
By Cynthia Lord, Stephanie Graegin (Illustrator)
Book #1 in the Book Buddies series
A doll and a child navigate change and find belonging in a new family dynamic.
Ivy, a doll turned library Book Buddy, and Fern, a child adjusting to a blended family, both yearn for the past. When Fern borrows Ivy, an unexpected adventure unfolds, leading them to discover confidence and belonging in their evolving worlds. Can Ivy embrace her new role, and will Fern find her place in her stepfamily? This heartwarming tale of friendship and change invites readers into a world where toys and children help each other grow.
A lonely doll helps a child adjust to a blended family in the first of a charming series about library toys and the children who borrow them, written by Newbery Honoree Cynthia Lord. Ivy was Anne the librarian’s doll when she was a young girl. But now she has moved to Anne’s library to be its newest Book Buddy–a toy that can be checked out just like a book. Ivy isn’t sure she wants to be borrowed, though. She’d rather go back to just being Anne’s favorite toy. Fern, a child who visits the library with her stepfamily, also wishes things could go back to the way they were, when Fern had her dad all to herself. When Fern takes Ivy home, an unexpected outdoor adventure helps both of them find confidence and belonging in their changing worlds. This heartwarming story by Cynthia Lord, with a classic feel and gentle illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, is the first in a chapter-book series that pairs friendly toys with child characters who need them.
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Top contributors: Elaine R.