Looking for childhood book
July 21, 2008 12:24 AM Subscribe
Help my find a book about a "haunted" dollhouse from my childhood!
When I was in grade school (late 80's/early90's) I read a book about a girl who moves into an old Civil War era house, and finds a dollhouse replica of her new home in the attic. She notices that she can watch scenes from the past through the dollhouse, which was built as a gift by a slave hidden in the house as part of the underground railroad. She eventually sees the death of a girl and she tries to save her. She lives there alone with her mother, who starts to have a bit of a personality change from living in the house. I don't know how I can remember so much about the story and forget the title! I've searched everywhere, and asked my Aunt who is a K-6 librarian and she had never come across it!
PS: It is definitely NOT "The Haunted Dollhouse" by Susan Black, or "Sweet Miss Honeywells Revenge: A Ghost Story" ...
PPS: This is unrelated to the similar post from February.
When I was in grade school (late 80's/early90's) I read a book about a girl who moves into an old Civil War era house, and finds a dollhouse replica of her new home in the attic. She notices that she can watch scenes from the past through the dollhouse, which was built as a gift by a slave hidden in the house as part of the underground railroad. She eventually sees the death of a girl and she tries to save her. She lives there alone with her mother, who starts to have a bit of a personality change from living in the house. I don't know how I can remember so much about the story and forget the title! I've searched everywhere, and asked my Aunt who is a K-6 librarian and she had never come across it!
PS: It is definitely NOT "The Haunted Dollhouse" by Susan Black, or "Sweet Miss Honeywells Revenge: A Ghost Story" ...
PPS: This is unrelated to the similar post from February.
I think I remember reading this- was it in paperback and did it have a purplish cover with a painting of a kid in an attic encountering the dollhouse on the front?
posted by suedehead at 2:00 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by suedehead at 2:00 AM on July 21, 2008
Oh, Susan Black=Susan Blake. Sorry.
posted by longsleeves at 2:00 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by longsleeves at 2:00 AM on July 21, 2008
I read it too in the late 80s, but no idea on a name. I also remember a purple cover and perhaps a blonde hair young girl on the cover as well.
posted by k8t at 2:18 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by k8t at 2:18 AM on July 21, 2008
I read a similar book, but I'm not sure if all the details match. Could it be Midnight in the Dollhouse?
posted by itesser at 3:51 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by itesser at 3:51 AM on July 21, 2008
The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright? The Civil War details don't quite match up, though.
posted by nonane at 4:47 AM on July 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by nonane at 4:47 AM on July 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
I definitely know what book you're talking about, but I can't remember the title, either; the only help I can offer is that I remember the smell of magnolia blossoms was a fairly pivotal plot point. Good luck, I'm curious, too!
posted by sarahsynonymous at 7:29 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by sarahsynonymous at 7:29 AM on July 21, 2008
Best answer: It sounds like Time Windows by Kathryn Reiss.
posted by MaddyRex at 8:13 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by MaddyRex at 8:13 AM on July 21, 2008
Response by poster: YES! You found it- that is definitely it. I think I love you! :D Thanks!
posted by starfyr at 8:52 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by starfyr at 8:52 AM on July 21, 2008
I was just about to come in and post it! An hour too late. Yes-- that was a pretty sweet book :)
posted by dmaterialized at 9:37 AM on July 21, 2008
posted by dmaterialized at 9:37 AM on July 21, 2008
Whoa, nonane, you found the book I was looking for! Thanks! This thread is a doubly-solved one!
posted by suedehead at 10:18 PM on July 22, 2008
posted by suedehead at 10:18 PM on July 22, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by longsleeves at 1:57 AM on July 21, 2008