The Return of the Doll Book of the Month Club! A Question of Time

   I know. The Doll Book of the Month Club has been on hiatus for a while. But it's back! I found a book to do, so we're back in business. 

  The book in question is, "A Question of Time" by Dina Anastasio. It was first published in 1978,  That's handy to know, considering the timeline of the story. The illustrations are by Dale Payson.

  Apparently the author's daughter's doll collection inspired the book.

  As the book opens, Syd Stowe is told that she and her parents will be moving from New York City, to a small town in Minnesota, leaving behind her great grandfather, Jake. 

  Jake left the same small town in 1910, as an 18 year old, to pursue his dream of acting in New York City. He only returned once, and he's in his 90's now. Syd hates leaving her beloved New York City, and her best friend, Jill. And she's determined to hate her new home town.

  Syd is finally persuaded to have a look around her new town. She visits a store, where there are some very interesting dolls on display. They are very detailed, hand carved wooden dolls. On one visit to the store, an old man arrives and delivers a new one. The shop lady tells Syd that his name is Mr. Stowe, (Syd's last name!), and that he makes the dolls. He wants them to all be sold together, and he still has one to make, so she isn't selling them yet.

  Of course, Syd is curious: about Mr. Stowe, (Is he related to her somehow?), about the dolls. (Supposedly they are based on real people. What is the doll made in a reaching position supposed to be doing?) She finds the exact people the dolls seem to be based on, in an old book about the town that she finds in the library. But then the book disappears. Mr. Stowe gives his address to the lady in the shop, but the only house there has been deserted for years, after the family who lived there died.

  Syd writes to her friend Jill often. As time passes though, she becomes caught up in unraveling the mystery surrounding the dolls. She meets a girl named Laura, who plays marbles on the sidewalk in front of a store, while waiting for her grandfather. Oddly, she looks just like one of the dolls. Even the bag of marbles looks like the one the doll carries. Syd becomes friends with the shy and depressed looking Laura.

  Does Syd solve the mystery? Why is a kid in the late 70's playing marbles? Is Syd related to the doll maker?

  Okay, I'm not going to discuss the ending completely. I'll just say that the book wasn't bad, but there were some plot holes. I would have liked it when I was a kid, because I loved this sort of thing: mystery, ghostly stuff, time travely things. There are some spoilers below you can check out after reading the book. My opinions on those plot holes.. 

  The book doesn't quite make sense. The house has been deserted and everybody in the town thinks Jake was murdered, because one night there was an argument, heard by passing locals, where someone threatened to kill someone. Then he disappeared, (to New York.). Okay. This is a small town, where everybody seems to know about everybody. Surely the whole town would have known that Syd's great grampa left town to become an actor. Maybe the family didn't like to talk about it, but wouldn't someone have asked where he was? If he left town, it was probably on a train, so wouldn't someone have seen him? And if there was suspicion of a murder, wouldn't the police have questioned his family?  And if the rest of the family died in a boating accident, everybody must have known about that too. After all, Syd finds it in the old newspapers. So why do they think the house is haunted by a murdered family?  Didn't anybody try to contact Jake when his family died? Okay, maybe they didn't know where to get in touch with him. Or, maybe they still thought his dad murdered him. But when he came back and his whole family was gone, didn't he ask anybody in town if they knew what happened? Surely somebody would have known. And they would have known he wasn't murdered if he came back. I have an issue with Jake leaving for New York to become an actor. In 1910, wouldn't he have gone into vaudeville or something? Was New York where people started an acting career in 1910?  And one thing, just personal, but if this guy is almost 100 years old, wouldn't you wait a couple more years before moving away and leaving him? Are you going to:

 A. Miss the last couple of years you might have with him. 

and B. Leave when he might need you the most? Suppose he needs help at his age? What are you, a monster?

  I thought it was going to be a time travel book of sorts. I thought that way into the book. Instead, it turned out to be a weird ghost story/magic sort of book. Why did Syd's family come back as ghosts at that particular time? Why didn't they just talk to her? What was the purpose any way? And didn't she think it might make her Great Gramps feel better to know what happened to his family? Why didn't she tell him they found out? One final thing, if you don't want to read the book, but you're wondering what happens to the dolls, the shop keeper says Mr. Stowe said to give them to Syd.

  That's it for this month's Doll Book of the Month Club. See you soon.

The Doll Book of the Month Club: Drusilla

   The last Doll Book of the Month Club entry for the year, (But not forever. I'll still be posting the monthly book.), is Drusilla, by Emma L. Brock, who also did the illustrations.

  My poor copy got ruined in the fire. But I had been wanting to read it myself, and I wanted to share it with you, so I rescued it as best I could. It's a bit sooty on the outside, and mildew stained and torn up, but still readable.

It was published in 1937, and was in quite nice condition before the fire.

  Drusilla is a corn husk doll, made for a little girl named Sarah, by 'Aunt Polly', (who isn't really an aunt, just a friend of Sarah's grandma.). 

  Drusilla is made of corn husks, with stitched in jet bead eyes and a red silk mouth. Now, I've attempted to make corn hush dolls, and I don't know how you stitch anything into something that dry and brittle without it falling apart. But...

  I'm a lover of lists, and making them. I enjoyed the bit about what all was made for Drusilla: her dress, her bonnet, her bed and bedding, etc. 

  The book is told from Drusilla's point of view. But after the discovery that the family is moving to more fertile lands in Minnesota, the action pretty much just follows the family's story...until the last part of the book, where Drusilla becomes the focal point.

  As a lover of lists I also was interested in the family's choices of what to take with them on the wagon trip to Minnesota. Things had to be chosen carefully because there was very little room. Unlike most wagons to the Promised Land, this family also took an extra uncovered one to haul extra stuff. Still, Aunt Polly had a list that would choke a horse, and had to leave a lot of it behind.  The things she managed to sneak on the trip with her did prove useful along the way. In case you haven't figured it out, Aunt Polly is the comic relief in this book. She gets more page time than Drusilla.

  The trip is fairly uneventful most of the way. The wagon does get stuck in a huge pot hole, and there's a big rainstorm. But other than those things,  it's pretty much ride, eat, sleep, which I'm sure is how a lot of those trips went.

 But toward the end of the book things get more lively...until they don't. The trip continues after one exciting night. Then, Drusilla, sitting in the back of the wagon on the bag of corn seed, plops off when the wagon goes up a steep bank, crossing a creek. She lays there in the grass, while the wagon goes on to their destination, at least a day away.

  Will Drusilla be found? Will Sarah come back for her somehow? What will happen to her? I won't ruin it for you. 

  I enjoyed "Drusilla". I think my kids would have liked it when they were little. It's an easy read. The illustrations are cute too. Can recommend. But be forewarned that there are some stereotypical depictions of Native Americans. I'm also not sure about Sarah's father's advice to 'Treat them like White men, and they'll act like White men. Treat them like Red men, and they'll act like Red men." I think, unintentionally, he was saying that if you treat them civilly they'll act civilly, instead of treating them like they are about to attack, and attacking them first. That's obviously the right way to treat anybody if you want them to react in a friendly manner. It's an opening for discussion.

  That's the book for this month. We'll look at another doll based book next month. I've got some good ones lined up for next year. 

The Doll Book of the Month Club Twofer! : Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, and Little Plum

 I'm making up for missing last month's Doll Book of the Month Club by giving you TWO books this month. They are "Miss Happiness and Miss Flower", and it's sequel, "Little Plum", by Rumer Godden.

  Ivy always had a special love for Rumer Godden's book, "The Story of Holly and Ivy". (You can read my review of it HERE.) So we looked for other books written by Rumer Godden. We came across these two at a library sale or thrift store I think, or maybe one of each. I read the first one at least to Ivy, and we thought it was okay, good, but not "The Story of Holly and Ivy" good. I don't think we ever read the second one though. So I have read it now. But let's start with the first one.

  I have seen this book described as ' a children's book for adults', in that, adults can enjoy it too. Miss Happiness and Miss Flower are two Japanese dolls. 

They have been sent to a little girl named Nona, who has been sent from her home in India to live with her aunt and uncle and cousins, (including Belinda, who is a year younger than Nona), in England. 

She feels out of place, so she feels sorry for the dolls, being so far away from home. As she and her cousins make a Japanese house and accessories for the dolls, Nona begins to feel more at home too.

   

Belinda is a crabby character who makes life hard for Nona, but that gets straightened out as well. And throughout it all, we get to hear what Miss Happiness and Miss Flower are thinking, for they can hear each other, but, of course, can't be heard by humans. 

  It's a sweet story, and there are details for how to build the Japanese house in the early editions of the book, that I think are left out in later ones. And by the end of the book, there is another Japanese doll in the dollhouse.

 

  The book gets some complaints these days for not being  politically correct in some of it's terms and stereotypes, but it means well. I think it's still readable these days, and those things can be discussed with the child at the time.    

  "Little Plum" is a Japanese doll too, but she doesn't belong to Nona, or her cousin Belinda.

In fact, there isn't nearly as much of Miss H and Miss F, or their thoughts, or even Nona, in this book.  This book centers around Belinda, and her war with the new girl next door. 

  The new girl is named Gem Tiffany Jones. Okay. Let's forgive Rumer Godden for that one. Belinda and Gem can't seem to get along. What is worse for Belinda is, Gem has a Japanese doll too, but she doesn't play with hers. Day after day the doll sits alone and forlorn in Gem's bedroom window. This riles Belinda no end, and she decides the doll needs some things, and Gem needs scolded. Add into the mix that Belinda decides to hand deliver the items to Gem's bedroom window sill via tree, not only because she has been told by Gem's snooty aunt not to come to their house. (Belinda is 'too rough' to be allowed to play with Gem.) It's made clear that no child except Belinda would or should even think of doing such a thing. Good save Rumer.

  The gifts Belinda begs Nona to make for Gem's doll, whom they name "Little Plum", sound wonderful. The fate of the gifts, well...And do Gem and Belinda, who at one point beat the tar out of each other, ever become friends? Does Little Plum ever get to be played with? You'll have to find out for yourselves. 

  I enjoyed this book actually. It's not as, shall we say, dry, as the other one. The other one is good though. I don't think you necessarily have to read the first one to enjoy the second one, but I think you'll want to.

The Doll Book of the Month Club: The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat

 This month's book is one that was a favourite of mine when I was in first grade. It's The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat.

 I went to a four room school, and we didn't have a library. But my teacher had a stack of books that we were able to borrow every week. There are two versions of this particular book. There is this version, which contains not only The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat, but also The Dinkey Bird. Here are some of the beautiful illustrations from the Dinkey Bird. No dolls, but it's gorgeous, isn't it?

In some editions one book is on one cover, and the other book is on the other cover, with the covers facing the opposite vertical direction. That way either side is the front cover of the book, depending on which way you hold it, and the stories can be read with either first. In this one both covers are The Gingham Dog, and it doesn't even mention the Dinky-Bird. The stories simply come one after the other, like a regular book. 

   I borrowed a different edition of this book quite often in first grade, because I loved both poems the book was made up of, and their accompanying illustrations. That edition had The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat, and Wynkyn, Blynkyn  and Nod. Both poems were written by Eugene Field, and illustrated by Helen Page, (as was The Dinkey Bird). These days these editions of the poems, which have been published many times, are expensive and hard to find. I bought a more modern version of Wynkyn, Blyken, and Nod for Emma when she was small, but nothing comes close to the beauty of Helen Page's illustrations. I was really excited, when Ken and I were on our anniversary day out, to find this book in an antique mall. I was disappointed that it was the Dinkey Bird version, but glad to have the other poem, at least, in the edition I loved all those years ago. And the price was affordable, and Ken insisted on buying it for me for our anniversary.

  

   Now, I will warn you, the poem is disturbing! Some people who read it as kids were creeped out. I don't remember ever being scared by the poem, but I think I found it dramatic. You see, the story concerns two stuffed toys, the dog and cat of the title. 

  

From the off we're told that there's gonna be a fight.

"The air was littered, an hour or so, with bits of gingham and calico."

It's pretty violent, but the end is still a bit unexpected. Spoiler ahead.

  I remembered the last line being something like 'all they found was the tail of the dog and the hair of the cat', or something like that. But it ends this way: Next morning where the two had sat, they found no trace of dog or cat. And some folks think unto this day that burglars stole the pair away! But the truth about about the cat and pup is this: they ate each other up!

  They ate each other! Pretty gross, huh? I suppose it was reading stuff like this that made me what I am...whatever that is. The other poem in the one I read, Wynkyn, Blyken, and Nod, is very sweet and sentimental, and makes me cry these days. 

  That's the book for this month. For once I'm on time, sort of. Also check out today's other post for the doll of the day. See you tomorrow for another doll.

The Doll Book of the Month: The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real

   I am finally catching up with last month's Doll Book of the Month! It's a book I have mentioned a few times on the blog. It's The Velveteen Rabbit.

  This is Fuzzy's copy of The Velveteen Rabbit, rescued from a box on the bottom shelf of the book case that burned halfway down. It had been a little wet and had to be cleaned off, but it's pretty nice, especially considering it's ordeal. Emma has a more modern copy, which we read to her when she was little. But this edition has the original illustrations by William Nicholson.

  The Velveteen Rabbit was written in 1921, which accounts for the flowery speech, by Margery Williams. It was first published in Harper's Bazaar, (with illustrations by the author's daughter, Pamela Bianco.), before being published as a book in 1922. This was Williams' first children's book. I have reviewed another of Margery Williams' book on the blog, "The Little Wooden Doll". I'm not sure if I still have that book, as it would have been next to Fuzzy's room when the fire happened. A lot of my books got packed away and sent to storage. I'm just hoping they weren't wet at the time, as I have found things in storage that Ken packed up wet and they were molding.

  I described the trouble Ken and I had reading this book to the kids. The book, which is beautifully written, is sad in parts, but mainly it's just so heartbreakingly touching. I specifically remember reading this book to Emma on our couch, with Emma in the middle, and me on one end, and Ken on the other. We took turns reading because we'd be crying so much we couldn't continue. I'd read until I was crying too much to read further, and then I'd pass the book to Ken. He'd read until he was crying too much to read, and then he'd pass it back to me. So let's see what brought on all that crying.

Beware, because spoilers await all ye who enter here.

  The story begins with the Rabbit being given to the Boy one Christmas, in the Boy's stocking.

  The Rabbit lives in the nursery with the other toys, including The Skin Horse, who is very wise. 'Skin horses', and other animals were a real thing back in those days. It just meant a leather horse, often on a platform with wheels, so it could be pulled. 

One day the Skin Horse explains to the Rabbit how toys become 'Real'.

 The Skin Horse explains that the Boy's uncle made him Real, years ago.

  The Rabbit is thrilled when one night the Boy declares to his nurse that the Rabbit, "isn't a toy! He's REAL!"

  After that the Rabbit has a wonderful summer, playing outside with the Boy. But one day he is discovered by two real real rabbits, who tease him for not being real. The Rabbit doesn't understand, pleading that he IS Real.

  The Rabbit is very hurt when the rabbits won't play with him and run away. But the Boy continues to love the Rabbit, so much so that what the Skin Horse said about being loved until one is worn and shabby happens to the Rabbit. But the Skin Horse was right about something else: when you are Real, it doesn't matter.  

  Is it just me, or is anybody else getting a human equivalent from this? Like when you love someone and you grow old together, and they don't notice how old you're looking, because they love you so much? I'm not crying! You're crying!

  But one day the Boy becomes sick. He has Scarlet Fever, which in those days was a very serious illness. In fact, Fuzz got Scarlet Fever as a kid, and it scared me to death. My aunt had Scarlet Fever as a young woman, and was ill and recovering for a year or more. But when Fuzz had it I found out that it isn't a big deal these days. Antibiotics take care of it. Most people only get strep throat, which is connected, but not actually Scarlet Fever. But in the era this book was written, it was considered very dangerous and contagious. As the Boy recovered, the doctor ordered all his books and toys, including the Rabbit, who had weathered the Scarlet Fever storm with the boy, upon his pillow, to be burned. Fortunately the servant who hauled it all to the heap to be burned was a lazy sort, who decided to leave it until morning. The poor Rabbit lay on the heap sadly, wondering what was to become of him. He is so sad, in fact, that a real tear falls from his eye. Where it falls a flower suddenly grows. The flower opens, and out steps a fairy.

The fairy explains that she takes all the toys that are old and worn out, and no longer needed by children, and makes them Real. The Rabbit is confused, because he thought he was 'real'. The fairy explains that he was Real to the Boy, because he loved the Rabbit. But she will make him Real to every one. She takes the Rabbit into the forest, and introduces him to the wild rabbits, kisses him and puts him down. The Rabbit is told to 'Run and play'.

But he doesn't run, because he remembers that his rear is made all in one clump, because he is a toy, and he can't run. But then he has an itch, and without thinking, raises a foot to scratch it. He discovers that he has hind legs! The Rabbit springs around in joy. When he finally stops to look for the fairy, she has gone.

  Months later the Boy was playing outside, when two rabbits come out to look at him. One of them has strange faded markings, just like his old stuffed bunny. That last line! I am NOT crying!

  Oh my goodness, this book! Beautiful and sad, probably more to adults than kids, who haven't lived through this stuff yet. It makes me cry, partially for the same reason as Jessie's song in Toy Story 2. Ahhh!!! Sadness for the toys that are loved so much and then forgotten, sadness for lost years, sadness for children growing up and away. And it's all written in such a beautiful way. I do highly recommend this book, but have your hankies ready.

  That's the book for August. Don't forget to also check out today's doll post. See you tomorrow. 

The Doll Book of the Month Club: The Tub Grandfather

   Beware: Ahead there be spoilers!

  The last time we checked in with The Tub People, they were trying to save the Tub Child from the bathtub drain. In The Tub Grandfather, also by Pam Conrad, with illustrations by Richard Egielski...

... the family are playing on the rug. Grandmother pretends it is 'a sunny field from long ago', and pretends to plant seeds. 

When the family, (and the policeman and the doctor, and the dog), decides to play ball. While they are playing, a little wooden man sleeps under the radiator, where 'it's warm and dark and no one had looked there for a long time.'

But when the ball rolls under the radiator, the tub child finds the sleeping man.

The Tub People bring him out from under the radiator. He's missing one eye, and the other is closed. At first no one knows who he is, but Tub Grandmother gently asks, "Walter dear, is that you?" 

The gentleman doesn't answer. But he is, indeed, Walter, the Tub Grandfather. The Tub People try to wake him, by inviting hm to play ball, and by having a loud parade, with no success. That night they all line up as usual, only now there is also the Tub Grandfather.

The next morning they even try taking him to the tub. He still doesn't wake up. Finally they take him back to the rug. When the radiator comes on and begins to whistle, Tub Grandfather begins to rock back and forth on his feet. That's when Tub Grandmother figures out what to do. She begins to hum to him.

    Is that not the sweetest thing? This is such a warm, quiet, old fashioned story just like it's predecessor. This book was a bit wet, and had to have it's pages separated, after being discovered in a wet box in the bottom shelf of what was left of the book case in Fuzzy's room. I had it out today, drying in the sun, when Fuzz arrived and spotted it, and smiled, "Oh! The Tub Grandfather!"

    You can hear The Tub Grandfather read HERE.

  That's the doll book for this month. See you tomorrow for another doll.