Tuesday, December 20, 2016

The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden and Barbara Coomey


I decided that my blog is important enough to invite a guest writer .  What isn't sarcastic is that when I embarked on this project, I immediately thought of how much my sister loves this story.  Thanks, Jen!

It is when shopping is over that Christmas begins.


In second grade my sweet teacher read this story aloud to my class. I loved it. It was about a little girl and a doll, and it was magical. Every year I would check an old copy out of the city library and enjoy the story in December. When I was in high school my mom bought me this beautifully illustrated version! (Apparently, the library had this copy too, but it was always checked out by the time I got there. Looking back, I realize my mom must have done lots of searching to track down this book in the pre-amazon.com days.)

This story is about a little orphan girl (Ivy) who longs for a doll for Christmas and for a family, and about a doll (Holly) who wishes for a girl for Christmas. It is also about a childless couple who are rediscovering the joy that come come at Christmas time. It recounts the crossing paths of several characters. Both Holly and Ivy are determined and unwavering, and with a little luck, many wishes come true for Holly, Ivy and the other characters in the story. 

As I read this story I am always filled with the joy that comes from watching Christmas through a child's eyes. I am reminded that simple things truly matter most, and that Christmas can be a time of miracles.

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