The ALL-I'LL-EVER-WANT CHRISTMAS DOLL review

McKissack, Patricia C. 2007. The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll. Ill. By Jerry Pinkney. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 9780375837593

Summary
It’s Christmas time at Nella’s house. Even though the country is in a depression, Nella wished for a store bought doll, Baby Betty. She writes a letter to Santa Clause asking for the doll and on Christmas morning, along with walnuts, a candy stick, an orange and a box of raisins, the doll is given to Nella and her two sisters. Finding it impossible to share a doll three ways, Nella convinces her sisters to let her keep it. While her sisters leave her alone with the doll, Nella discovers that getting what you wish for does not always make you happy.

Analysis
This book is beautifully illustrated by multi-award wining illustrator Jerry Pinkney. During his career spanning more than 40 years, Mr. Pinkney has been awarded both the Caldecott Medal for illustrations and the Coretta Scott King award for illustrations five times each. Mr. Pinkney has illustrated over a hundred books for children. In his own words, “My intent and hope is to lead the viewer into a world that only exists because of that picture. Many of these speak to my culture, while other works are based on my experience of being Black in America (http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html)." The illustrations for Mrs. McKissack’s book are realistic with the characters portrayed in a real-life fashion. Each of the little girls has sparkling eyes with realistic expressions, and braids with curls escaping. The effect is charming. Even though bright colors are used in the girl’s clothes, the overall effect is subdued. I think the best things about illustrations are the faces of the characters. When the girls begin to fight over the doll and their father must scold them, the reader can clearly see disapproval in his face. When Nella realizes that her new doll is no substitute for her sisters’ company and is comforted by her mother, the picture conveys emotions. The mother’s face shows gentle concern and the daughter looks sad and skeptical at the same time. Mr. Pinkney’s illustrations compliment Mrs. McKissack’s words perfectly.

The family in this story is African American, but the issues and reactions of the family are universal. Almost all siblings fight and almost all parents reprimand their children, no matter what ethnic group. When the girls begin to argue over the doll, the father scolds them. “When Daddy called us by our whole names, in birth order, we knew we were in trouble (McKissack 2007.)” There is some dialect that is written with a sort of dialect although to me it seems southern more that anything else. Miss is pronounced Miz and Santa Claus is called Santy Claus. But the colloquialisms come and go. The characters do not always speak the same way. At the beginning when Nella is wishing for the doll, her oldest sister Eddy Bernice says, “Why you wishin’ for somethin’ you ain’ never gon’ get? (McKissack 2007).” The later in the story Eddy Bernice asks, “And who would get to pour the pretend tea first? (McKissack 2007).” I am not sure why the dialect is inconsistent. Overall this is a wonderful book. The characters and illustrations are realistic, not stereotypical. The main themes of the book, to appreciate what you have and to share, are universal.

Conections
This book takes place during the Depression and could be used to discuss the hard times people faced then. Since the pictures are realistic, the book can help give students an idea of what life was like back then. It could be paired with Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman.
This book could also be used to discuss sharing.

Review Excerpts
In Booklist magazine, a starred review by Carolyn Phelan says, “As explained in the author’s note, McKissack takes a bit of oral history and retells it as a first-person memoir that works well as a picture-book text. Pinkney creates a series of beautiful narrative tableaux, illustrating the characters’ feelings as well as their actions with clarity and grace (2007 p 67).”

Horn Book Magazine says, “Though McKissack sets this story in the past, her characters’ feelings and desires are universal. Pinkney’s warm watercolor-and-pencil illustrations portray the family’s poverty yet glow with what it is rich in: love.

Works Cited
K. F. 2007. "The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll." Horn Book Magazine 83, no. 6: 633-633. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (Accessed June 28, 2009).

McKissack, Patricia C. 2007. The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll. Ill. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

Phelan, Carolyn. 2007. "The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll." Booklist 104, no. 2: 67. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (Accessed June 28, 2009).

Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. www.jerrypinkneystudio.com (Accessed June 28, 2009).