A short story by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Before Pixar's Toy Story, there was Racketty-Packetty House. In young Cynthia's nursery is a doll house. It once belonged to her grandmamma, who was a little girl during the childhood of Queen Victoria. Her grandmother loved and cared for the doll house and its 10 occupants. Decades later, Cynthia receives the doll house. Cynthia does not care much for the little run-down house and its shabby inhabitants. Only six dolls still live in their dear home: Ridiklis, Meg, Peg, Kilmanskeg, Gustibus, and Peter Piper. Embarrassed by its shabby appearance, Cynthia and her nurse hide "Racketty-Packetty House" behind a chair, out of sight.
However, unknown to Cynthia, these little dolls have their own lives and personalities. They play, dance, entertain, and shop whenever Cynthia is gone. The five brothers and sisters and their maid are jolly souls who are good friends with the cat, the puppy, the Gentleman Mouse, the two cock sparrows, and the Fairies.
Their happy life changes when Cynthia is given Tidy Castle for her birthday. It's a brand new doll house, inhabited by lords and ladies, gardeners and servants. Cynthia devotes all her time to playing with these new dolls, forgetting completely about Racketty-Packetty House. This is probably all for the better, because the nurse had threatened to burn the disgraceful house. Hidden behind the chair, the little dolls' home is temporarily forgotten.
The dolls enjoy watching the lords and ladies of Tidy Castle from their windows. The dolls of Tidy Castle, though, look down their noses at the Racketty-Packetty dolls. All except the lovely Lady Patsy. She loves their jolly lifestyle.
Danger threatens Racketty-Packetty House again. A princess is coming to visit Cynthia, and the nurse decides that the old, run-down doll house must be burned. Will Ridiklis, Meg, Peg, Kilmanskeg, Gustibus, and Peter Piper be homeless, or will their friends help to save their home?
From "The Velveteen Rabbit" to "Racketty-Packetty House," the idea of toys coming alive and having special adventures is not new. Each story is warm, amusing, and touching. Although short in length, "Racketty-Packetty House" was fun to read, full of fantasy and imagination.
This is a perfect story to share with children. My favorite edition of this book is illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, 2006. The pictures are enchanting. I give it 5 stars!
Before Pixar's Toy Story, there was Racketty-Packetty House. In young Cynthia's nursery is a doll house. It once belonged to her grandmamma, who was a little girl during the childhood of Queen Victoria. Her grandmother loved and cared for the doll house and its 10 occupants. Decades later, Cynthia receives the doll house. Cynthia does not care much for the little run-down house and its shabby inhabitants. Only six dolls still live in their dear home: Ridiklis, Meg, Peg, Kilmanskeg, Gustibus, and Peter Piper. Embarrassed by its shabby appearance, Cynthia and her nurse hide "Racketty-Packetty House" behind a chair, out of sight.
However, unknown to Cynthia, these little dolls have their own lives and personalities. They play, dance, entertain, and shop whenever Cynthia is gone. The five brothers and sisters and their maid are jolly souls who are good friends with the cat, the puppy, the Gentleman Mouse, the two cock sparrows, and the Fairies.
Their happy life changes when Cynthia is given Tidy Castle for her birthday. It's a brand new doll house, inhabited by lords and ladies, gardeners and servants. Cynthia devotes all her time to playing with these new dolls, forgetting completely about Racketty-Packetty House. This is probably all for the better, because the nurse had threatened to burn the disgraceful house. Hidden behind the chair, the little dolls' home is temporarily forgotten.
The dolls enjoy watching the lords and ladies of Tidy Castle from their windows. The dolls of Tidy Castle, though, look down their noses at the Racketty-Packetty dolls. All except the lovely Lady Patsy. She loves their jolly lifestyle.
Danger threatens Racketty-Packetty House again. A princess is coming to visit Cynthia, and the nurse decides that the old, run-down doll house must be burned. Will Ridiklis, Meg, Peg, Kilmanskeg, Gustibus, and Peter Piper be homeless, or will their friends help to save their home?
From "The Velveteen Rabbit" to "Racketty-Packetty House," the idea of toys coming alive and having special adventures is not new. Each story is warm, amusing, and touching. Although short in length, "Racketty-Packetty House" was fun to read, full of fantasy and imagination.
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| Illustration by Wendy Anderson Halperin |
This is a perfect story to share with children. My favorite edition of this book is illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, 2006. The pictures are enchanting. I give it 5 stars!
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