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carolynf's review
2.0
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!
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!
eowynn01's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is a fun collection of short stories about Raggedy Ann and her life in the nursery.
Each short story does seem to effect the next saved a couple where it could be anywhere.
Has I listened to the book I wanted to go into my stuff dolls as a child and grab my own Ann doll that I loved growing up and remembered how about everyone in my generation would of had one and how this new generation probably has no clue this doll was a big part of many children and their childhood.
Ann is a great role model for everyone, no matter how bad it gets she always has a sunny attitude for life and it effects those around her to have a happy life.
Each short story does seem to effect the next saved a couple where it could be anywhere.
Has I listened to the book I wanted to go into my stuff dolls as a child and grab my own Ann doll that I loved growing up and remembered how about everyone in my generation would of had one and how this new generation probably has no clue this doll was a big part of many children and their childhood.
Ann is a great role model for everyone, no matter how bad it gets she always has a sunny attitude for life and it effects those around her to have a happy life.
catra121's review against another edition
4.0
These are sweet stories and the narrator on the audio is wonderful. Free on Audible Plus.
cmbohn's review
4.0
I wish the Kindle version had pictures. This has the story of how Raggedy Ann got her candy heart.
ameliaflint's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A really charming book of stories about Raggedy Ann and her gang of other dolls from the nursery. Lighthearted and warm adventures. This is a children’s book, so obviously it isn’t going to be one of my favorites, but I enjoyed it anyway! A simple, nice read when you need to get away from the heavy stuff.
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It's amazing to think this was such an instant phenomenon and that, to an extent, the phenomenon has lasted over a hundred years. The original 'Raggedy Ann Stories' are loosely connected stories concerning what the dolls and toys in Marcella's nursery get up to when their mistress is gone or asleep. The stories are straight-forward and feature strong moral lectures that are bound to make even the most dewey-faced child's eyes roll.
I've been collecting these for some time for my husband, but never got more than a few pages into them until I picked up a Raggedy Ann and Andy pair from the early 1940s up at a doll show. They were such a good price I thought they were homemade, but they are authenic war-era Georgenes (the fourth, but only third official, manufacturer of the dolls). With their washed-out faces, dark button eyes and hair that's distinctly more brown than red, I wanted to get to the source and read the original stories as published by Volland in 1918.
They are very simple. A few stand out, and these are ones that have filtered down to modern collections and adaptions. There's the story of how Raggedy Ann rescues Fido from the dog-catcher with the other dolls, how she gets her candy heart, and, of course, when she is taken away by a friendly man and copied and meets all of her lovely sisters who are just like her and available at a store near you! From the beginning Raggedy Ann was a clever bit of marketing. This doesn't take away from the charm of the illustrations or the original dolls themselves. America had been through a generation or two of rapid industrialization and a World War and desperately wanted some nostalgia. So a story of an "authentic" homemade rag doll found in an attic, returning to spread joy to little ones struck the right notes. It's interesting to find out that Gruelle's publisher, Volland, was known at the time for their high-end and expensive children's books and the dolls were sold to bookshops and priced for that market.
If you read these original stories with their original illustrations you'll notice that Raggedy Ann looks very different from the ones of our childhood whether from the toy store, craft fairs, or television. The doll evolved over time, matching Gruelle's own changes to his illustrations. He wasn't a stickler for continuity. There's a lot to love here and a lot to understand about how different America was a hundred years ago. Marcella's parents employ a black servant named Dinah who is portrayed as dim and childlike and speaks in broken English. This portrayal, on top of all the lectures a child will receive about being patient, not being cross, doing what you're told, etc. makes this a hard sell for parents.
My advice for parents wanting to share these with their children is to enjoy these stories in their proper context and heavily edit while you read, or, even better, pick up one of the modern adaptations that keeps the spirit of Raggedy Ann alive with all the joy and none of the headaches.
Raggedy Ann
Next: 'Raggedy Andy Stories'
I've been collecting these for some time for my husband, but never got more than a few pages into them until I picked up a Raggedy Ann and Andy pair from the early 1940s up at a doll show. They were such a good price I thought they were homemade, but they are authenic war-era Georgenes (the fourth, but only third official, manufacturer of the dolls). With their washed-out faces, dark button eyes and hair that's distinctly more brown than red, I wanted to get to the source and read the original stories as published by Volland in 1918.
They are very simple. A few stand out, and these are ones that have filtered down to modern collections and adaptions. There's the story of how Raggedy Ann rescues Fido from the dog-catcher with the other dolls, how she gets her candy heart, and, of course, when she is taken away by a friendly man and copied and meets all of her lovely sisters who are just like her and available at a store near you! From the beginning Raggedy Ann was a clever bit of marketing. This doesn't take away from the charm of the illustrations or the original dolls themselves. America had been through a generation or two of rapid industrialization and a World War and desperately wanted some nostalgia. So a story of an "authentic" homemade rag doll found in an attic, returning to spread joy to little ones struck the right notes. It's interesting to find out that Gruelle's publisher, Volland, was known at the time for their high-end and expensive children's books and the dolls were sold to bookshops and priced for that market.
If you read these original stories with their original illustrations you'll notice that Raggedy Ann looks very different from the ones of our childhood whether from the toy store, craft fairs, or television. The doll evolved over time, matching Gruelle's own changes to his illustrations. He wasn't a stickler for continuity. There's a lot to love here and a lot to understand about how different America was a hundred years ago. Marcella's parents employ a black servant named Dinah who is portrayed as dim and childlike and speaks in broken English. This portrayal, on top of all the lectures a child will receive about being patient, not being cross, doing what you're told, etc. makes this a hard sell for parents.
My advice for parents wanting to share these with their children is to enjoy these stories in their proper context and heavily edit while you read, or, even better, pick up one of the modern adaptations that keeps the spirit of Raggedy Ann alive with all the joy and none of the headaches.
Raggedy Ann
Next: 'Raggedy Andy Stories'
leigh9's review
5.0
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 read it too.
Though, in the two copies I have, one published in 1961 and the other in 1995, there are a couple differences. 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.
Though, in the two copies I have, one published in 1961 and the other in 1995, there are a couple differences. 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.
iymain's review
3.0
This one is good, but it's not what I remembered. Raggedy is a dear girl and I love the example she sets of being a leader and a nurturer. However, I got this book expecting to read all those great descriptions of the candy forest and lemonade fountains and they weren't there! I guess they're only in the The Camel with the Wrinkled Knees? Hmm. Too bad I bought Raggedy Andy Stories first.
autumnadrift's review against another edition
2.0
I read this as a child; actually I owned it as a child. It has not aged well. From bits of racism to convincing children to love a ragdoll before boiling it alive, it's nothing I would expose a kid to without a lot of context.