The Christmas Doll

Long ago in London Town, at a time when the muffin man's cries began the day and the lamplighter ushered in the night, two young orphans lived together in the bleak, cold shelter of a public workhouse.

Lucy Wolcott and her little sister Glory have no one in the world but each other. Every day, they labor from dawn to dusk stitching blankets and sacks. There is scant little to eat and the nights are cold and damp. The only ray of light in their lives comes from the stories that Lucy invents, stories about a family she barely remembers, and a lot doll named Morning Glory who, Lucy promises, is destined to return to them someday.

When a deadly fever sweeps through the workhouse, the girls flee for their lives to the mean streets of London. There, they desperately try to figure out how to survive.

While searching through the muck by the river, Lucy finds an old, discarded doll, which Glory is certain is the long-lost Morning Glory. But Morning Glory is no ordinary doll. And how she leads the girls to the most surprising turns of fortune makes for a heartwarming story that brims with love, hope, and the truest spirit of Christmas.

©2000 Elvira Woodruff (P)2004 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A magical story, expertly incorporating a dash of Dickens with extensive historical research in the early Victorian era." (Kirkus Reviews)

Talk about a diamond in the rough!

This is one of those stories that sticks with you after the audio ends. I not only shared this novel with friends and family (a feature on audible) but I also bought the hard copy. I quite simply LOVE this book!

An unexpected story

The story shows what joy, love can produce in others. A great Christmas story to listen to.

Selfless Love

This is the sweetest story I’ve read in a long time. I didn’t realize it was a children’s story when I downloaded it but I’m glad I listened to it anyways. The way Lucy looks after and takes care of Gloria is a lesson we all need reminded of at times. She is so selfless it was refreshing. The narrator did a good job telling the story.

Loved it

Heart warming Christmas story about the love of two sisters and their search for a better life

sweet story

what a lovely sweet story
we greatly enjoyed listening to this every moment we had a chance.