Billy found Mandy, sitting in a corner where the light was good. She was doing something. "What are you doing, Mandy?" Billy asked.
Mandy took her glasses off her face and put them on top of her head, as she often does when she's talking with someone. "Hi, Billy! I'm knitting," Mandy replied. "I'm making a scarf."
"Why would you make a scarf, when you can buy one?" Billy wanted to know.
"I like to knit," said Mandy. "It's fun."
"That looks more like work to me," Billy said.
"Work is fun if you like doing it," Mandy said. "When you find work you like doing, it makes you feel good, because it isn't just fun. It's being useful, too."
"I don't think I want to knit," Billy said.
"We are all different," Mandy said. "We like different things. You will find something you like to do that is fun and useful, too, but you should try things out before you decide."
Mandy stood up and gave Billy a hug. "I'm so glad you're here," she said. "We needed you. You are special."
Later, Billy was coming back from a walk with his puppy, Freckles. After he put away his hat and sweater, he started up the stairs. Jolena was sitting on one of the stairs, doing something with one of her skis.
"What are you doing, Jolena," Billy asked.
"I'm fixing the bindings on my skis, so they will be ready when it starts to snow," Jolena explained. "I'm very excited that soon I will be able to ski," she added.
"Why do you want to ski," Billy asked.
"It will be fun. I knew I would enjoy skiing, because I came with skis, ski clothes and everything I would need to ski," Jolena explained. "I like to do flips while I'm wearing my skis. I have already practiced during the summer, only we landed in the pool, because there was no snow."
"Soon I can use my skis to do flips and land on the snow!" Jolena exclaimed. "When people see me do tricks and then make a good landing on the snow, it will make them happy. It's fun to make people happy."
"I came with a puppy," Billy said thoughtfully. "I like dogs, and I love Freckles." Billy gave his puppy a kiss, and Freckles licked his nose.
"But I came with girl's clothes, too," he added, "and I knew I wasn't a girl."
"I'm glad you're a boy," Jolena said. "It was strange that they dressed you like that and that they gave you long hair, but it's good that you know who you really are."
"I don't feel useful," Billy complained. "I want to find something that I like to do, but that's also useful."
"You'll find it, Billy," Jolena said. "Keep trying things that might be useful. You knew you were a boy. You will know what you like to do when you find it, too."
Billy thanked Jolena, and then she went back to working on her bindings. Billy took Freckles upstairs to where her bed was, so she could take a nap.
When he came downstairs again, he noticed Mariah sitting in the window. She was writing in her notebook.
"What are you doing, Mariah?" Billy asked.
Mariah looked up from her writing. "Hi, Billy!" she said. "I'm writing about what it is like to be a doll. I enjoy writing."
"That seems like a lot of work," Billy said. "I can write, but I don't do it for fun. Did you come with a pencil and a notebook in your box?" he asked.
"No, I didn't," she replied. "I came with a beautiful, fancy dress and a bow in my hair."
Mandy stood up and gave Billy a hug. "I'm so glad you're here," she said. "We needed you. You are special."
Later, Billy was coming back from a walk with his puppy, Freckles. After he put away his hat and sweater, he started up the stairs. Jolena was sitting on one of the stairs, doing something with one of her skis.
"What are you doing, Jolena," Billy asked.
"I'm fixing the bindings on my skis, so they will be ready when it starts to snow," Jolena explained. "I'm very excited that soon I will be able to ski," she added.
"Why do you want to ski," Billy asked.
"It will be fun. I knew I would enjoy skiing, because I came with skis, ski clothes and everything I would need to ski," Jolena explained. "I like to do flips while I'm wearing my skis. I have already practiced during the summer, only we landed in the pool, because there was no snow."
"Soon I can use my skis to do flips and land on the snow!" Jolena exclaimed. "When people see me do tricks and then make a good landing on the snow, it will make them happy. It's fun to make people happy."
"I came with a puppy," Billy said thoughtfully. "I like dogs, and I love Freckles." Billy gave his puppy a kiss, and Freckles licked his nose.
"But I came with girl's clothes, too," he added, "and I knew I wasn't a girl."
"I'm glad you're a boy," Jolena said. "It was strange that they dressed you like that and that they gave you long hair, but it's good that you know who you really are."
"I don't feel useful," Billy complained. "I want to find something that I like to do, but that's also useful."
"You'll find it, Billy," Jolena said. "Keep trying things that might be useful. You knew you were a boy. You will know what you like to do when you find it, too."
Billy thanked Jolena, and then she went back to working on her bindings. Billy took Freckles upstairs to where her bed was, so she could take a nap.
When he came downstairs again, he noticed Mariah sitting in the window. She was writing in her notebook.
"What are you doing, Mariah?" Billy asked.
Mariah looked up from her writing. "Hi, Billy!" she said. "I'm writing about what it is like to be a doll. I enjoy writing."
"That seems like a lot of work," Billy said. "I can write, but I don't do it for fun. Did you come with a pencil and a notebook in your box?" he asked.
"No, I didn't," she replied. "I came with a beautiful, fancy dress and a bow in my hair."
"Then how did you know you liked to write?" Billy asked Mariah.
"I had to write something for school," Mariah explained. "I started writing about something I thought was fun, and then I noticed that writing about it was fun, too!"
"Writing is useful, isn't it? I hope I find something I like to do that is also useful," Billy sighed.
"Being a boy is useful already," Mariah said. "We needed a boy in our stories. Children want to read stories that are about someone who is like them. They also want to read stories about someone who is different from them. They want to use their imaginations when they read," Mariah explained. "There are boy children and girl children in the real world, just as there are children with different color eyes, hair and skin. They want to read about dolls who are boys as well as girls, and about dolls who look like them and dolls that are different," she said. "I know this, because I'm a writer," she added.
"I'm glad I'm useful as a boy, because it's who I am," Billy said, "but I would like to be useful for what I can do, too."
"You will find something, Billy," Mariah said. "You will find something special because you are special."
"Thank you, Mariah," Billy said. "You're a good friend."
Billy went looking for Charlotte. He found her on the front porch, looking into the sky, with her head tipped to one side. She had Pierre in her lap.
"What are you doing, Charlotte?" Billy asked.
"I'm listening to the birds," she answered. "I want to try to make that sound on my violin. Wouldn't that be fun?"
"You like music, don't you?" Billy asked. "Is that why you like to listen to the birds? I like to hear the birds sing for a little while, but then I want to go do something else."
"We are all different, Billy," Charlotte replied. "I used to want to sing, but I can't open my mouth wide enough."
"Then," Charlotte explained, "I wanted to play the piano, but we have those two fingers stuck together on one hand. That made playing the piano difficult."
"Then I discovered the violin," Charlotte concluded, "something I can do the way I am made, and it makes me happy when I practice."
"I had to try a lot of things before I found something I could do that I enjoy," Charlotte pointed out, "but then I learned it's as if I were made to play the violin."
"Music is useful," said Billy. "People listen to it, and it makes them happy. You make music, and you have fun. I want to find something I like to do that is useful and fun."
"Try something that looks interesting," Charlotte said. "If that doesn't work, try something else. You will find something special, because you are special, and you know who you are."
When Billy left Charlotte, she was trying to whistle. She had a dreamy look in her eyes.
Veronika had climbed into one of the bean bag chairs in the living room. Billy found her looking at a book about quilts.
"Hi, Veronika," he said. "Can we talk?"
"Sure, Billy," Veronika replied. "I like to talk with you. You are interesting to talk with."
"Veronika, you like to make quilts. You think it's fun, right?" Billy began.
Veronika nodded.
"Quilts are useful, too. They are pretty on walls or tables, or they keep us warm," he continued.
Veronika agreed.
"I want to find something I like doing that is also useful," Billy sighed. "I don't think I want to knit or make quilts. I don't think I really like to write or ski or make music."
Veronika patted the bean bag chair right next to where she was sitting. "Come up here and sit with me, Billy," she said.
Billy climbed up into the bean bag chair next to Veronika.
"Now tell me what you know about yourself, Billy," Veronika suggested.
"Well," Billy began, "I'm a boy, and I'm glad I'm a boy. I have a dog, and I love her, and she loves me. I'm very happy to be here. I think my sisters are wonderful. I love my boy clothes, and I'm glad I have had my first haircut."
"You are a grateful doll, Billy," Veronika said. "You are good at it, and you are good at being you, too. You knew who you were when no one around you did."
"But I don't do anything useful," Billy said.
"Every doll is just a little different, even those who look alike," Veronika said. "Some dolls look around their boxes, see what they come with, how they are dressed, and say, 'This is who I am.'"
"Those dolls take what they are told they are and agree with it," Veronika continued, "and that's fine. You looked around your box and said, 'This isn't who I am. I'm a boy!' That's good, too. When you find what you like to do, you will say, 'This is what I like to do. I'm a boy who likes to do this.'"
"Am I special because I'm a boy?" Billy asked.
"That's one thing that makes you special to us, because we did need a boy for the stories," agreed Veronika, "but girls are special, too. More than needing a boy, we needed you! You are special. Just be the best you that you can be. It will be fun. You will see."
I am special, thought Billy. I can be who I am. This is going to be fun.
Whether you are a girl or a boy, you are special, too, just like Billy. Enjoy being you and be the best you that you can be!
"Music is useful," said Billy. "People listen to it, and it makes them happy. You make music, and you have fun. I want to find something I like to do that is useful and fun."
"Try something that looks interesting," Charlotte said. "If that doesn't work, try something else. You will find something special, because you are special, and you know who you are."
When Billy left Charlotte, she was trying to whistle. She had a dreamy look in her eyes.
Veronika had climbed into one of the bean bag chairs in the living room. Billy found her looking at a book about quilts.
"Hi, Veronika," he said. "Can we talk?"
"Sure, Billy," Veronika replied. "I like to talk with you. You are interesting to talk with."
"Veronika, you like to make quilts. You think it's fun, right?" Billy began.
Veronika nodded.
"Quilts are useful, too. They are pretty on walls or tables, or they keep us warm," he continued.
Veronika agreed.
"I want to find something I like doing that is also useful," Billy sighed. "I don't think I want to knit or make quilts. I don't think I really like to write or ski or make music."
Veronika patted the bean bag chair right next to where she was sitting. "Come up here and sit with me, Billy," she said.
Billy climbed up into the bean bag chair next to Veronika.
"Now tell me what you know about yourself, Billy," Veronika suggested.
"Well," Billy began, "I'm a boy, and I'm glad I'm a boy. I have a dog, and I love her, and she loves me. I'm very happy to be here. I think my sisters are wonderful. I love my boy clothes, and I'm glad I have had my first haircut."
"You are a grateful doll, Billy," Veronika said. "You are good at it, and you are good at being you, too. You knew who you were when no one around you did."
"But I don't do anything useful," Billy said.
"Every doll is just a little different, even those who look alike," Veronika said. "Some dolls look around their boxes, see what they come with, how they are dressed, and say, 'This is who I am.'"
"Those dolls take what they are told they are and agree with it," Veronika continued, "and that's fine. You looked around your box and said, 'This isn't who I am. I'm a boy!' That's good, too. When you find what you like to do, you will say, 'This is what I like to do. I'm a boy who likes to do this.'"
"Am I special because I'm a boy?" Billy asked.
"That's one thing that makes you special to us, because we did need a boy for the stories," agreed Veronika, "but girls are special, too. More than needing a boy, we needed you! You are special. Just be the best you that you can be. It will be fun. You will see."
I am special, thought Billy. I can be who I am. This is going to be fun.
Whether you are a girl or a boy, you are special, too, just like Billy. Enjoy being you and be the best you that you can be!
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
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
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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.
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Copyright © 2018, 2023 by Peggy Stuart
"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.
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 © 2018, 2023 by Peggy Stuart
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