Toby's Doll's House

by Ragnhild Scamell

Toby wants a dollhouse for his birthday--not the miniature fort, toy farm, or model parking garage family members think he wants--and he finds a way to get his dollhouse and still make his family happy

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

Hardcover

First published March 1, 1999

Reviews

[Alissa Jelke · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Toby wants a doll house for his birthday, his grandpa assumes he wants a castle, his aunt assumes he wants a farm and his dad assumes he wants a car park. Gender issues are dealt with in a realistic yet humorous way. I loved this book!

[Abby Johnson]

This is an oldie, but a goody. Toby wants a dollhouse for his birthday, but his grandparents and parents assume that he doesn't really want a dollhouse and get him a fort, a farm, and a parking garage. Toby thanks each of them for his presents, but make a special wish that he would get a dollhouse. And when he turns around, he realizes that the boxes from his new toys are the perfect materials to make his own perfect dollhouse and he plays happily the rest of the afternoon.

This is a gentle story that could be important for representation, letting kids know that even if their family doesn't see them, exactly, the author does. It's a good story for reinforcing the idea that toys have no gender and that it's okay for a boy to want and play with a dollhouse. And while my heart wanted Toby's family to listen to him and to buy him the dollhouse of his dreams, I know that's not the reality for a lot of kids. And Toby ends up with what he wants in the end. Even though the adults are a little clueless in this story, no one is mean or unkind.

Worth holding on to and worth giving a read if you still have this one on your library shelves.

[Sophia Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Toby wants for his birthday is a doll's house but everyone wants to get him what they would like for themselves. Toby shows us that it is okay to have a doll's house and be a boy. He also shows us that sometimes when you want something you have to do it or make it yourself. This will be a good book to teach students these things. You could even get boxes (like Toby did in the book) and have your students create anything they imagine out of those boxes. This book can also introduce new terms to children (i.e. drawbridge, turrets, pigsty and portcullis). I wish could have found information about the author and illustrator.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this just feels sad to me. Glad Toby had the creativity to solve his problem on his own, but bummed that his family wouldn't just buy him a dollhouse.

[Niledaughter]

I did not understand , was the message for children or adults ?