Topsy Turvies

Topsy Turvy Dolly by Sharon O'Brien

When I was very young—maybe three years old—my mother’s friend made and gave to me an “upside down” or “topsy turvy” doll. One side was made of white muslin and had a pink-and-blue calico dress, blue eyes, and two thick blond yarn braids. The other side was brown muslin with a red-and-black striped dress, brown eyes, and a headwrap. I remember this doll so well—the calico patterns, the feel of the cloth, the yarn hair as it became worn and tatty. But most of all I remember feeling perplexed by its anatomy. Which side was up? What about legs? How was this fair? This was a thoroughly integrated doll in a severely segregated time and place, so that raised a whole raft of other questions in my tiny brain. I did not love this doll; I worried about it.

	Coco Holly Topsy Turvy Doll by Annie Modesitt

This is just one of many patterns for traditional toys that we’ve enjoyed developing and publishing: teddy bears, dolls, bunny rabbits, angels— all the interesting cuddly creatures that children have doted on for centuries. They are the very opposite of the mass-produced plastic that you see in the stores. Have you looked at the calendar lately? Forty-nine days until Christmas.

Cheers,