But they still love the game, and invest deeply in it, until Zach’s dad throws away his action figures so that he can’t play anymore. Their friendship is built around “The Game” – a pretend play game in which they create stories about pirates, thieves, mermaids, heroes and villains, under the leadership of “The Great Queen” (an antique doll owned by Poppy’s mom) They use dolls and action figures to build the world, but it’s more than that – they are creating an entire universe of stories that they share ownership of.Īs they have gotten older, they know that playing pretend isn’t something other kids are doing, and it isn’t as socially acceptable as it used to be. Review: Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends forever. But even more so, this is a great book for pretenders – for kids who are growing up, but aren’t quite ready to let go of their imaginative games. Doll Bones is creepy and thoughtful in all the best ways. Who would we give it to? This is the perfect book to hand off to fans of Goosebumps who want to be scared just the right amount but might be ready to be pushed into something a bit more literary. The transition out of pretend play is a hard one for so many kids, and the way that these three navigate growing up is absolutely Slatebreaker-worthy.

But even more than that, this is a book about growing up, and how we have to change and not change who we are as we move into the changes that come with becoming a teenager. Currently Available.įace Value: It’s hard to imagine what else could make this cover better – it’s creepy (just look at those doll eyes staring out at you), illustrated, as nearly all my favorite middle grade covers are, and hints at the plot and the greater themes within the book.ĭoes it Break the Slate? With three outstanding characters who are deeply Slatebreaking at their core, it would be hard not to think so.

Doll bones book review