
The Gingerbread Doll
Based on the book description, categories, and metadata — not verified against the full text.
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Book Details
Looky Rating System Score adjusted for ages 4+
Moderate confidence (80%) — AI estimate from description and metadata.
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Story Themes
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Description
"This is a warm and engaging Christmas story set during the Great Depression. Rebecca is nine years old when her large, close-knit family moves into a tarpaper farm house in Wisconsin. Because times are hard, she does not find the porcelain doll she had hoped for under the Christmas tree. Instead, her mother surprises her with a thick gingerbread doll named Button Marie, which she loves 'in a way you could never love anything from a store.' . . . These paintings (which are reminiscent of the work of Andrew Wyeth) convey a strong sense of the affection that pervades the family over the generations. The emphasis on such familiar things as family storytelling and rituals makes this a slice of Americana that the picture book crowd can savor."--ALA Booklist <p>"Lloyd's sharply observed realistic watercolors--in a palette somewhat grayed as if to recall old b&w photos--beautifully reflect this well-told story's warmth and focus on essential values."--Kirkus Reviews
Themes & Topics
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