Special doll helps make `Lady Daisy' a winner

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SPECIAL DOLL HELPS MAKE `LADY DAISY' A WINNER

December 6, 1993

Lady Daisy

Author: Dick King Smith.

Publisher: Delacorte Press.

Price: $14.

Pages: 131.

Imagine that one day you and your little brother go to your grandmother's house and start looking in her attic. You leave to get something and soon come back only to find that your brother is talking to a little doll. That does not seem so strange, until you realize that the doll is talking back!

In Lady Daisy, by Dick King Smith, this happens to a 9-year-old boy named Ned. The idea that a doll can talk is exciting and different from other stories that I have read. Smith combines fantasy and friendship in a wonderful story for all ages.

Lady Daisy is an old-fashioned doll with white gloves, curly brown hair, and a beautiful frilly dress. Her eyes are blue and she has tiny pink shoes - and she talks.

Once they get to know each other, Ned and Lady Daisy soon build a wonderful friendship. Lady Daisy learns from Ned about life in the 1990s, and Ned learns from Lady Daisy about life in 1901, the last time she was brought to life.

Ned's and Lady Daisy's relationship is closer than most friendships between people. For example, all through the book, Ned and Lady Daisy never fight. When they do disagree, they work in both of their views. I found this to be incredible.

Lady Daisy speaks differently than children these days. For example, instead of saying, "please," she says, "pray:"

Pray tell me, child, what is your name?

Lady Daisy's gentle nature doesn't stop even when someone is mean to her or Ned. She is not the type to seek revenge. Instead, she finds a reasonable punishment. This becomes clear at the end of the book.

Lady Daisy also does not demand constant attention from others. She stays home when Ned needs to leave the house to go and buy something. When she is alone, she usually likes to just sit and watch the world go by.

The only thing I did not like about this book is that Lady Daisy is continuously getting into trouble. The author's writing technique makes you open your heart to Lady Daisy, and you don't want to see her in danger. For example, while Ned is playing out in his back yard, a dog comes up, steals Lady Daisy, runs off with her, and drops her in the middle of the street. Ned dives for her as a car is about to hit the doll. When I read this, it really made my heart skip a beat because I cared for her greatly.

The ending of Lady Daisy is very touching. I think that if a person who does not like to read books reads this one, it will turn them on to reading.

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