Eight Favorite Things

"Another year is over," Mandy said, as the dolls sat around the fireplace, pretending to drink cocoa, because it was cold outside.

"It has been a busy year," Emil pointed out. "We did a lot of things."

"What was your favorite thing we did, Emil?" Veronika asked. "What's your favorite memory?"

Emil thought about that for a moment. "I think it was when Billy and I went fishing," Emil remembered.

"That was fun," Billy agreed, "but it was also fun when we cleaned the house and got to use the robot vacuum cleaner."

"When The Writer and her husband were gone," Mariah explained to Pippa. "There were a lot of things we thought about doing, like filling the tub with water and going for a swim."

"I'm glad we cleaned the house instead," Jolena said. "It made the writer very happy."

"Yes," Charlotte agreed. "We did the laundry and changed the sheets on the beds, too."

"That was fun," Billy said, "but my favorite memory was when we got our new wigs!"

"Yes!" Emil agreed. "That was very memorable!"

"We finally looked like real boys," Billy said.

Billy turned to Charlotte. "What about you, Charlotte?" Billy asked. "What is your favorite memory?"

"I think maybe when Jolena came back from her ski trip," Charlotte said.

"We all helped her bring all her things in from the car," she added, "or maybe when Mandy came home from Ireland."

"I had a great time in Ireland," Mandy said, "especially going out to tea."

"I agree, though," Mandy went on, "the best part was coming home. I missed my family, and I wanted to tell you all about my trip."

"What about you, Mariah," Charlotte asked. "What's your favorite memory from this last year?"

"I have enjoyed a lot of things," Mariah said, "but I think it must be being in the play. It was hard work learning my lines."

"I was so afraid I would mess up in front of all those people," Mariah added, "but I felt so good when the curtain went down and the audience applauded. It was worth all the hard work!" 

"You did a great job," Mandy said, and the other dolls all agreed.

"I thought you really were that character," Charlotte said. "That must be what acting is all about."

"Let me go next," Jolena said.

"Everyone keeps picking my favorites," Jolena explained, "but I'll bet no one will pick this one. For my favorite memory from this past year I pick visiting with my friend Elizabeth using the iPad. We only see each other on ski trips, but we can read to each other, play games, perform dances and do cooking demonstrations together. We even pretend with the bear house. We can see each other and hear each other. That's almost as much fun as being in the same room."

"That was important for children who couldn't be with their friends for months," Veronika pointed out. Then she turned to Mandy. "What was your favorite thing about the past year, Mandy?" she asked.

"My absolute favorite time," Mandy replied, "was when Pippa showed up at our door. I laugh every time I think about Billy's puzzled look, and how he said, 'You're tiny.'"

"And I told him I'm Pippa and that Tiny went to New York," Pippa giggled. She remembered that, too.

"That was funny," Mandy said, "but that isn't really why it's my favorite memory. It's because that's when you came to be with us and brighten our lives with your antics."

"Like getting into the medicine cabinet," Mariah admonished.

"Well," Pippa piped up, "I won't be doing that again!"

"It's OK, Pippa," Veronika reassured the smaller doll. "There's so much to learn when you're new." She paused, then went on "So what was your favorite time, Pippa?" Veronika asked. "What's your happiest memory from this past year?"

"I don't have too many memories yet," Pippa mused, "and Mandy already picked my first favorite." Then Pippa thought for a moment. "Well," she said finally, "I guess I would have to say it was when Veronika explained about the stories. That made me feel important. I'm part of something big, even though I'm little."

"We all feel that way," Jolena agreed.

"It's good you missed the fire," though," Mariah told Pippa. "That was scary! The smoke alarm went off. We grabbed all the pets that were indoors and met by the big tree in front of the house."

"Yes," Jolena agreed, "except that it turned out there really wasn't a fire. It was a false alarm."

"It was good practice," Veronika pointed out. "It was like a fire drill, and everyone did what they were supposed to do if we had a real fire."

"Veronika," Pippa said, "You haven't told us your favorite memory yet."

"Every memory I have is my favorite," Veronika replied, "and my seven favorite things are sitting right here with me!"

This must be another favorite memory for Veronika.

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

Pippa: Götz Little Kidz Lotta
Marmalade: Purrrfect Cats from KTL

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.

"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 2:00 PM Pacific Time.

Mariah: Stories from the Doll's Storybook is available from Amazon worldwide and from BookBaby and other booksellers. Royalties go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment.

Image on Mariah's shirt used with permission with thanks, from Free To Be Kids, where human-size shirts with this image are available.


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Copyright © 2021 by Peggy Stuart

What Did You Get?

Emil thought Pippa looked sad. "What's the matter, Pippa," he asked.

"I didn't get the book I asked Santa for," she replied, hugging her bear.

"I think that's how it works, Pippa," Emil said. "I didn't get everything I asked for, either."

"Were you naughty?" Pippa wanted to know. 

"If I was, I didn't mean to be," Emil replied, as he sat down next to Pippa on the stair. "I mean, it's hard to be good all the time, and sometimes we do things we didn't know were wrong to do, but I really don't think Santa blames us for that."

"You mean being naughty is doing something on purpose you know is wrong?" Pippa asked.

"I'm no expert," said Emil thoughtfully. "I just think Santa is very kind and loves dolls as well as real children. I think he knows when we're doing our best. It must be hard to give every doll and every child everything they want, though."

"But why? If Santa can make all those toys and things, why wouldn't we get everything we asked Santa for?" Pippa persisted.

Emil thought about that. "Well," he said, "I don't know for sure, but here's what I think. Maybe another doll needs what you asked for more than you do or what you asked for won't work out with our family. It doesn't mean we were naughty if we don't get everything we asked for."

"Well," Pippa said with a sigh, "I do feel better now. I was afraid I didn't get the book because I was naughty, but I didn't know what I did that was wrong. I mean, I took one of the ornaments from the tree and played with it, but when The Writer told me they weren't toys, I put it back right where it was hanging on the tree."

"I don't think Santa would think that was very naughty," Emil said.

"I'm glad I wasn't naughty, but I'm still disappointed," Pippa explained, "because I really wanted to read that book."

"Maybe they have it in the library," Emil suggested. "We can look and see. If they have it, and if someone else doesn't have it checked out, we can go to the library when they open tomorrow and get it to bring home. Then you can keep it for a while. Come! I'll show you."

"We go to the library when it's open?" Pippa asked, as Emil led her down the stairs. "We check the book out? Where is it? I thought this was the library," she said, pointing to one of the bookcases as they walked by.

"That's our family's private library," Emil explained. "The library I'm talking about is the public library. It's a big building in town. It's full of books of all kinds. We can get you a library card. Maybe they have some other books you would like to check out, too. Then we will take them back by the date they are due. They have lots more books than we have here!" 

"What if I haven't finished it by the time I have to take it back?" Pippa asked.

"Then you can renew it," Emil said, "unless someone else has asked for it. You just let the library know you haven't finished it, and they let you keep it for another three weeks," he said. "We can look it up on the computer," he added pointing to the table where the laptop was open and turned on.

"Let's look now and see if they have it," Pippa begged.

Emil climbed up on a chair and Pippa handed her bear up to him so she would have her hands free to climb up herself.

The dolls found the computer and Emil checked to make sure The Writer wasn't working on something that could be messed up if he used the computer. She wasn't using the internet, so Emil looked up the library. When he found it, he turned to Pippa. "OK! What's the name of the book?" he asked her.

"It's called 'Alices Adventures in Wonderland,'" she said.

Emil typed in the title of the book. 

The picture on the screen changed. "They have several copies," Emil said. "One of them is checked out, but they have two others."

"Goodie!" exclaimed Pippa. "When can we go and get it?"

"Well," Emil said as he looked at the screen. "They're closed today, because it's a holiday, but they open tomorrow at noon. That's 12:00," he added, "like lunchtime. Maybe you can get The Writer to take you."

Pippa thought that was a good idea. She knew some books are heavy.

Just then, the two dolls heard what sounded like voices singing or humming...or both. The sound was coming from outside the front door. They left the computer and ran to the door. It was getting dark. The porch light was on.

When they opened the door, they found all the other dolls singing and humming a Christmas carol. Mariah and Charlotte were singing the words, because their mouths are open a bit. The other dolls were all humming, because their mouths don't open.

The dolls all stopped singing and humming. "Merry Christmas!" they cried. 

"Put on your coats and hats and come caroling with us!" Mariah said.

Caroling! What fun! Pippa decided it was a merry Christmas after all! 

The next day, Pippa went with The Writer to the library. The librarian––that's the person who is in charge of the library––gave Pippa a library card. Then they found a book that had all of the things Lewis Carroll had ever written, all in one book, including 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'!

The Writer allowed Pippa to keep the book at the bottom of the stairs, because the book was too big for a doll to lift. She planned to read every bit of it to her bear. She would try to finish it in three weeks!

Merry Christmas from Veronika and all the dolls in The Doll's Storybook!

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

Pippa: Götz Little Kidz Lotta

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.

"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 2:00 PM Pacific Time.

Mariah: Stories from the Doll's Storybook is available from Barnes & Noble in the US, and from Amazon worldwide. Also available from BookBaby and other booksellers. Royalties go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment.

Image on Mariah's shirt used with permission with thanks, from Free To Be Kids, where human-size shirts with this image are available.


Like our Facebook page: The Doll's Storybook

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

Copyright © 2020 by Peggy Stuart

A Tree Grows in the Living Room

"You have to come look," Pippa said as she jumped up on the bed. "While we were reading, a tree grew in the living room!"

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked, as Pippa sat down on the bed.

"I went down to the kitchen to get some water," Pippa explained, showing them her water bottle. "When I went past the living room I saw that there's a tree growing in the middle of the floor in the corner by the windows. It wasn't there when we came upstairs to go to read before bedtime."

"I know what it is," Billy said. "Does it have lights and decorations on it?"

Pippa nodded. "Yes," she said. "Does that mean it's a fruit tree?"

"Well," Veronika said, thoughtfully. "I guess you could say it bears fruit, but the fruit you get from it is under the tree, not hanging from the branches."

"That's as strange as having a tree grow right out of the floor," Pippa exclaimed, "and I didn't see any fruit under the tree."

The other dolls tried not to laugh. They knew what the tree was and how it got there, but Pippa still had a lot to learn about her world and the home they were living in. Charlotte and Mariah hid their faces. The other three girls looked away and tried to think about something else, like what the date was or what the weather report for tomorrow might be.

"It's a Christmas tree!" Jolena said finally when she could speak without laughing. "It's normal."

"It didn't grow there," Emil explained. "The Writer and her husband put it there."

Pippa's eyes grew huge. Well, they didn't really change, but she wanted them to. She tried very hard to make them get big. She was amazed.

"Why would they do that?" she asked.

"It's Christmastime," Mariah told her. "Many people decorate their homes for Christmas."

Pippa thought about that. "It was rather pretty," she said.

"They will put presents under it when they have some," Billy said. 

"We usually take a photo of all of us under the tree, dressed in our nice clothes," Charlotte added, and Mariah nodded her agreement.

"That will be fun," Pippa decided. 

Then Billy suggested, "Let's go down and look at the tree!"

The dolls all climbed out of the bed and went to look at the tree. 

Pippa felt the needle-leaves on one of the bottom branches. "You know," she said, "this doesn't feel like a real tree."

"No," Mandy agreed. "It isn't real. It's artificial (are-tih-FIH-shul). It's easier for old people to put up a tree that isn't real. They can use the same one every year. The lights are already on the tree when you put it together."

"I wonder if it pretends to be real," Pippa said wistfully. 

The dolls all had to think about that.

"Well," said Mandy, "it's getting late. Let's go back and finish the story so we can pretend to go to sleep."

So they did.

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

Pippa: Götz Little Kidz Lotta

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.

"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 2:00 PM Pacific Time.

Mariah: Stories from the Doll's Storybook is available from Barnes & Noble in the US, and from Amazon worldwide. Also available from BookBaby and other booksellers. Royalties go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment.

Like our Facebook page: The Doll's Storybook

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

Copyright © 2020 by Peggy Stuart