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I learn so many interesting things while I’m researching fairy tales and history. If you were sitting at my kitchen table while was working, I would turn to you and say…listen to this:
History
I go down a few rabbit trails that never make it into my books, but are interesting to learn about nonetheless. When I first started working on Cinderella’s Dress, the main character, Kate, was younger than she ended up being. I wanted something from the 40s to inspire my writing and came across some vintage paper dolls. They seemed to fit with the concept of 40s fashion that I was working with. I sent a message to the seller to ask more about them and this was her reply:
Hi, Thanks, for your interest, I know they are from that era because they were mine when I was a little girl and I was born in 1936 so they would be late 1939 and into the early 1940’s, I could never throw them away, they were too precious – now that I am in my 70’s it is time to downsize, so I learned to sell on ebay and hope that someone will enjoy these treasures. I don’t think many of these are left, most people threw them away! Thanks again, Shirley
Today, Shirley would be in her 80s and I still have her paper dolls, even though they never made it into the novel. I think they are precious, too!
If you want to learn about the history of paper dolls, check out:
https://www.womenshistory.org/articles/history-paper-dolls-and-popular-culture
Fairy Tale Quotes
There once lived a man and his wife, who had long wished for a child, but in vain.
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Thus he set forth once again just as it was getting dark. But no sooner than he had climbed over the wall than, to his horror, he saw the sorceress standing there before him.
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And when her tears touched his eyes they became clear again, and he could see with them as well as ever.
Can you guess which Grimms’ fairy tale this is? Scroll down for the answer….
Something Fun
What reminded me lately of paper dolls is seeing Beth of Victoria’s paper dolls. She makes the cutest paper dolls based on literary characters. She has the printables available on her website for free. Fun for kids who like cutting things out, or for those with big imaginations who liked to act out stories. Bookstagrammers can even use them in their Instagram photos (where I found her.)
Check out her free downloads of Thumbelina and Rapunzel.
(She’s also create paper dolls for Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and Jane Austen books.)
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Answer: the fairy tale quotes are from Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm.
