The Friendship Doll

A true friend lives always in the heart.

I am Miss Kanagawa. In 1927, my 57 doll-sisters and I were sent from Japan to America as Ambassadors of Friendship. Our work wasn’t all peach blossoms and tea cakes. My story will take you from New York to Oregon, during the Great Depression. Though few in this tale are as fascinating as I, their stories will not be an unpleasant diversion. You will make the acquaintance of Bunny, bent on revenge; Lois, with her head in the clouds; Willie Mae, who not only awakened my heart, but broke it; and Lucy, a friend so dear, not even war could part us. I have put this tale to paper because from those 58 Friendship Dolls only 45 remain. I know that someone who chooses this book is capable of solving the mystery of the missing sisters. Perhaps that someone is you.

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Awards

  • Amazon Best Book of the Year So Far
  • Amazon’s Editor’s Choice
  • Junior Library Guild
  • Richie’s Pick
  • Indie Kids Next List

Resources

  • Check here to learn more about Friendship Dolls and to see if there’s one in your state
  • Read this article to see how my book, The Friendship Doll, helped to solve a mystery!

The Friendship Doll

A true friend lives always in the heart.

I am Miss Kanagawa. In 1927, my 57 doll-sisters and I were sent from Japan to America as Ambassadors of Friendship. Our work wasn’t all peach blossoms and tea cakes. My story will take you from New York to Oregon, during the Great Depression. Though few in this tale are as fascinating as I, their stories will not be an unpleasant diversion. You will make the acquaintance of Bunny, bent on revenge; Lois, with her head in the clouds; Willie Mae, who not only awakened my heart, but broke it; and Lucy, a friend so dear, not even war could part us. I have put this tale to paper because from those 58 Friendship Dolls only 45 remain. I know that someone who chooses this book is capable of solving the mystery of the missing sisters. Perhaps that someone is you.

Indiebound Bookshop Barnes & Noble

Reviews

“Larson brings her talent for historical fiction to this story of one of the 58 handcrafted, child-size dolls Japan presented to the United States in 1927 as a goodwill gesture. The theme of being kind to others could come across as didactic in less-skilled hands than Larson’s, but the initial contrast between the doll’s moralizing, superior tone and her actual disregard for humans lightens the mood considerably. The story is not solely lighthearted, however; heavy topics such as death, grief, and aging are addressed in a straightforward yet remarkably affecting manner. A little research shows that the author cleverly constructed the narrative to match Miss Kanagawa’s real-life fate, a detail that will delight historical-fiction enthusiasts.” —School Library Journal

“In 1927, Japanese schoolchildren sent the U.S. 58 dolls, which were viewed as ambassadors of friendship and were exhibited around the country. In Larson’s unusual novel based on this event, an old doll maker wishes that his doll, Miss Kanagawa, will be ‘awakened by the heart of a child.’ Starting with a chapter set in 1928, four stories follow Miss Kanagawa through four girls’ lives, changing each child’s life and, in turn, experiencing changes, too. The well-developed characters are appealing and distinct, despite the stories’ brief lengths, and a concluding, contemporary fifth episode effectively wraps up the book. . . . This is a book that will surely find fans. A fascinating author’s note adds historical information.” — Booklist

“This isn’t a drop of magic; this is a whole bookful! I fell for it hard in the opening pages. I was crying by the end of the prelude. And then each of the variations got me, too. Together they add up to a book I place on that exalted shelf with The Secret Garden and A Little Princess.” —Tom Angleberger, author of the award-winning Origami Yoda series

“Fans of historical fiction will particularly appreciate finding not one but four different specific historical contexts brought vividly to life. . .” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books