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| The Fairy Doll / Rumer Godden NY: MacMillan, 2007, c1956. 52 p. |
Over Christmas I revisited some stories by an author I really enjoy, Rumer Godden. I remember reading some of her doll stories when I was a child, and so I got out a collection and reread a couple of Christmas themed ones, which were charming, though a wee bit dated in some ways.
The Fairy Doll is the tale of Elizabeth, the youngest of a family, who is treated impatiently because she is clumsy and not as quick witted as the older children. When Great Granny comes to visit, however, she suggests that Elizabeth needs her own Fairy to help her, and gives her the Fairy Doll from the top of the Christmas tree. All year long Elizabeth is helped in her struggles by a 'ting' in her mind showing her what to do, thanks to the Fairy Doll, and gets better at school, at her errands and finally learns to ride her bicycle.
But then tragedy - the Fairy Doll is lost! But Elizabeth keeps on doing better at life. Was it just herself all along? This is a sweet story about the power of self-confidence and the realities of getting older. There are odd little moments, as when 6 yr old Elizabeth is sent alone to the shops to pick up items for Mother and gets muddled, and is mocked for this by her siblings when she gets home. A different time indeed!
If you haven't read any of these "doll stories" before, Christmas is a good time to do it. They are sweet but not overly sentimental; I think Rumer Godden isn't capable of pure syrup. I enjoyed this story but my favourite is still The Story of Holly & Ivy, another seasonal tale.
I may have read this book years ago. Does Great Granny have a 'dewdrop' at the end of her nose?
ReplyDeleteYes! LOL!
DeleteThat word has stuck with me since Grade 2 (aka 1972) even tho' I only suspected at the time what it meant.
DeleteI think of the dewdrop every Manitoba winter so thank you for reminding me of the other details in the story and the name of the book.