Runaway Dolls, Vol. 3 by Ann M. Martin, Laura Godwin, Brian Selznick (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

Best friends Annabelle Doll and Tiffany Funcraft are back, and this time they've got an unexpected visitor, a new doll named Tilly May. She's arrived in a mysterious package from London, but  her face looks so familiar... .  Could she be Annabelle's long lost baby sister? Annabelle is convinced it absolutely must be so-but her parents refuse to believe her. With time running out before the package is at risk of being sent back to England, Annabelle and Tiffany resort to the only course of action they can think of-running away. But life on the road is fraught with its own pitfalls, from a foreboding wooded park to a close call in a department store. How will Annabelle and Tiffany find their way back home.and what's going to happen to Tilly May if and when they do?

In this masterfully plotted third book in the Doll People series, Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin, with the help of Brian Selznick's captivating black-and-white illustrations, take the reader on another exhilarating adventure from a doll's-eye view.

The New York Times - Kate McClelland

Many pleasures await young readers (and their parents) in The Runaway Dolls, not least of which is the expected delight of Selznick's humorous illustrations—like the wordless interlude, lasting several pages, as the dolls take 20 minutes to cross a stream on a log…It's not essential to read the first two books to read and love the third (and arguably the best). Still, why not read them all, while keeping a watchful eye on your own toys.

Publishers Weekly

A fantasy with one foot in reality, this third adventure for the mismatched team of antique porcelain Annabelle Doll and contemporary plastic plaything Tiffany Funcraft (previously encountered in The Doll People and The Meanest Doll in the World) has the daring duo running away from home, accompanied by Annabelle's newfound baby sister and soon joined by their brothers. Regretting their decision, not knowing the way home, they eventually land in the toy department of a large store, where they face new danger-being sold to separate owners. Obeying the Doll Code of Honor, the toys must wait until closing time to spring to life, which complicates their escape. Characters and their exploits are fresh: cowgirl Dakota Jane drives a wind-up truck; Elsipad is thrilled that proceeds from her sale "will be used to fight world hunger." The book opens with a narrative sequence of Selznick's (The Invention of Hugo Cabret) shaded b&w pencil drawings, which lure readers into the story and anticipate the first chapter, "The Mysterious Package." The lush illustrations-full bleeds as well as spot drawings and vignettes throughout -are integral expressions of the novel's spirit. Fast-paced, satisfyingly developed, the book is doubly enjoyable for its foundation in a solidly imagined doll culture. Ages 8-12. (Oct.)

Children's Literature

Annabelle Doll thought she had everything. Her once-lost Auntie Sarah is returned to the dollhouse, the evil Princess Mimi is frozen in Permanent Doll State (PDS) for moving in front of a human—who thankfully didn't notice—and now her owner's family is going on vacation, leaving Annabelle and her best friend Tiffany Funcraft to explore the house for two glorious weeks. Then the mysterious package arrives. When Annabelle discovers it bears the name and return address of the doll maker who created her family a century ago, she and Tiffany realize the ancient box contains Annabelle's missing baby sister, who didn't arrive with the rest of the set. Afraid their owners might unwittingly send back "Tilly," the two dolls decide to run away from home with Annabelle's sister in tow. Once on the outside, though, they realize their biggest challenge won't be getting away: it will be finding their way back. Martin and Godwin's lively prose, as well as Selznick's detailed pencil drawings—which adorn nearly every page—make this a fun, captivating read for younger audiences, although it broaches no comic or dramatic territory not already covered by Walt Disney's "Toy Story." The book will appeal primarily to female readers and to those who have enjoyed the first two stories in this series, "The Doll People" and "The Meanest Doll in the World," but neither is required to understand and enjoy this last installment. Reviewer: Cara Chancellor

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5

When their human family leaves on vacation, Annabelle Doll and her best friend, Tiffany Funcraft, look forward to two fabulous weeks of freedom in the third title (Hyperion, 2008) in the series by Ann Martin and Laura Goodwin. Their first priority is to discover what is in the mysterious small package that has been delivered to the house. When pair realize that the package might contain Annabelle's long-lost little sister, they determine that the only way to ensure that she isn't returned to the sender is to take the doll and run away. Joined by their brothers, the dolls regret their decision when they become involved in more of an adventure than they could have imagined. Lynn Redgrave provides the perfect voice for each character, and gives Annabelle an old-fashioned voice to match her vintage status. Skillful pacing will keep readers engaged throughout. A delightful, expertly told tale.-Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT

Kirkus Reviews

Fans of the first two Doll People stories will be thrilled with number three. China doll Annabelle and plastic doll Tiffany are ready for an adventure when the human Palmers leave on a two-week vacation, but when a mysterious box arrives, the dolls discover a baby doll is in inside! Annabelle is convinced it's her lost baby sister. The only solution seems to be to take Tilly and run away. Risking "Permanent Doll State" numerous times, the girl dolls and their two brother dolls wind up in a toy store with antique and robotic dolls and the hateful, mean Mimi, returning from book two. How can they overcome their size obstacles and escape in time to get home before the humans return? Selznick's charming, black-and-white scenarios make the doll personalities believable; he adds a number of full-page drawings at the beginning (a la Hugo Cabret) that build the drama, while the action leaves plenty of dollhouse room for future escapades. Hmmm, the dolls visit Dollywood? (Fantasy. 8-11)

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