Dolls’ houses – read all about them!
February 21st, 2012Dolls’ houses appear in many books and one author who featured them in her stories was the English novelist, Rumer Godden.
Best known for ‘Black Narcissus’ which was made into a film starring Deborah Kerr, Godden wrote ‘The Doll’s House’ which was turned into a TV series in the 1980s by Oliver Postgate (of Bagpuss fame).
Another of her children’s books is ‘Miss Happiness and Miss Flower’ about a pair of Japanese dolls which come into the possession of a lonely little girl living in Britain. The girl thinks the dolls must be feeling homesick and so decides to build a Japanese house for them.
Writing about the book in the Malaysian Star, Rumer Godden enthusiast Daphne Lee says:
“I loved the description of how the house is built and then fitted with furniture, and even a little Japanese garden. Did Godden make such a dolls’ house herself? It sounds like she knew, firsthand, exactly the sort of difficulties [the little girl] would encounter, and the wonderfully creative ideas and solutions that went into making the house and its contents.
“Whether or not Godden had experience building a dolls’ house, I think she must have been especially fond of dolls as she has so many lovely books about dolls and dolls’ houses.”
If you have any recommendations of books featuring dolls’ houses, please do share them with us.
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The Doll’s House by Rumer Godden was my favourite book as a child. Her descriptions of the dolls and the house were so evocative. You could almost feel the different textures and materials as you read the book. I can still remember Marchpane and Birdie – and how I wanted a little wooden doll like the heroic Tottie. Much as I loved Oliver Postage and his work i don’t think he quite did the book justice. Or maybe my imagination powered by the original book illustrations just saw it a bit differently.