Children's Books Illustrated by Photos of Dolls Acting Out Story

February 16, 2005 11:26 AM

Need to know the author of some pretty well known children's books...(+)

The books are illustrated with photographs of dolls acting out the stories--sometimes dolls with teddybears. The pictures are pretty creepy, but I loved these books as a child. I know the books are worth a lot of money nowdays, but I need to know the author and/or titles!

posted by fabesfaves to media & arts (5 comments total)

Dare Wright

Biography.
posted by duck at 11:32 AM on February 16, 2005

Creepy but interesting - both the author and her Lonely Doll series.
posted by rokabiri at 11:49 AM on February 16, 2005

Also see this NPR story that was broadcast in conjunction with the publication of the biography.
posted by matildaben at 12:26 PM on February 16, 2005

Thanks everyone--that's exactly what I was looking for!
posted by fabesfaves at 1:13 PM on February 16, 2005

The official Dare Wright site. I'm almost done with the biography and it's a gripping story of a fragile person crushed under the weight of a horrible mother and childhood, who eventually finds a kind of tragic solace in treating a little doll as the most important person in her life. Creepy doesn't begin to describe it; if you like biographies, I highly recommend The Secret Life of the Lonely Doll.

One thing I find striking is the way many folks who discuss the books, including that NPR story, completely avoid the books' barely repressed sexuality. That Wright was working out her lack of maturity and other emotional issues in the books is undeniable; it's hilarious that so few folks seem able to acknowledge that.
posted by mediareport at 7:05 PM on February 16, 2005