Babushka's Doll

Polacco, P. (1990). Babushka’s Doll. New York, New York: Scholastic Inc.

Brief Annotation: Natasha is a young girl that does not understand what being patient is all about. When Natasha wants something, she wants it now. After Natasha’s Babushka (grandmother), is done doing her chores she goes inside to have lunch with Natasha. It is then that Natasha notices a doll high up on a shelf. Natasha asks her Babushka if she played with the doll as a child and Babushka says, “Only once.” Babushka leaves Natasha and the doll while she goes to the store. The doll comes alive and teaches Natasha a lesson. Babushka comes back and finds Natasha crying. It was then that Natasha realized she only wanted to play with that doll once too.

Genre: Picturebook

Grade Level: Pre K-2

Readers who will like this: Children who like colorful pictures. Children who love stories with imagination and a fun storyline.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4. Polacco uses beautiful illustrations of an Old Russian farm to teach an impatient little girl a lesson.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Do you know what the word “patient” means?

Reading Strategies Connection: Sketch to Stretch (Yopp & Yopp, p. 108). Students will think about what the text meant to them through a picture they draw. The students will listen to the book, draw what the book meant to them and then share their sketches to the class. This activity supports students in learning how to connect with the text.