The Christmas Doll (The Repair Shop Stories) by Amy Sparkes and Katie Hickey
| The Christmas Doll (The Repair Shop Stories) by Amy Sparkes and Katie Hickey | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: A delightful story with the added bonus of the inclusion of the people who appear on The Repair Shop. It's neatly done: the child will enjoy the story and the reader will have fun spotting their favourites from the programme. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: October 2022 |
| Publisher: Walker Entertainment | |
| ISBN: 978-1529504767 | |
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Susan was very young when she was evacuated from London in 1939 and nervous about how she would be greeted when she got to her final destination. She needn't have worried though as she went to the home of Mr and Mrs Russell, who couldn't have been kinder to her. She even had her own room - all to herself. Gradually she relaxed and began to enjoy her life. She'd help Mrs Russell with the baking and when it came to Christmas Eve Susan and Mr Russell put the decorations on the Christmas tree. The best surprise happened the following morning.
At the end of her bed was a package wrapped in beautiful paper. She'd never had a present before and didn't quite know what to do but when she opened it she found a gorgeous doll. Straightaway, she knew that she would call her Lizzy. Lizzy went everywhere with her and she was shown to everyone. But as Christmas Day came to a close, Susan gave Lizzy the longest cuddle and went downstairs to give her back to Mrs Russell. She thanked her for letting her play with her: Susan didn't know that presents were to keep. When Mrs Russell told her that Lizzy was hers to keep, Susan thought this was the most magical Christmas ever.
Lizzy had been with Susan ever since and now - some eighty years later - she's come to The Repair Shop with her great-granddaughter, Evie, as Lizzy has been well-loved over the years. Her nose is chipped, her head has cracked and some of her stitching is coming apart. Jay Blades is there to greet them and they're introduced to the Teddy Bear Ladies, Amanda and Julie, who repair Lizzy.
It's a lovely tale, based on the true story of an evacuee doll. You feel what it was like at the beginning of the second world war when children were evacuated from London for their own safety. It's easy to imagine how Susan must have felt and it's only all these years later that she realises that the greatest gift she had was the kindness showered on her by the Russells. (A minor niggle - why does Mr Russell have to wear his flat cap indoors? I know the Russells lived 'oop north' but most men didn't wear their flat caps inside the house!)
If you're a fan of The Repair Shop, you'll love this book: all the expert repairers are there and easily recognisable - but even if you've never seen the programme, you'll still find that there's a story which is going to delight most young girls.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
If you'd like a non-fiction look at wartime evacuations, we can recommend Churchill's Children: The Evacuee Experience in Wartime Britain by John Welshman. Your child could also get started on crafting with The Repair Shop Crat Book by Walker Books and Sonia Albert (Illustrator).
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Christmas Doll (The Repair Shop Stories) by Amy Sparkes and Katie Hickey at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Christmas Doll (The Repair Shop Stories) by Amy Sparkes and Katie Hickey at Amazon.com.
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