Babushka's doll was special. She had played with it only once, when she was a little girl like her high-spirited granddaughter, Natasha. Now Babushka is going to the store and it's Natasha's turn to take the little doll down from the high shelf. When the naughty doll comes to life -- and is even more rambunctious than the little girl herself -- Natasha finds out why playing once with Babushka's doll is enough! Patricia Polacco's beautiful illustrations capture the warmth, humor, and timeless spirit of her magical tale.

An illustrator, designer, and writer of children's books, Patricia Polacco comes from a family of storytellers, poets, dirt farmers, teachers, and artists. They came from many parts of the world, but mainly Russia. She is a member of the Center of U.S.\U.S.S.R. Initiatives and her stories for children, often with a Russian theme, have been widely praised. Rechenka's Eggs received the International Reading Association Award, and The Keeping Quilt, winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award, was recommended by School Library Journal for its "richly detailed" and "beautifully conceived" illustrations (SLJ starred review). She lives in Oakland, California with her husband and two children.