Goldie the Dollmaker

This sweet little story tells the tale of an artist who loves what she does - carving wooden dolls, handpainting them, and selling them at a local store. It's a simple story, no dragons or wizards, but the tale is one that many independant designers/artists will relate to and will want to read to their children. The main character, Goldie, lives alone and works very hard on something she is passionate about. She deals with so many feelings... Being lonely at times, others not always "getting" her way of thinking, misunderstood for her need to stick to detail and quality, shy about her work, living life on a tight budget, unwilling to compromise on quality, guilt associated with making a purchase, daily dealings with suppliers and retailers, sleeping until noon and working in her nightgown with just tea and a simple bun as food, and many other typical feelings and situations of the crafter/artist are woven into this story. It's very sweet and most of all, REAL. It's so wonderful to read a story like this because not all parents are working outside of the home - some work from home as artists, designers, carpenters, etc. and live from paycheck to paycheck, but are happy because they truly LOVE what they do. Just like little Goldie. And there's nothing wrong with that. I do not have children, and enjoyed this sweet book and have added it to my library so I can share it with my future little ones. I'd like to add that the illustrations are adorable. The book is small in size and the illustrations are only in black and white, but this book isn't about delivering pow! bam! boom! it's about delivering heart and soul. And that is does VERY well.

Goldie the dollmaker continues her parents' profession, seeking to free dolls from blocks of wood, forming and clothing them and painting on their faces the heartbreaking smile that makes anyone who sees a Goldie Rosenzweig doll want to buy it. Handsome Omus the carpenter is exactly her age, but perhaps she is better understood by old Mr. Solomon, the shopkeeper who sells her dolls, and she truly needs affinity with another artist, even if that artist visits her only in a dream ... This is a truly inspirational and beautiful story that would make a wonderful gift for any artist.

M.B. Goffstein created an exquisite universe in her children's books which explore what it means to be an artist, a craftsman and a human being. Anyone who has seen Schubert dancing to keep warm or struggled with a child becoming independent as explored in Two Piano Tuners or has experienced the aging of a loved one as reflected in Noah's Ark can only marvel at the delicacy and seriousness of these "children's" book. Each and every book, except maybe Natural History are written and illustrated exquisitely in a minimalist style which strips to its essence life and line. One of the joys of my second group of children's lives is enjoying the trove of Goffstein's left at home by their big sister. It is simply inexplicable that these exquisite books are out of print. This is a real crime. Perhaps the answer is to bring them all together as was done with the George and Martha stories, but much would be lost because the size of the books seems integral to their power. But for anyone who has not experienced this author/illustrator start here and clamour for more.Perhaps the gods of publishing will listen.

I am so glad to see one of Brooke Goffstein's books back in print!! All of her books are small treasures of perfectly and simply realized stories that go along so well with the simple yet rich line drawings that accompany them. I always find myself crying or close to it at the end of these stories which is a little hard to explain to my children if I am reading them "Natural History" or "My Noah's Ark"! I haven't read "Goldie the Dollmaker" to my children yet, it's still mine alone to cherish. If you've ever made or cared for anything with a great deal of love and attention to the fineness of details than you will understand Goldie. She starts off feeling as if she lives in "her parent's house" and is continuing "their" work of making dolls. These things don't truly belong to her until after she looks into her heart after being inspired by a kindred artist spirit in a dream. This story is a tiny gift from heaven.