A Ski Trip for Jolena!

"Why is Jolena packing?" Emil asked as he and Billy looked in through the door of the workroom. "Is she going somewhere?"

"It's time for her yearly ski trip," Billy replied.
The boys got up on the table to watch Jolena pack. They could see that she had her pajamas and sleep mask in a small bag, and was putting her ski clothes in the larger bag, with her ski boots. Her skis were sticking out of a long, black bag. They thought her poles must be in there, too. Jolena was looking at her special T-shirt. All the dolls would be wearing their Ski Team T-shirts under their ski clothes. She was thinking about seeing her friends.

Emil was confused. "Doesn't she need snow to ski?" he asked. "It's summertime. There's no snow right now."

"She's going to Chile (CHILL-eh)," Billy explained. "It's winter there right now. They have lots of snow."
The boys left Jolena to her packing and went down the stairs. It took a while, and while they were making their way down the stairs, Emil was thinking.

"It must be chilly in Chilly if they have snow." he said.
Billy laughed. It's chilly there," he said, but the country is named Chile," and he pronounced it again for Emil, CHILL-eh. "It's winter there now. It's in South America," Billy added. "South America is a continent, like North America, where we live. Come, and I'll show you on a map where Chile is."


The Writer's computer moves around the house a lot. Sometimes it goes outside, too, but Billy always seems to know where it is. Emil followed Billy Into the dining room, and there was the computer. Billy turned it on. Then he hit a few keys on the keyboard. (Billy is allowed to use the computer whenever The Writer isn't using it. He knows to be careful with it.)

A map of South America appeared on the computer screen. Billy pointed to where Chile was on the map. "That's Chile," he said. "It's this very long, skinny country on the western side of the continent, right along the coast." 

The boys looked at the map. The map looked like this. The people who made the map made each country a different color, so you could see where they were.

If you look at the map you can see Chile. It is colored purple on this map.
"There are some mountains along almost the whole coast of South America," Billy explained. "They are some of the highest mountains on earth. They are called the Andes (AN-dees). 

"Jolena is going to a ski resort here," Billy continued, as he pointed to a place on the map about halfway down the country. "It's very high up in the mountains, and they have snow to ski on right now."
"Wow!" Emil exclaimed. "Is she going all alone?"

"She's going with the whole US Doll Ski Team," Billy replied. "They're all flying together in a plane to Chile to practice. While they are there, Jolena will fly through the air on her skis."
"That's a lot of flying," Emil said.

"I'm wondering, though, how can it be winter there when it's summer here?" Emil wanted to know.

"Mandy explained it to us when spring came last year," Billy said. Billy hit a few keys on the computer. It went to The Doll's Storybook blog. Billy found the story "It's Spring."

"Let's read it again," Emil suggested.
"That's a great idea," Billy said, "but let's use the iPad to read it, so we can get comfortable. The boys settled down in the big beanbag chair and read the story. Emil paid special attention to the part about how the earth goes around the sun and how that makes the seasons.

(You can click here and read that story, too.)
When they were done reading the story, Emil understood how it could be winter in part of the world when it was summer in another part.

While the boys were reading the story, Jolena had finished packing. Jolena will need to take warm clothes with her, as well as her skis and ski equipment. That means a lot of luggage. The boys had just finished reading the story, when Jolena appeared in the living room. "It's almost time for my ride to get here," she said. "I want to say goodbye."

Jolena said goodbye to each of her sisters and brothers. Each doll got a hug, because they all like hugs.

"I think your ride is here," Billy said, looking out the window.

"I think I'm missing something," Jolena said, putting her skis down and looking around. "I am! I forgot my helmet and my goggles! I can't ski without those."

"We'll put your things into the car," Mandy suggested, "while you go get them. That way your ride won't have to wait."

As the dolls were finishing putting Jolena's luggage into the car, Jolena was just rushing to the door with her helmet. "My mittens were in my helmet," she cried. "If I had left those behind I would have frozen my little vinyl fingers off!"

After Jolena got into the car, the girls started back up the stairs, but the boys watched as the car drove away.

Emil watched out the window for a long time after the car was gone.
The other dolls would miss Jolena, but it would be nice imagine her in all that snow in Chile.

"Who's going to cook for us while Jolena is away?" Emil asked Billy.


Cast--
Veronika: Götz Classic Kidz Vroni
Mandy: Götz Happy Kidz Katie 2015
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
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
Emil: Götz Happy Kidz Emilia

Map of South America is from Geology.com and is found here.
Photo of skier by Felipe Giacometti on Unsplash.

You can follow The Doll's Storybook here.

Do you have questions or comments for us? Would you like to order an autographed copy of one of our books? You can email us at thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.

Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz, Classic Kidz or Little Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or any organization that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment. We are not affiliated with St. Jude in any way other than these donations.

"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.

Do you like our stories? Some of them are available in print:

The stories in More Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Welcoming a Stranger, The Rescue, Unmasked, Fuzzy Town––A Play and Sky Blue.

Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook. Poems included are Valentine's Day, Keeping Pets, Back to School, Victor the Vulture, The Week Before Christmas, Insomnia and Veronika's Vocabulary Verses.

The stories in Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Little Green Greatcoat, The Boy Doll Who Cried Wolf and Lost in the Woods.

The stories in Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Best Buds, Getting What You Want, and The Boys Cook Dinner.

The stories in Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are Being Little, Besties, and Distraction.

Coming soon: Billy: Stories from The Doll's Storybook.

If you don't get free shipping from Amazon or B&N, buy from the BookBabyBookshop, because 50% of the price goes to St. Jude. Other booksellers pay much less, because the vendor gets a cut. My author's page at Book Baby is here. Scroll down and click on any of the books that interest you. Find my books at Barbara's Bookstore as well.

Note: This blog post was produced on the iPad and the MacBook, using the iPhone for some photos and some photo processing. No other computer was used in any stage of composition or posting, and no Windows were opened, waited for, cleaned or broken. No animals or dolls were harmed during the production of this blog post.

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Copyright © 2020, 2025 by Peggy Stuart

Snow!

It snowed. It snowed and snowed and snowed. It snowed so much that school was canceled.

Mariah and Charlotte were disappointed. They were looking forward to school.

"Well, I guess we have more time to study for the arithmetic test we were supposed to have today," Mariah said.
"I think I already know my times tables well enough," said Charlotte, "but a little more study won't hurt, I guess."

Two of the other dolls were not sad. Jolena and Billy were happy for a snow day. They like to play outdoors in the snow.
"Maybe I can go skiing," said Jolena. She climbed the stairs and put on her ski clothes. She found her skis, ski poles and ski boots. She picked up her goggles and her helmet.
"Maybe I can go sledding," Billy said. He put on his hat and his jacket. He picked up his sled.
Both dolls were excited. "I will need a ride to the ski slopes," Jolena said, as she looked out the window at the snow.

"I will need a ride to the park, where the hills are," said Billy, looking out at the snow.

"Let's take our stuff to the front porch, so we will be ready," Jolena said.
The two dolls went out the front door. Jolena carried her skis and Billy took his sled. They stopped and looked at the driveway.

"I think we may have a problem," Jolena said. It had snowed so much that the cars were buried. They could hardly find them. Can you find the cars in the driveway?

Billy sat down on his sled. He knew it was going to take a long time to get all the snow off of one of the cars, so someone could drive them. Jolena was disappointed, too. By the time the driveway was cleared, it would be too late to go to the ski slopes.

"Maybe we can go sledding and skiing in the backyard," suggested Billy. The two dolls went back into the house. They wiped their feet and went to look out the back window.

"There is a lot of snow out there, too" said Jolena.
"You're right," agreed Billy. 

"What's that big lump out there?" Billy asked, as he pointed to a little hill in the backyard. 

Jolena looked. "I think there is a bush under that lump," she said. "That could be dangerous if you don't know it's there. You could fall through and get hurt if you climbed on the lump. Snow could fall in after you, and you could be buried in the snow until it melts! Your vinyl could freeze!"
"I don't think I would like that," said Billy.

"I don't think I can ski on the slide where I gave Bella her first skiing lesson," Jolena sighed. "There is too much snow." There was so much snow on the branches of the trees, it was even hard to find the slide.

"I think the snow is over our heads," said Billy. "That's too deep for sledding, too."

"I don't think we're going to be able to ski or go sledding today, Billy," Jolena said. "I guess we got on our snow suits for nothing!"
"Maybe not for nothing," said Billy. "I have been wanting to get a photo of you in your ski clothes. I never get to go to the ski area when you go skiing. Maybe we could go out in back, but on the deck, where the snow isn't too deep," he suggested. "We could pretend that you are ready to ski, and I could take photos of you."

"That sounds like fun," Jolena agreed. She went to get her skis while Billy went to get the phone camera and his tripod.
The two dolls went out through the dog door to the back deck. Billy set up his tripod close to the house, where the roof protected him, so his phone camera wouldn't get wet from all the snow coming down.

Jolena stood where the deck had been cleared, but where there was a lot of snow. "It's still snowing," she said.

"That makes the photos better," Billy said. Billy took several pictures. The snowflakes made little streaks in the photos as they fell. Billy liked that and said that it was interesting. He said that you could tell it was snowing.

"Here's one that looks like you can see your breath," Billy said, looking at the screen on his phone camera. "That's funny, because dolls don't breathe."
Jolena wanted to see it. Billy showed Jolena the screen.
"I think a snowflake fell right in front of my phone camera when I took the photo," Billy said.
"You can tell that my face is wet, too, from the snow," Jolena said. "The snow must melt when it hits my vinyl, but it doesn't melt quickly on my clothes."

"Maybe your vinyl is still warm from being indoors," Billy suggested. After Billy thought he had enough photos, the two dolls went back through the dog door into the house. They wiped their feet and took off their boots, which were covered with snow. They put their boots on a towel. Then they took off their jackets and hung them up. When they were back in their indoor clothes, Billy sent his photos of Jolena to the computer.
Billy let Jolena help him select the photos. They picked out their favorite. Billy used the computer to make it look right.
"I like it best, because you can see my skis, and I love my skis," Jolena said.

"I like that you can see your helmet," Billy said. "Your helmet keeps you safe."
"Yes," agreed Jolena. "We should always wear a helmet when we ski or ride a bicycle or skateboard or horse! It protects your brain if you fall." 
"I also like that you're smiling," Billy added. "You look happy, even though we had a big disappointment."
"It was disappointing not to be able to ski today," agreed Jolena, "but we have had a good time anyway, haven't we?"
Here is the photo they liked best.

Mariah and Charlotte were finished studying for the arithmetic test. They were ready for it. They decided to get out the cards for a card game and invited Jolena and Billy to play, too.

  
"This is fun," Jolena said. "I like to ski, but it's fun to stay in where it's warm, too." 

Cast--
Charlotte: Götz Happy Kidz Anna in Paris
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend
Billy: Götz Happy Kidz Lily at London

You can follow The Doll's Storybook here.

Do you have questions or comments for us? Would you like to order an autographed copy of one of our books? You can email us at thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.

Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz, Classic Kidz or Little Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or any organization that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment. We are not affiliated with St. Jude in any way other than these donations.

"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.

Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook and More Classic Tales Untold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook are available from BookBaby and other booksellers worldwide, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Author's page on Amazon. 

Royalties (net proceeds) go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment. If you don't get free shipping elsewhere, buy from Book Baby. Half of the price goes to charity (specific information available upon request). Autographed copies of all three books are available from the author. (Multiple books to the same address have a discount on shipping.) To inquire, email thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.

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Copyright © 2019, 2025 by Peggy Stuart

Emil's Gift

Emil gazed out of the window. "I'm happy here," he said to himself. He can do that without moving his lips, because his lips don't move.

Emil thought about how he had worried before he received his special glasses that he wouldn't find a place in the world because he was different. He could only see to tell whether it was dark or light where he was. He couldn't hear at all.

Of course, dolls can talk to each other in their heads, so they don't need to be able to hear when they talk to each other. If you look in a doll's ear, where the sound is supposed to go in, you will see that it's blocked off. 

That's because dolls' hearing is pretend hearing. They need their pretend hearing to hear other sounds in the world, like cars and bicycles, or the alarm clock.
Somehow, however, Emil didn't even get that. He did get eyes, but he couldn't see much. He couldn't see much or hear anything until he was given his wonderful glasses with hearing aids built in.

Even with his special glasses, he had been afraid he wouldn't find a family, because he is different. He was afraid, but he knew he had to tell them about this problem in his letter. Not telling them would be a lie. There are two kinds of lies, he thought to himself.

There is the kind where you say something that isn't true and there is the kind where you don't say something that is true but important to tell. Not telling them would have been the second kind, so he told them in his letter.

"I told the truth, and they still wanted me," Emil said to himself. "That makes me happy." Now he has a doll family that cared about him.

Emil remembered how Billy had shown him where the girls keep their dresses. "They sometimes borrow from each other," he had said, "but they always ask first."

Then Billy showed him where he kept his clothes. Emil could keep his there, too. Billy had said that he and Emil could borrow clothes from each other, now, too, but they would always ask first.

"I don't borrow the girls' dresses," Billy had said, and they had both laughed. Emil held up one of the dresses to see how it would look on Billy.

Emil thought about how each of the other dolls can do things he can't do. Jolena can dance.

She can flip through the air on skis.

She can cook.

Mariah can write poems that make you laugh and poems that make your pretend heart break.

Charlotte can play the violin, and you can sing along in your head if you know the tune.

Billy can take beautiful photos and then make them even better using the computer.

Emil knew he could go to Mandy if he had a question about how the world and even how the universe worked. If she didn't know something, you and Mandy would find out together.

Mandy also likes to knit. Emil thinks maybe she ponders how the universe works while she knits. Maybe that's why she understands it so well.

Emil knew if anyone had a problem they were worried about, and they didn't know what to do, they could ask Veronika, and she wouldn't just tell you what to do, she would help you work it out, so you understand. You could discuss it, and then you would see what to do for yourself. That makes you feel good about yourself. It also teaches you how to solve problems yourself.

Emil has seen Veronika sewing a quilt. It was fun to watch, and he especially likes to see her use a sewing machine, because he thinks machines are fun.

All of these dolls in his family have talents. They have things they can do that the others can't do or can't do as well. Some are things you can learn, but some are things that are just there inside them from the start. Maybe he could learn to ski. Most dolls can learn how to ski, even if they can't see, but he was sure he couldn't fly through the air like Jolena. What if his glasses fell off? 

Maybe he could learn to dance. Everyone should learn how to dance, but what if his hearing aids ran out of power while he was performing. He wouldn't be able to hear the music. Maybe dancing was just for fun for Emil.

Emil thought everyone should know how to cook. How can a doll pretend to eat without cooking something. You would have to have someone else do it for you all the time. He knew Jolena would make sure he knew how to cook at least a little. He thought that would be fun.

Everyone should learn how to write. Writing can be fun and useful, but Emil didn't think he could ever write as well as Mariah, even if he worked at it. He needed to have something important to say.

Everyone should learn to make music (even if just to hum, because your mouth doesn't open) but Emil thought it would be hard for him to learn to play a musical instrument, because he isn't sure that what he hears with his hearing aids is exactly what the sound is like. When you play an instrument, you want it to sound pleasant to dolls who can hear normally.

Everyone should learn to take photos. It's fun, and Billy is teaching him how, but Emil knows the photos are never as good as Billy's.

Everyone should learn about the universe works, but Emil thought he would have to be very interested in it to ever know as much about it as Mandy, and it would mean a lot of study. He knew Mandy had studied science for a long time. She must have started a long time ago.

Emil can learn how to knit, too, and it's fun. Emil thinks everyone should know how to knit. Even dolls who can't see can still knit, but he doesn't think it would be his favorite thing to do. He isn't sure that the way he sees colors is the way other dolls do.

Emil thought he could learn to be a good person and to do the right things. Everyone should learn those things, but he doubted he could ever help other dolls know how to deal with their problems as well as Veronika can.

Everyone should learn to sew. Emil likes to watch Veronika sew, but he isn't sure he would want sewing to be his life's work. He thinks he should know how to sew a tear in this clothes shut, though, or to sew a button back on if it came off. What if Veronika isn't around when it comes off? But to put little pieces of fabric together in a quilt? Well, there would be the colors thing again. He wasn't sure he could ever do that, not the way Veronika does.

Emil knew he could hear in his head what animals were saying. That was something the others couldn't do. He can hear and see animals' thoughts in his head. The other dolls can't do that. He isn't sure it's something you can learn to do. "I'm happy here," he said to himself again. His lips still didn't move. "I have my special glasses, and I can talk to animals. I have a family to love, and they love me, even though I'm different. In fact, I'm glad I'm who I am!"

"Meow," said Marmalade.

Freckles said, "Woof!"
"Not everyone can talk to animals," Emil said.

Marmalade and Freckles agreed.


Cast--
Veronika: Götz Classic Kidz Vroni
Mandy: Götz Happy Kidz Katie 2015
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
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
Emil: Götz Happy Kidz Emilia
Marmalade: Purrrfect Cats

You can follow The Doll's Storybook here.

Do you have questions or comments for us? Would you like to order an autographed copy of one of our books? You can email us at thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.

Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz, Classic Kidz or Little Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or any organization that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment. We are not affiliated with St. Jude in any way other than these donations.

"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.

Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook and Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook are available from BookBaby and other booksellers worldwide, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Author's page on Amazon. 

Royalties (net proceeds) go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment. If you don't get free shipping elsewhere, buy from Book Baby. Half of the price goes to charity (specific information available upon request). Autographed copies of all three books are available from the author. (Multiple books to the same address have a discount on shipping.) To inquire, email thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.

<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/19832501/?claim=j3fj3mbb8kt">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Copyright © 2019, 2024 by Peggy Stuart