The Doll People by Ann Martin and Laura Godwin

This is a cute book about a doll, Annabelle, who is from a Victorian Doll House set. She has lived in the same house since she was made 100 years ago and shipped from England to the States. She now belongs to Kate who is the great-granddaughter of the original owner. Annabelle is lonely and wishes for a friend. She also has begun to wonder about what happened to her Auntie Sarah. The adventures begin when Kate's little sister gets her own Funcraft dollhouse for her birthday.

This was a fun, easy read and I love the idea of toys coming to life. Along with adventure, good values are taught. There are a couple of follow-up stories after this first one, including "The Meanest Doll in the World". It probably will appeal more to girls, though my second grade son loved it as well. I think this is a good book for those who like tame adventure type books.

Reading Level: Grade 3 & up

Gender: girls

The Unicorn's Secret by Kathleen Duey

The Unicorn's Secret follows a girl, Heart, whose life has been very hard. She discovers a unicorn and then seeks out her own family. She finds friends along the way who help her. This series by Kathleen Duey is very easy reading. The chapters are short and the writing is simple. This is not just a happy-go-lucky book, but more of a serious nature. I really liked it and enjoyed how it ended. It has a total of 8 books in the series.

Reading Level: grade 3 & up

Gender: girls