The Ticky-Tacky Doll

Written By: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrated By: Harvey Stevenson

     The Ticky-Tacky Doll is a more recent picturebook by Cynthia Rylant (2002).  This book tells the story of a little girl and her best friend, a ticky-tacky doll made from sewing scraps by her Grandmama. All is well with the girl and her doll, who do absolutely everything together, until the girl begins to go to school, where she is forced to attempt to navigate the world without her ticky-tacky doll at her side.

     As early as the front cover and title, it is evident that the ticky-tacky doll is one of the focal points of the story.  Harvey Stevenson's illustrations parallel this focus brilliantly through his color palette, which draws upon the coloring of the doll herself.  Although the colors in the doll and the backgrounds are the same, Stevenson allows the readers' eyes to be drawn to the doll on each page.  Additionally, Stevenson depicts miniature drawings of the ticky-tacky doll hanging on the walls of the little girl's bedroom, signifying the powerful presence of the friendship.

     When the little girl heads off to school for the first time, the heartbreaking, yet relatable, part of the story begins.  One of the most poignant lines states, "The ticky-tacky doll was as much a part of her as eyes or ears or a nose, and the little girl did not know how else to be."  This line emphasizes the connection the girl felt to the personified doll, and the isolation and distress that accompanies extreme changes in life situations.  In her case, the little girl feels lonely and lost when her doll is stripped away. Although the text explicitly deals with the loss of a beloved toy, the greater theme of loneliness makes this work relatable to all readers who have dealt with loss in any way.  Additionally, Grandmama even hints at her own feelings of loneliness and missing someone through the loss of an important figure in her own life (perhaps her husband?) in a subtle illustrative depiction of a framed photograph of a man.

    Despite the little girl's distress, Grandmama remains calm and provides a solution by creating a new ticky-tacky child for the little girl to secretly bring to school, the power of friendship and love pull though.  Additionally, the creation of the child-doll creates parallel relationships between the girl and Grandmama and the tick-tacky doll and child.

     This book also portrays the general culture shock that many children experience upon entering school for the first time.  While it may manifest differently for each student (i.e. loss of toy, separation anxiety from parents, fear of meeting new people, etc.), the theme of new challenges with school is particularly relevant to young readers.  I think the emphasis on the beginning of school would make this a useful book for young readers, such as those starting school themselves, as well as any reader looking back on experiences of moving to unfamiliar environments.