Dollhouse Stories

I think for this thread, we should devote entries to talking about or reviewing individual books that involve dollhouses.

Let’s start with The Tale of Two Bad Mice



I love the way the mice appropriate the furnishings and the rage when they discover the food is not real.

I’ve always been fascinated with these stories, so I’ve maintained a small collection. I’m only finding four today, but I think there are more. My shelves need overhauled.

But it’s nice to have a reason to re-visit these.

Among the Dolls is a bit creepy. Vicky’s parents buy her on old Victorian dollhouse, but she resents it, as she wanted a bicycle. So she does play with it, but in bad humor. The doll family treat each other poorly, and the same sort of interactions happen in her own family.
Without notice, she shrinks into the dollhouse and interacts with the dolls. The details of what she experiences are very well done, and the resolution is clever.
Trina Schart Hyman’s illustrations are spot on.

>1 2wonderY: I love that one!

The Haunted Doll's House by M.R. James is one I read recently. Published I think in 1923, but it may have been earlier.

Do the The Borrowers stories by Mary Norton count? They didn't exactly live in doll's houses, but they made use of some of the furniture.

>3 MrsLee: Of course The Borrowers are welcome here!

I like The Doll People and sequels by Ann Martin

I just remembered a short series of books my daughter really enjoyed as a kid - The Indian in the Cupboard. Seems to me there was a castle involved, but my memory is fuzzy.
Nope, the castle must belong somewhere else.

But I read King of the Dollhouse, and it hits so many points of desire in owning a dollhouse. Ellie has put the dolls away in a drawer because they just don’t live up to her wishes for inhabitants. (Too stiff, too boring!) Which conveniently leaves the dollhouse available when a tiny King Borra Borra and his eleven giggly roly poly babies move in.

>6 2wonderY:
Castle In the Attic maybe? By Elizabeth Winthrop

I have The Enchanted Dolls' House by Robyn Johnson.

And a couple about the wonderful Colleen Moore doll house.

Colleen Moore's Doll House : The Story of the Most Exquisite Toy in the World and
Within the Fairy Castle: Colleen Moore's Doll House at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

>8 nrmay: I think you nailed. Looks very familiar, though I haven’t come across my copy, and I don’t have it cataloged. It may have gone to daughter’s house in the last release.