Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Newbery Medalist Schlitz (Splendors and Glooms) braids parallel story lines into a cozy fantasy that lauds the power of connection to uplift and inspire. Feeling lonely as the oldest of three in a house run by quarreling parents, Tiph allies with elderly newcomer Szilvia, who lives alone with a cat and dog. After Tiph helps Szilvia find her footing following a slip, the woman offers the tween a job as an official dog walker and kitty-litter cleaner. Tiph jumps at the opportunity, hoping to earn enough funds to purchase Gretel, the "perfect dollhouse doll," from the local toy shop. Gretel, in turn, relishes the thought of being bought by Tiph, which the author depicts via alternating chapters that follow both child and the personified doll. As Tiph navigates an emotionally complicated relationship with her stepmother and learns to manage both her burgeoning independence and troubles with impulse control, Gretel embarks on a whimsical, fairy tale--inflected quest--reminiscent of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland--to make her dream of living with Tiph reality. Szilvia's loving efforts to restore a decades-old dollhouse built by her father smoothly reflect the palpable care and tenderness of Schlitz's offering. Intricately detailed and nuanced characters, relatable domestic scenes with emotional heft, and evocative writing make for an enchanting, gratifying read. The protagonists cue as white. Ages 9--12. Agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. (Sept.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Tiph is a child who is pulled in many directions. She loves her younger half siblings but is fed up with the chaos of a house with babies. She appreciates that her stepmother is doing her best but prefers the company of the old woman who employs her as a dog walker. Worst of all, she is paralyzed with guilt over two instances of shoplifting. In this deep and wide-ranging narrative, Schlitz takes an innovative approach to storytelling, looping back at the end of many scenes to tell them again from a different point of view. This technique creates suspense and mystery and implies a world where a pet's or a doll's take on a situation is given the same weight as a human's. Doll stories frequently raise issues of power and agency, and this one explores that territory with freshness and respect for the seriousness of children's emotions. It's also funny, particularly for those who wonder how dogs view the world or what a cat and a doll would discuss if they got together to figure out the weird ways of adult humans. A great choice for readers who like dollhouses, English bulldogs, and the intriguing possibility of fantasy worlds that hide in plain sight. Sarah EllisSeptember/October 2025 p.76 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A shared interest in dolls and dollhouses forms the foundation of an unexpected intergenerational friendship. Tiphany Stokes, a preteen, and Szilvia Rózsahegyi, a self-described "old bat," are new to town, and both are lonely. So when Tiph does the old woman a good turn outside the dollhouse store whose window she haunts, the ensuing conversation leads to a business arrangement: Tiph will walk Ms. Rózsahegyi's dog and clean her cat's litter box. Her new employer instructs Tiph to call her Szilvia Néni, the Hungarian for "Aunt Szilvia," which Tiph instantly Americanizes to Néni Szilvia, and a friendship grows. In interleaved chapters, another begins between two antique dolls, Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood, who find their way from the dollhouse store to Néni Szilvia's house: Red as part of the old woman's project to restore the dollhouse her father built for her decades ago and Gretel in Tiph's pocket. By night, the two dolls explore their new environs, "daredevil" Red coaxing the more timid Gretel out of her comfort zone. Schlitz tenderly develops her characters, giving each a rough-edged complexity. Her portrayal of Tiph's relationship with her stepmother is especially skillful. Tiph is a basically decent kid, but she's far from perfect. It's Schlitz's clear-eyed portrayal of Tiph's emotional inner life that anchors this cozy fantasy, with the dolls' nocturnal adventures providing lift. Main characters present white. More character study than anything else, this book delves deep.(Fantasy. 10-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
