Dahlia

Bibliography
McClintock, Barbara. 2002. Dahlia. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 9780374316785.

Plot Summary
Charlotte receives a doll as a gift from her Aunt Edme. Charlotte is not a typical girl who plays with dolls so she hates her new doll at first. But soon Charlotte realizes that her doll that she named, Dahlia, doesn’t mind digging in the dirt, climbing trees, and racing on the wagon with boys. Charlotte and Dahlia become very good friends.

Critical Analysis
Girls who like to pretend play will love Dahlia. Charlotte is a tom boyish girl who likes play her bear and does things that boys would usually do. She likes the way she is and does not want to change herself for her new doll. Charlotte’s new doll, Dahlia, is well dressed in linen, lace, and delicate silk ribbons. Charlotte takes her pretty doll on her adventurous day and soon Dahlia winds up looking just like Charlotte – dirty, untidy, and her hair tangled in knots. Charlotte’s Aunt Edme admits to her that she bought the doll as she thought the doll needed some sunshine, somebody to play with, and to be loved.

Little girls will love this story as they can identify with Charlotte who believes her toys are real and plays and treats them like real people. Bruno the bear and Dahlia, the doll have become Charlotte’s best friends and she treats them with love and plays with them just like she would with her real friends. The illustrations with pencil drawing and soft pastel colors are very detailed. Each and every page has beautiful pictures that show the expressions of the characters and fine details of the surroundings. Dahlia’s room has no toys and dolls instead they have bird nests, shells, mushrooms, plants, and even a little snake. These illustrations show that Charlotte is not a typical girl. The story has an old fashioned European era setting giving the story a classic look and feel.

Dahlia is a very sweet story with lovable characters.