MOLLY MORNINGSTAR A DOLL FOR ME

A girl finds an inventive solution to missing representation in the toy aisle in this clever debut picture book about inclusion.

Molly Morningstar is so excited to be invited to her friend Emma’s birthday tea party. The invitation says to bring a doll, but Molly just can’t choose. “Emma has lots of pretty dolls. And they all look like her. I wish I had a doll that looks like ME!” Molly laments. At the toy store, the brown-skinned, curly haired Molly sees only pale-skinned dolls; even on the internet, Molly and her mother can’t find a good match. When Molly comes up with the solution to make her own doll, she finds all the right materials and creates a twin for herself, impressing all her friends and making a doll she loves. Molly is a narrator who knows what she wants and is determined to find a way to achieve it—even if she makes a mess along the way. Coke uses a straightforward, realistic narration style to emulate Molly’s voice, with occasional poetry sprinkled throughout. Orozco’s exuberant illustrations capture Molly’s attitude (and her mother’s exasperation at those messes) while giving the story’s lead a great range of diverse friends of both genders at the party—some whose dolls match them and some who don’t. Emma’s birthday present—a doll that looks like an action figure—is a nice touch that critiques gender expectations.

Creative kids, especially those who also feel unrepresented, will be inspired.