A little girl who longs for a doll but is too poor to have one, encounters a mysterious stranger who gives her a seed; she plants it and grows a beautiful doll that actually talks and runs around like a kid.[return][return]I liked it, but I was nervous through-out -- I kept expecting the growing (and then talking/running) doll to suddenly take a turn for the horrific, and devour the parents, or ... something. I was relieved to see that the book stayed sweet and simple, with nothing horrible happening. ( )

Odd. The more I read by Lindgren the less I understand. I would love to know what I would have thought of this when I was about 6 years old - I bet I would have loved it. But try as I might, I can't get anything out of it except a simple fantasy of a little girl who wants a doll, does a good deed, and gets one - but by planting a seed and watering it faithfully, not as a straight-out gift. I guess there's a lesson about worthiness - since Britta is a good girl and patient she earns the doll.... ( )

A little girl who longs for a doll but is too poor to have one, encounters a mysterious stranger who gives her a seed; she plants it and grows a beautiful doll that actually talks and runs around like a kid.

I liked it, but I was nervous through-out -- I kept expecting the growing (and then talking/running) doll to suddenly take a turn for the horrific, and devour the parents, or ... something. I was relieved to see that the book stayed sweet and simple, with nothing horrible happening. ( )