Three or More Tuesday – Literary Character Dolls

Three or More Tuesday is sponsored by Tam at The Gypsy's Corner. Do visit her for more participating posts.

Dolls were always a major feature of my childhood years. I loved to dress them, play with their hair, and set them up in domestic settings I contrived. Recently I foound myself with a few dolls which are characters from books.

My Three or More today is just a sentimental collection consisting mostly of items I found in thrift shops or otherwise very inexpensively.

The first one I got was a 12" Linnea cloth doll which I found in a consignment shop. Her smiling face is so appealing. I love art and art appreciation and art history. Thus this doll is very much like the young girl I once was, who enjoyed visiting places about New York City.

The book which introduces Linnea is "Linnea in Monet’s Garden" by Christina Björk and illustrated by Lena Anderson.
Here is the Publisher’s Weekly review: "Linnea, a fresh-faced European girl with a mop of black hair and a white smock, gives a solid lesson in art history in the gentlest way, through a first-person account. Her story is like a scrapbook, reliving a trip she took to Paris and Giverny to learn about Monet's water-lily paintings. Airy, light-filled watercolors showing Linnea in Monet's environment are juxtaposed with period photographs of the artist and reproductions of the paintings themselves. The focus is always on the specific. Monet's brushstrokes are examined (Linnea terms them "splotchy").

A section is devoted to expressionism: "Even stone walls could shimmer sometimes." Also included are Monet's biography, a family tree and a brief guide to Paris. But, it is the sense of being there, and Linnea's own enthusiasm, that carries the book."


I learned about the sweet little French girl, Madeline, from a program on television, an animated feature titled "Madeline’s Christmas." It was based on the book of the same name by Ludwig Bemelmans. I was captivated with the little girl and her upbeat personality, her creativity, and take-charge attitude. Here is the 7" vinyl doll with her own cup and saucer.

At a thrift shop I found a copy of the book, "Madeline’s Christmas" by Ludwig Bemelmans, and two videos, "Madeline" and "Madeline at the Dog Show: A Story about Bravery," both narrated by Christopher Plummer.

While attending a convention of the American Library Association in Dallas, TX I came upon a publisher’s booth for the American Girls Collection. I was attracted to the concept of introducing girls in different periods of American history. Each doll has a six-book series, beginning with a Meet… volume to introduce the character.

The doll, Addy, presents a story of a life in a time of transition. The American Girls website states, "Addy Walker’s story begins as she and her mother are escaping slavery to find Addy’s father and brother, who’ve been sold away. But their escape means leaving Addy’s baby sister behind—her cries could cost them their lives. Once Addy takes her freedom, can she re-unite her family?"
"The Addy book series present "stories of growing up in 1864 Philadelphia."
This 7-inch vinyl doll is Addy dressed in her escape to freedom outfit.
I found these three books at the thrift shop:
"Addy Learns a Lesson: A School Story" (Book two)
"Changes for Addy: A Winter Story" (Book six)
"Addy Studies Freedom" from the American Girls Short Stories series

I bought this cute little doll because the design is based on the long popular Raggedy Ann doll. She is 5" tall of cloth with a vinyl head. Her hair is of fabric strips instead of the customary yarn hair.
This book tells the story of the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls and of their maker, John Barton Gruelle.
"Raggedy Ann and More: Johnny Gruelle's Dolls and Merchandise" by Patricia Hall.
I chose this other book because I love tea parties and books about tea parties: "Raggedy Ann’s Tea Party"by Laura Francesca Filippucci.

Thank you for stopping by and viewing my literary character dolls and related books and videos. Please come again soon and do leave a comment.