The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story

The story is moving and teaches children about love and forgiveness. Unfortunately the Kindle version sports an absurd amount of typographical errors. Buy the physical version if you want the story in a quality format.

This was my all-time favorite childhood book, but there were so many typos throughout the text that I HAD to rate it low. The story is great but several times one of the supporting character's names was misspelled and there were other grammatical typos that are hard to overlook. It's important that our youth are reading quality work, and some of the typos would be distracting and make it difficult for a young reader to understand the story.

This book completely caught me off guard by touching me very deeply. By the time I finished this I was crying in a way I haven't done since I was seven. The ghost story Hahn unfolds is very simple, completely age appropriate and makes room for her to explore in a simple way most children can understand about what it means to loose a loved one. It's a rare author that can write a book about survivors guilt and about giving one's self permission to grieve and still make it accessible to younger audiences. Furthermore Hahn makes her characters actually work out their problems through talking and sharing feelings rather than relying on cheap gimmicks to get through the emotional parts of the plot. Human relationships are never given a back seat to the supernatural elements of the story, and for that alone this book deserves all of its stars, however I have to admit the real reason I gave it a five star rating is because Hahn is intent on reminding us that most problems facing people in their relationships today, be it between parent and child or two friends, is simply because of a lack of understanding between points of view and a failure to reach compromise. The fact that there is a book for young girls out there today that teaches talking over fighting, listening over shouting and understanding, caring and the permission to forgive over revenge really can not be given too many praises.

Five stars highly recommended.

After the death of her father, ten-year-old Ashley and her mother begin renting an apartment from Miss Cooper, a cranky old spinster who hates kids. Since they live just over Miss Cooper's own living quarters, it's really hard for Ashley to avoid the old woman.

Ashley soon meets Kristi, her seven-year-old neighbor, and together the girls discover an antique doll buried in Miss Cooper's garden. Soon after, Ashley begins seeing the ghost of Louisa, a girl about her own age who died of tuberculosis many years ago. As her condition worsens, she keeps asking to see her friend Carrie, who keeps avoiding her.

Ashley quickly deduces that "Carrie" is actually Miss Cooper, and the doll is actually the source of some conflict between the two girls, which continues to haunt her unhappy landlord to the present day.

Although she knows she can't risk angering Miss Cooper and getting herself and her mother kicked out of the apartment, Ashley knows it's up to her to make amends for the past, and let both a ghost and a living woman find some peace...

The Doll In The Garden

I'm reading this book called The Doll in the Garden by: Mary Downing

Hahn. The theme of the story is to believe what you think, and to help someone if they need it, no matter how scary it is. Do what you think is right to help someone. This book is okay but I have read better ones.

It's about this girl and her mom that just moved and her and her mom who has just moved to Monkton Mills. Her dad died from cancer. Her moms name is Jan Cummings and her daughters name is Ashley. She has a cat named Oscar.

The owner of the house lives next door with a garden and she sees a white cat she doesn't know where the cat came outside and seen a cat because he's afraid of his own shadow. Then after that she heard this child crying but she couldn't figure out where it was coming from couldn't figure out where it was coming from. The last time she goes in the garden she sees a white cat. Then Oscar comes and sees it so the white cat scares Oscar off so Oscar just runs in house.

So she goes and looks in the garden and there she sees them a little girl holding the doll crying. The little girl's talks to Kristi and tells her She finds out that the Mari Ann the little girl is crying because her grandfather died years ago. She is a ghost because she is mourning from her grandfather and has come back for help.

After she figures out why the girl is crying she helps her by finding her a friend that can stay. She brings her, her long lost friend snowball the cat. From then on Ashley and Kristi never saw the girl again. She disappears because she is finally happy and without worries. The ghost leaves because she has no reason to come back and mourn because she has what she wanted. A friend that she can keep.

Written by:Tamika

I borrowed the kindle version of this book from my local library. While the story was very interesting and lightly spooky, I couldn't help but get distracted by the numerous typos. It is very obvious that no human proofread this kindle book before releasing it. Among the many errors, "eve" was constantly used in place of "eye", "rind" instead of "find", and "Krisd" instead of "Kristi".

The story itself is lovely. It has a nice lesson about losing loved ones and the guilt people feel over the things they should have said or done. There are spooky sections, but I didn't find them to be too intense. Readers young and old will enjoy this book.

I do not, however, recommend the kindle version of this book. Instead, buy a hard copy. Surely, it has less typos.

RavenSimoneBryant

This book is really a nice, because when a girl and her mom moves into a new house.When they got their an old lady and her dog did'nt like dogs or kids.At that moment the girl named Ashley who was 10,knew that old lady Miss Cooper was going to be trouble.Miss Cooper would go into a garden and Ashley would see a lot of beauitful roses.Then Ashley and a neighbor girl,Kristi went in the garden.While they was walking through the garden they saw a box.Inside it they find a turn-of the century doll.The doll was only the first of a series of starting discoveries that lead Ashley and Kristi through the hedge and into the past.Ashley suspects that the doll they found in the garden is Louisas but by this time she was forced to hand it over to Miss Cooper.Also it was intersting to read the ways Ashley and her friend used to solved the mysteery and how she was determined to find out about louisas and what did Miss Cooper do to her.

RavenSimoneBryant

This book is really a nice, because when a girl and her mom moves into a new house.When they got their an old lady and her dog did'nt like dogs or kids.At that moment the girl named Ashley who was 10,knew that old lady Miss Cooper was going to be trouble.Miss Cooper would go into a garden and Ashley would see a lot of beauitful roses.Then Ashley and a neighbor girl,Kristi went in the garden.While they was walking through the garden they saw a box.Inside it they find a turn-of the century doll.The doll was only the first of a series of starting discoveries that lead Ashley and Kristi through the hedge and into the past.Ashley suspects that the doll they found in the garden is Louisas but by this time she was forced to hand it over to Miss Cooper.Also it was intersting to read the ways Ashley and her friend used to solved the mysteery and how she was determined to find out about louisas and what did Miss Cooper do to her.

Three of my granddaughters read this (two age12 & one 13), as well as myself, and thought it was a good book. Well written, you felt like you were a part of the story, and they didn't think it was scary at all. Good read.

I purchased this book out of my personal interest as an adult doll/doll book collector, a collector of children's books, and an elementary teacher. I found this chapter book for middle grade (4th-8th grades)students to hold a solid story that kept me reading until the end. I would definitely recommend it to age appropriate readers who are interested in dolls, fantasy, mystery, or those who are recovering from a death in the family (but not too recently).
In this book, Ashley and her mother move to a house in the suburbs to begin a new life after the death of Ashley's father. The house they move to is a portion of a larger house owned by a cranky older lady (Miss Cooper) who constantly threatens to throw them out. Miss Cooper is particularly after Ashley, who wanders off to explore the garden around the house. During one of her explorations, Ashley and a younger neighbor discover a buried antique doll and Miss Cooper's buried source of regret. Ashley challenges Miss Cooper's crankiness in order to return the doll to its orginal owner and learns about making peace with people who have died.
I enjoyed this story for the fantasy element. Well written characters drew me into the story, and didn't make the fantasy seem too unrealistic. I also really liked the realistic discussion of feelings that occur when someone you love/are close to dies. This multilayered gem is worth the purchase price for interested readers.

This book was not at all scary or suspenseful, and the plot was very predictable and not a new idea. Basically it is about a girl called Ashleigh who moves to an old house and finds a doll in the garden. Later she finds out the doll belongs to Louisa, a sick child. It has quite a good ending but it wasn't a page-turner. 'Wait Till Helen Comes' by the same author is much more spooky and interesting and though they are for the same age group, I think older people would enjoy 'Wait Till Helen Comes' better then 'The Doll In the Garden', which I read when I was 12 and I thought too young for me. People ten and under would probably like it better.

Ten-year-old Ashley, the main character, followed a beautiful white cat, which reminded her of her own cat, into Mrs. Coopers enchanted garden. Ashley had been warned many times to stay out of that garden, but still she was curious. Ashley had many plan to make the pond look better with the help of her friend Kristi. While Ashley is pulling her weeds and clearing the empty pond she comes across a box. What was in it? A doll buried in the dirt. Ashley also comes upon many different mysteries. Who is the little girl with the long golden curls that awaits her companion, Carrie, to come? Whose voice cries out at night? And why doesn't the white cat have a shadow beneath the moonlight?
I enjoyed reading this book because I simply enjoy ghost stories, and this book is a great example of a ghost story. This book has many misteries and thrills every time. "Kristi crept closer, and when I finally got it open she screamed at the sight of its contents. It's a dead girl! She cried." It is these kinds of events that keep you at the end of your seat! I loved how the author put all the right thrills in the right places.
I relished reading this book because it was interesting reading about the many ways Ashley used to solve the mystery and how she was determined to find out! I loved how the author, Mary Downing Hahn, wrote in descriptive detail and added interesting dialogue to the story. I enjoyed reading about the many characters like Mrs. Cooper, the wicked landlord, Kristi, Ashley's friend, and all the other character in the story.
My favorite part in the book would have to be when Ashley had the courage to talk back to Mrs. Cooper. Ashley finally showed Mrs. Cooper that she could also be fierce. "How could you be so mean? I asked Louisa was an Orphan, and she was sick." Mrs. Cooper finally expressed herself and told Ashley why she had to do the mean things. From then on Mrs. Cooper seemed different! She had agreed to go with Ashley to see Louisa and give Anna Maria to Louisa. This is why I liked reading this book.

The book has great characterizations. There is good imagination. I think this book would be good for any ages. I don't think that it's exactly a ghost story, some parts are ghosty and others are fun! My favorite part is when Miss Cooper, the grouchy old woman, finally puts her meanness aside and starts to be nice to the two girls. I never really used to like books but then I fianlly got into this book and could not put it down. I even read it when I was walking to my day camp. This book is fantastic!!!! It is my favorite book so far. I love it! If I love it you'll love it!

Another well-crafted ghost story from Mary Downing Hahn, this book follows the adventures of Ashley, who moves into a rented appartment and starts exploring the overgrown garden. She comes across a doll, long buried, and sets out to discover why it is there, and what the mysterious cries that she hears at night are.
Not a scary ghost story, it is very moving and I found myself crying at a few spaces. It might be a little cliche for an adult reader, but it is a great read for a younger reader who is interested in ghost stories.

I had wished the author had gone further into the ending then she did, but all in all it was a riviting story and kept you turning the page--this would make a great movie if the plot were stretched further to make the ending more complete as far as "closure" goes. It just felt like it left you hanging but all in all a great story for it's age group.

I recommend this book to anyone who like mysteries because my friend recommend the book to me and it is a very good book. The book is about a girl and a doll, that she found and so on. You will find out if you read this book. You won't regret reading it because its very good. I think it is a good book because it is intresting and adventuring.

Mary Downing Hahn was my favorite author when I was in middle school. I am now a 24-year-old graduate student who recently read a few of them again. Downing Hahn's story lines are easy to follow yet multi-layered and well written. A Doll in the Garden entertained me as much as it did when I was a young girl who craved ghost stories.

This book, though beautifully written, lacked the.....feel of a good ghost story. Yeah, it was a very moving story with alot of rich detail, but, it was not a ghost story like the title said. But other than a lack of a little scare, it was a wonderful bok.

sincerely,

THE BOOK BANDIT

p.s: Have i bothered you enough yet? Im just getting started!

I read this book in elementary school and I couldn't wait until my children were old enough to enjoy it as well. As a young reader it took a lot keep my interest, but this story is easy to follow and is sure to be a favorite. Can't wait to read it with my little bits :-)