Rose and Ivy Paper Doll Book Review

Julie Allen Matthew‘s new book Rose and Ivy paper dolls published by Paper Doll Review press is what I am writing about today. I know both Julie and Jenny (who runs Paper Doll Review), but this isn’t sponsored or anything. I bought it with my own 13 dollars and thought I would share what I liked and didn’t like about the book, because I do like writing up my thoughts on various paper doll books.

So, let me start by giving the basic info. The book is a 8.5 by 11 inches staple bound. It has a light weight satin cardstock cover and the most beautiful interior paper. I didn’t cut into mine, but the feel of the paper is lovely. I think cutting up this book would be a dream.

The book has two dolls on the back, Ivy and Rose, who are each about 9 inches tall. There are 8 plates, so 16 pages. I counted 47 mix and match clothing pieces and 16 wigs, though I am not good at counting. So, I might be off. All in all, a pretty extensive wardrobe for these two girls.

The style is a neo-Victorian fantasy with lots of ruffles, floral patterns and cute hats. One thing Julie has done really well in this book is that the mix and match pieces color coordinate and the wigs often have flowers or other things, adding interest. I would have had so much fun with wigs as a kid.

Some of you may recall Julie’s 100 Day Project back in 2019. Three of us started, but (much like the Thunderdome) only one of us was left standing. That was Julie and her beautiful black and white creation. Julie is really good (much better than I am) at taking things she does for one thing and then refining them into something else for sale. So, this book is colored versions of those black and white illustrations.

Now, no paper doll book is perfect and this one is no exception. There are no stands or instructions for making stands with the book, nor is there any bio information about Julie or the concepts behind the paper dolls. It’s a small thing, but I think it would have been nice to include some of those details.

Also, there’s no identification on the clothing indicating which items are for which doll. A letter on the tabs would probably save some headache in that regard. Usually, I could tell by layout, but a few times I had to really think about it. I imagine if the pieces were cut out, it would be even more useful to indicate whose was whose.

All in all though, Rose and Ivy is a beautiful book in warm vivid color. The dolls are lovely, the clothing is fun and I think, in these Covid-19 times especially, it would make a wonderful afternoon toy for a child who likes paper dolls with pretty dresses. I would have adored this set as a child and drawn many more outfits for Rose and Ivy myself. I just know it.

You can pick up your own copy direct from Paper Doll Review.