Mariah was at the computer when she heard a voice.
"What are you doing, Mariah?" It was Emil's voice. He and Billy had been looking for someone to join them for a game of cards.
"I'm getting this story ready to publish," Mariah responded. "It's the story The Writer's granddaughter wrote when she was here for Christmas. She and her brother arranged the dolls and she took the photos with her iPod."
"How exciting!" Email exclaimed. "Billy will be excited, too," he added. "He's in it!"
"The other Billy is in it, too," Mariah reminded him, as he climbed into her chair. "There are two Billys in this story, and little Rebekah, too." (Mariah wanted to hold up two fingers to indicate the two Billys, but her fingers are too stiff, so she had to settle for just the words.)
"May I read it?" Emil asked. "I heard about it, but I haven't seen it yet."
"Sure," Mariah told him. "I'm just finishing. I've checked the spelling, grammar and punctuation. It didn't need much. It's easy to understand and interesting. I've just finished putting the photos in the right places."
Mariah scooted over so Emil could look at the screen. He began to read:
The Visitors
By The Writer's Granddaughter
Assisted by The Writer's Grandson
The dolls were reading when they heard a knock on the door. Charlotte and Billy went to answer it.
When they opened the door they saw it was the other Billy!
But who was the small girl next to him?
Billy ran up...
...and hugged his friend.
Charlotte called Pippa to meet the small stranger.
Pippa rushed to Charlotte, excited to meet her new friend. Pippa gasped when she saw her. Her new friend was just as small as she was!
Realizing that she was being rude, Pippa introduced herself. “I’m Pippa! And nice to meet you!” Pippa exclaimed excitedly.
“I’m Rebekah,” Rebekah said softly.
The two friends shook hands.
The dolls sat down to discuss what their lives were like.
Charlotte left to tell the other dolls who had arrived.
“I’ll start,” stated Rebekah. “I have lots of sisters, and my cousin is the other Billy.”
“My family is the exact opposite, because I have a lot of brothers!” added the other Billy.
“One big change in my life was when Emil and I got wigs. Now we don’t just have cut ends,” Billy said and everyone looked at his head.
Everyone turned to face Pippa. “I’ve learned a lot this past year, but I think something that’s different for me is meeting someone else my size,” Pippa stated proudly.
Rebekah and Pippa stood next to each other. “It’s true, we are the same size!” said Rebekah excitedly.
“I’m a bit taller than you, other Billy,” Billy said standing up.
There was the sound of footsteps, and Charlotte came into the room. “Guys, we should go back to our reading!” Suggested Charlotte. “And Rebekah, and the other Billy can join us.” The dolls all agreed with her.
THE END
"That's a fun story," Emil said when he had finished reading. "I really like to read about dolls I know."
"It was fun having the other Billy and Rebekah for a visit, too," Mariah pointed out. "We already knew them, because they were here to get clothes made for them before they went to their new home. The other Billy was here a year ago, before The Writer sent him to live with her Grandson. Remember?"
"Then Rebekah came last Spring. I think it was April," Emil said. "I remember Mandy and Veronika were very busy with her clothes before she left to go live with The Writer's granddaughter."
"That's right," Mariah agreed. "She arrived with some things, and then they did some sewing and knitting for her."
"But in the story," Emil began slowly, "it's as if they had never met us before."
"Yes," Mariah agreed. "It's a made-up story, not real, like this one. The Writer's granddaughter took some things from real life and some things from her imagination. It's what writer's do."
"So why are you checking it now?" Emil wanted to know.
"The Writer wants to include it in this story," was Mariah's reply. "She wants to show our readers that human young people can write, too. It isn't that hard, especially if you like to read, and it's fun."
"I enjoy writing letters to my friend Holly," Emil said then. "I don't think I would know how to write a story."
"What do you tell Holly?" Mariah asked.
"Well," Emil said, thinking, "I tell her what we've been doing. Sometimes I tell her what I think about something she has said in her letter."
"So that's a story!" Mariah pronounced. "A story can be something that really happened, like in the newspaper or your letters, or it can be something that you made up from your imagination. Sometimes writers take something that really happened and then make up a story about it. There are lots of stories like that," she added. "You can even take a made-up story you know and rewrite it so completely new."
Emil thought for a moment. "Well," he said, "if it's as easy as writing a letter, maybe anyone can write a story. Maybe real children can write stories about what their dolls do."
"Of course they can," Mariah agreed. "All they have to do is let their dolls tell them what they've been up to."
The two dolls nodded to each other to show they agreed with that.
Questions for readers:
Do you think this story is real or make-believe? Have you written any stories about your dolls? (If you listen to them, they will tell you what they've been pretending to do. You just have to listen with your heart, not your ears, and use your imagination. What would you like them to do?)
Charlotte: Götz Happy Kidz Anna in Paris
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend
Billy: Götz Happy Kidz Lily at London
The other Billy: American Girl Truly Me 74
"The Doll's Storybook" is not affiliated with Gotz Dolls USA Inc. or Götz Puppenmanufaktur International GmbH.
Watch for the next story each Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM Pacific Time.
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Copyright © 2022 by Peggy Stuart
I'm so glad the granddaughter's story was included. It is nice to see she helped her grandmother and showed other children that they can write as well.
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