This book for young children was a 1931 Newbery Honor Book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best contribution to American children's literature. It's an unusual book in that, if a child has the reading skills to be able to read it, the child would probably be bored. It is probably a book to be read in installments by a parent for a young, pre-literate child about to go to bed. In addition, some readers may take offense at the characterization of one of the minor characters who is African-American. The story concerns a family of dolls, who occupy a doll house and become "animated" only in the absence of humans. They, and the dollhouse, find themselves marooned on an island. The author, in addition to the basic story, goes into some very nice descriptions of animal life on a tropical island.

A fascinating adventure showcases the fortitude of a small doll family when faced with the strange new world of the "Floating Island" they find themselves upon after a shipwreck. The imagery of the island setting includes beautiful descriptions of tropical plant and animal life and provides an unfamiliar home to which the dolls must adapt.
This book is never boring, and the sketches and writing by Mr. Doll himself are charming. I love the adventures the dolls face, and the ingenious ways they solve problems.This is a really fun book, and though some outdated racial perspectives might offend in today's politically correct world, the book should be viewed within its historical context. And when viewed as such, it is a marvelous story definitely worth reading. There is a reason it is a Newberry Honor Book!