Module 9: The Dollhouse Murders

Book Summary

Amy is tired of looking after Louann, her special needs sister.  She gets the break she's looking for when her Aunt Clare invites her to stay at the old family house with her for a while.  Amy finds a dollhouse in the attic that is an exact replica of the old house.  She soon discovers that the dolls in the dollhouse are moving by themselves and she thinks they're trying to tell her something.  Amy's Aunt Clare refuses to listen so Amy starts investigating on her own.  she soon discovers the mystery and uncovers the truth about what happened a long time ago in the old house.

APA Reference

Wright, Betty R. (1983).  The dollhouse murders.  New York, NY:  Holiday House Inc.

Impressions

This is a great suspensful mystery that will keep you guessing right up until the end.  Amy is a well-rounded character; she is inpatient with her sister and somewhat jealous of the attention her parents give her, yet you can sympathize with her wariness and longing for "normalcy".  The author does a great job of setting the scene and making you feel like you are there in the old house.  The story is a little dated -Aunt Clare speaks of a phonograph, Amy uses the micro-film at the library and listens to her music on tapes -but it's still an enjoyable story.

Professional Review

Grade 4-6-This scary mystery by Betty Ren Wright (Holiday, 1983) is sure to keep the interest of students, mainly girls. Narrator Carol Jordan Stewart does an excellent job. Her diction, pacing, and characterization are well-done. Twelve-year-old Amy is having difficulties at home being responsible for her brain-damaged sister, Louann. While visiting her Aunt Clare at the old family home, she discovers an eerily-haunted dollhouse in the attic-an exact replica of the family home. Whenever she sees it, the dolls, representing her relatives, have moved. Her aunt won't listen to Amy's claims that the dolls are trying to tell her something. This leads Amy to research old news reports where she discovers a family secret-the murder of her grandparents. The two sisters unravel the mystery. Amy grows to accept her sister and to understand that Louann is more capable than she had first thought. This audiobook would be an excellent choice for schools and public libraries.

Kohlbeck, K. (n.d.).  [Review of the book The dollhouse murders by Betty Ren Wright].  School Library Journal.  Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Dollhouse-Murders-Betty-Ren-Wright/dp/0823421724/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351384488&sr=1-1&keywords=the+dollhouse+murders.

 

Library Uses

Students can work in pairs to create a newscast reporting the murders that took place in the book.

Book cover image from:  http://www.holidayhouse.com/title_display.php?ISBN=9780823421725