughter make up her own stories about her own Raggedy Ann doll. But it was so nice to read them again - and recognize them - after all these years.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, I am very biased because not only did I grow up with this book, but I also had the dolls, watched the animated musical adventure from the 70's and wore a Raggedy Ann dress WAY past I had outgrown it. So I love this book and you should read it too.

Though, in the two copies I have, one published in 1961 and the other in 1995, there are a couple differences in contents. They both have Preface and Dedication, the Introduction/Introducing Raggedy Ann, Raggedy Ann Learns a Lesson, Raggedy Ann and the Kite, Raggedy Ann Rescues Fido, Raggedy Ann and the Strange Dolls, Raggedy Ann and the Kittens, Raggedy Ann and the Chickens, & Raggedy Ann's New Sisters. But the 1995 one deletes some stories (while it has all color illustrations while the 1961 copy has half color half b&w.)

The 1961 version also has these stories:
Raggedy Ann and the Washing, Raggedy Ann and the Painter, Raggedy Ann's Trip on the River, Raggedy Ann and the Fairies' Gift, & Raggedy Ann and the Mouse.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I grew up with Raggedy Ann dolls, so I really enjoyed the stories. This book is one that would be really enjoyable for little kids. I liked the stories, but as an adult, I'm not sure if I would read it again to myself. If I was reading to a child, this would be a go to book. I like that it's not one long story. It's broken out into small stories that do not have to be read in order. I think having it broken out into smaller stories keeps a child's attention, which is what you want when reading.

Author: Johnny Gruelle
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 1918