Daisy Dolls
by Cao Wenxuan and illustrated by Zhao Lei
“Daisy Dolls” by Cao Wenxuan and illustrated by Zhao Lei. Published by Karadi Tales. A beautiful and poignant tale of a doll maker from rural China.
Hua lived in a small town in China and was the best doll maker there. All the children of the town had grown up with her dolls. She would visit the market every day to buy fabrics and other stuff for making the dolls. She always embroidered a daisy flower on the dresses of her dolls. She loved daisies as she was born amidst a field full of daisies.
Hua was a kind and compassionate person who was passionate about her work. For her the dolls weren’t mere toys but like her own children. She always ensured that the dolls made the children who bought them happy and comfortable though it made her sad to part from them. As she grew old, she couldn’t make the dolls any longer. She decided to keep the last one for herself and became very attached to it. The doll was her sole companion.
A little girl and her mother visited Hua to buy a doll. When Hua informed them that she no longer made any dolls, the little girl saw Hua’s doll and wanted it desperately. What happened next? Did Hua give up the doll? Read the book to find out.
The illustrations are gorgeous to say the least. The book subtly touches upon death and my seven year old grasped the meaning better than the time we’d read it two years ago. The book is apt for children aged 7+. It was originally written in Chinese by the Hans Christian Andersen award winning author. Overall a truly special book which is unforgettable.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Karadi Tales here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.