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Dolls
After being kissed by hunky dreamboat Jonathon Taylor Anderson while waiting inline for the water fountain, Kite Morgan's stomach's so full of butterflies she barely makes it to class to tell her bff Marcie about what happened. Marcie doesn't share her excitement. "What about Carla?" she asks. Carla Bell and Jonathon were an item for as long as anyone could remember but, a month ago, they broke up, so Kite's not worried.
Turns out she should've been.
At lunch, Carla and her two cronies, Sophie and Kylie approach Kite and tell her, "She's dead after school." It makes the rest of the day a struggle for Kite, who's never been in a fight.
The fight after school doesn't take long. Two punches, and Kite's down. She walks home, upset, angry, and hating the world. She decides the only way to work through this is to busy herself with something creative. So, taking the craft box from where it's remained untouched for years in her closet, Kite sits at her dining room table cutting out paper dolls of Carla and her two watchdogs.
When she's done, she borrows her little brother's Tonka truck and, in a fit of rage, runs over the Carla doll again, and again, and again. Now this is cathartic, she says to herself. When she's done, the doll is twisted, it's paper arms lay outstretched, and it's dead eyes stare vacantly at the ceiling.
Then, from outside, sirens wail as emergency vehicles race past Kite's house.
Following them, Kite finds the real Carla Bell a half mile up the road, lying beneath the wheels of a real truck that looks remarkably similar to her brother's Tonka. Beneath its wheels lies Carla Bell, looking nearly exactly the same as the doll still sitting on Kite's dining room table.
Comatose, Carla is taken to hospital.
Kite thinks it's more than a mere coincidence. Soon her theories are validated, launching her on an emotional rocket ship ride as she fully realizes the implications of possessing so much power and the responsibility that goes along with it.
At school, Kite's class is assigned Animal Farm by George Orwell and soon, Kite's descent into power corruption begins to match that of the pigs. She realizes, unless she can uncover the secret of her paper doll voodoo powers, she will soon be corrupted by the absolute power she wields with the dolls.
Dolls is a hilarious, yet sometimes scary reminder that with great power must come great responsibility.
Turns out she should've been.
At lunch, Carla and her two cronies, Sophie and Kylie approach Kite and tell her, "She's dead after school." It makes the rest of the day a struggle for Kite, who's never been in a fight.
The fight after school doesn't take long. Two punches, and Kite's down. She walks home, upset, angry, and hating the world. She decides the only way to work through this is to busy herself with something creative. So, taking the craft box from where it's remained untouched for years in her closet, Kite sits at her dining room table cutting out paper dolls of Carla and her two watchdogs.
When she's done, she borrows her little brother's Tonka truck and, in a fit of rage, runs over the Carla doll again, and again, and again. Now this is cathartic, she says to herself. When she's done, the doll is twisted, it's paper arms lay outstretched, and it's dead eyes stare vacantly at the ceiling.
Then, from outside, sirens wail as emergency vehicles race past Kite's house.
Following them, Kite finds the real Carla Bell a half mile up the road, lying beneath the wheels of a real truck that looks remarkably similar to her brother's Tonka. Beneath its wheels lies Carla Bell, looking nearly exactly the same as the doll still sitting on Kite's dining room table.
Comatose, Carla is taken to hospital.
Kite thinks it's more than a mere coincidence. Soon her theories are validated, launching her on an emotional rocket ship ride as she fully realizes the implications of possessing so much power and the responsibility that goes along with it.
At school, Kite's class is assigned Animal Farm by George Orwell and soon, Kite's descent into power corruption begins to match that of the pigs. She realizes, unless she can uncover the secret of her paper doll voodoo powers, she will soon be corrupted by the absolute power she wields with the dolls.
Dolls is a hilarious, yet sometimes scary reminder that with great power must come great responsibility.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2012
1 person is currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Michael Hiebert
28 books99 followersMichael Hiebert is the award-winning author of many books and short stories. He is the author of Dream with Little Angels, the first book of his acclaimed Alvin, Alabama Mystery Series. His recent work includes The Rose Garden Arena Incident (A Serial Thriller in Seven Parts) and Sometimes the Angels Weep, his first collection of short stories. He won the Surrey International Writers’ Conference Storyteller Award two years running, and his story My Lame Summer Journal by Brandon Harris, Grade 7 was listed by Joyce Carol Oates as one of the top fifty most distinguished mystery stories published in The Best American Mystery Stories. He lives in British Columbia, Canada, with his three children and dog, Chloe.
Be sure to check out his website at http://www.michaelhiebert.com and sign up for VIP access and be eligible for all sorts of free stuff. Michael can be contacted by email at michael@michaelhiebert.com
Be sure to check out his website at http://www.michaelhiebert.com and sign up for VIP access and be eligible for all sorts of free stuff. Michael can be contacted by email at michael@michaelhiebert.com
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 23, 2012
Dolls, by Michael Hiebert, is an imaginative take on adolescence. What we get in this well-crafted novel is a modern fable of growing up, responsibility and letting go of past anger. It is a young teen learning the adult lesson that people and things are not always what they appear to be.
Mr. Hiebert, is not a novice to writing, having crafted many other works before Dolls. His writing style is crisp and smooth. His editing near flawless. There is a reason he was recently signed by Kensington. And while I have not read YA since my children were in that mode, I read and thoroughly enjoyed Dolls. He writes the adolescent female voice so well I thought he was a pseudonym, at first. Having spoken to Mr. Hiebert, I can vouch that he is not a teenager masquerading as a grown man.
At 173 pages, this novel is a perfect length for middle school classrooms everywhere. As a former teacher, I would recommend it be considered for summer reading lists, so that students and parents can both read it.
Mr. Hiebert, is not a novice to writing, having crafted many other works before Dolls. His writing style is crisp and smooth. His editing near flawless. There is a reason he was recently signed by Kensington. And while I have not read YA since my children were in that mode, I read and thoroughly enjoyed Dolls. He writes the adolescent female voice so well I thought he was a pseudonym, at first. Having spoken to Mr. Hiebert, I can vouch that he is not a teenager masquerading as a grown man.
At 173 pages, this novel is a perfect length for middle school classrooms everywhere. As a former teacher, I would recommend it be considered for summer reading lists, so that students and parents can both read it.
October 9, 2012
Dolls is an interesting, funny, and well thought out book with an original idea behind it. The characters are interesting and relatable, and the plot is well paced and exiting. I could barely bring myself to put this book down, and always looked forward to picking it back up.
December 13, 2018
Magical
This made for a great, smooth and enjoyable reading experience. A fable for young and old alike. I hope the author does, or already has a sequel as mentioned in the end notes.
This made for a great, smooth and enjoyable reading experience. A fable for young and old alike. I hope the author does, or already has a sequel as mentioned in the end notes.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews