SARABEL

A beautiful wax doll opened her eyes a hundred years ago in the ladylike surroundings of Sarah's English nursery. What a lovely friendship they had which even encompassed a visit to a real empress. But then Sarah became too old for dolls and Sarabel's ownership fell to rough-and-tumble Isabella, the next younger daughter in the household. From Isabella to Victoria, to Amelia, the doll shares in the adventures and personalities of all her mamas, loving each in a different way but bidding them all the same sad farewell at the end of childhood. Only baby Caroline for whom the doll seemed too old and shabby rejected Sarabel; thus the lace handkerchief would never see this name added to its illustrious list. Packed away in an attic trunk and asleep for a hundred years, Sarabel awoke one bright day, to a different century and a new mama, a mama also named Caroline who had heard her legend and vowed to treasure the lady doll forever. The quality of charm remains constant as the story builds its episodes and satisfyingly rounds itself out.