Dream Dolls by Ginger Brook Hollow 2007

  

First let me begin by saying I adore these dolls! They have a look of quality and innocence. Gorgeously sculpted vinyl with ball joints at shoulders and neck. They have rotating joints in their hips. With acrylic eyes and full wigs. Each "Dream Doll" is dressed to represent the dream of what that character girl wants to be when she grows up. 

The 17" dolls are no longer available, but the 8" mini versions are and they are a must for any mini doll collector. There are six dolls. 

The clothing is outstanding. In addition to what each doll comes dressed in, there are 3 other styles to choose from starting at $12.00 as well as patterns for basic dresses.

Ginger Brook Hollow is a special, peaceful place. The little valley of Ginger Brook Hollow is named for the brook lined with wild ginger that runs through the middle of the hollow. The stories and dolls are from the life of the person you will first meet as Grandma Sunday. Her simple wisdom and ability to share love with others grow from her life in Ginger Brook Hollow. As her stories unfold, one at a time, you will meet the people she knows and grow to love them as she does, beginning with the seven orphan girls from the town just above the valley. Over time, you will be able to see how several generations grow and fit together.

How could there be a more charming time period than the late 1800’s when life, despite its challenges, was beautiful, gentle, and sweet. We chose this period of time so that we could step out of the fast pace and noise of today into a time when simple joys often came from time and things shared together. 

Overview:

Grandma Sunday	Hannah Marie Anderson is a Civil War widow who lives in Ginger Brook Hollow, just below the town of Amber Fields. She loves the orphan girls in the town as though they were her own granddaughters, and they visit her every Sunday. To them, she is their Sunday Grandma, and the one person who keeps their hopes and dreams alive and who makes them feel important.
Orphan Girls of Ginger Brook Hollow	These girls were taken in by Grandma Sunday and her best friend Mildred when they were babies and their families died in an epidemic. They are all born within the same year. From oldest to youngest:
Emmaline	September 18, 1885—Is practical, good in arithmetic, and wise for her age.
Meg	November 7, 1885—Is a natural nurse, loves to bake, and is a wonderful listener.
April	February 24, 1886—Loves to write and longs to travel, notices everything, keeps a journal of the orphanage happenings.
Kathryn	April 20, 1886—Loves music and sings, reads to the other girls, quietly thoughtful.
Johannah & Suzannah	June 29, 1886—Twins, Johannah is the tomboy, loves horses, and is slightly impulsive, while Suzannah is a lady, sweet, sensible, and good at sewing and detail, is a peacemaker and loves hats.
Louisa	August 11, 1896—Louisa is pretty and dainty, likes flowers and gardening, is prone to daydreaming, and is conscious of manners and propriety.
Miss Gretchen	Marylou Gretchen is in charge of affairs at the orphanage. She is a young spinster with a possibility of late marriage, and, although not unkind, she is somewhat strict and not motherly. She is the sister-in-law of Ruben Farnsworth.
Mrs. Miller	A widow who has the job of being the cook for the orphanage. Although she is not always there, she is a motherly influence and is kind to the girls.
Mrs. Mildred Farnsworth	The woman who took the seven little girls into her home with the help of her best friend, Hannah Marie, and raised them until they were six-years old and she died. At that point, her home became the orphanage, and Miss Gretchen was put in charge by a board of directors while Hannah Marie was away.
Ruben Farnsworth	The only child of Mrs. Farnsworth. His father died in the Civil War. When his mother died, leaving the seven girls orphans, he became the head of a board of trustees in their behalf.
Mr. Woods	The postmaster and friend of the orphan girls. He is a widower who is rather sought after by many of the widows of the town.
Harold	The owner and operator of the general store. He lost a wife and son in the same epidemic that left the the girls orphaned as babies, and he has a soft spot for the orphan girls. Although he does not give them things free, he does work with them to help them get the things they need.
Miss Pine	The young school teacher the orphan girls like and trust. She cares about her students and treats them equally most of the time, regardless of their background.
Mr. Simms	The man most likely to fall asleep in church.
Ben Smaller	A boy the same age as the orphans. He is mischievous but not bad, generally cheerful, and makes unusually good cookies.
Charlotte Dibble	A new girl in town, about the same age as the orphans, She is from a wealthy family and does not like the way the orphans are treated as her equals, especially when they beat her consistently in school competitions.
Jane and Ruth Gilly	Sisters from town. Ben ties their hair ribbons together in church.
Mr. Howard	Owns the horses in the pasture near the orphanage, and pays Johannah to help him train the yearlings.
Polly Harris	Talks about ice skating on the pond behind Jerry Hooper’s barn. She also talks about going West in the summer.
Mrs. Nelson	Plays the piano and is the mother of the family Kathryn likes.
Tommy Jenkins	A tease who stole April’s pencil.
Mrs. Girty	Lives on Back Street where many of the oldest residents live, and was the lady who requested the girls make a snow woman because she had nothing to put on a snowman.
Mrs. Hughes	The neighbor across the street from Mrs. Girty, who likes to watch what Mrs. Girty does and do the same.
Mrs. Berg	Sings loudly enough to sing solos in church.
Mary Lyel	A girl in the same grade as the orphans who listens to Charlotte’s gossip.
Christian Strang	A boy who says April will get very seasick if she tries to travel the world.
Dr. Banks	The town doctor who comes if ever the girls in the orphanage need him.
Eddie Flinn	A boy who is kind enough to tell Emmaline what he overheard Mrs. Dibble and Miss Pine say to each other regarding the orphan girls.
Angelica Flinn	Eddie’s little sister, who froze when it was her turn to perform her recitation.
Rulen Family	The family with so many little girls that Kathryn helps get them ready for school in the mornings.
Mrs. Creswick	A lady Louisa helps to plant her garden, even with blisters, so she will have enough money to plant her own.
Mrs. Kettrel	A prim and proper, but kind lady who gasped in church the day she started to doze off and thunder woke her.
Henry Fitch	Shows an interest in Miss Gretchen now and then.
Lucy Fadelio	The girl who helps Charlotte lie about and exclude the orphan girls.
Janette Peterson	Lets the orphans share her jump rope and befriends them even though she is a year older.
William Schneiden	Ben Smaller’s best friend who accidentally hits Mrs. Maken with his hoop when they are racing down Main Street.
Mrs. Maken	Kind, elderly widow, who is also a good friend of Grandma Sunday.
Mrs. Derley	One of the wealthy women in town who lets Suzannah have the beads from her broken necklace and then gives her more necklaces she doesn’t wear much.
Gertrude	Grandma Sunday’s milk goat that has a poor disposition.
Guinevere	Gertrude’s kid. The girls help feed her from a bottle and they all love her because she is pretty for a goat and has a sweet disposition.
Mable	April’s pet pocket mouse.
Camillia	Kathryn’s special doll she got from Grandma Sunday for her birthday.
Jensen Family	This family moved into town during the summer of 1896. They have seven children and are especially kind to the seven orphan girls.
Golda	She’s the special golden mule that has won Johannah’s heart.
Matthew and Marcus Jensen	Matthew and Marcus are twin boys the same age as the orphan girls. They are friendly and when Matthew introduced himself to Johannah at church a friendship between their family and the orphans developed.
Mr. Kail	Mr. Kail is the church choir director. He has been impressed by the singing ability of the seven orphan girls.
William Schiller	Grandma Sunday's brother who lives on the other side of Ginger Brook Hollow
Harvey Phelps	Owner of the bull that was so mean it was a legend in Amber Fields
Jake Mullingham	One of the men in town who helps out occasionally, especially on the day Harvey Phelps' bull got loose.
Jeff Parker	Hired hand in town who also helps when the the killer bull gets loose
Mrs. Fantine	An older fashionable widow who fell asleep in church and slapped her husband after being pestered several times by a fly.
Shariff Brown	The sheriff in town. His job is usually easy, but when he is needed, he is there for official law and order.
Mr. Mittler	Has pigs that he pastures by the school in the fall to eat the acorns there before winter.
Mr. Keeler	Owns an apple orchard that is on the way home to the orphanage
Bob Hanks	A boy at school who sold chunks of rock salt
Cora June	A girl at school who came from England. She says her favorite thing to eat is sausage, cabbage, and potatoes.
Andrew Anderson	Grandma Sunday's late husband who was killed in the Civil War.
Rupert Harken	A rowdy boy who is prone to fighting and from a less trusted family in town.
Jed Lampin	An older boy at school who is a bully
Mr. Hooper	The man who lives in the house closest to the school.
Mr. Kennaren	Grist mill owner-the miller
Mr. Smaller	Ben's dad - keeps and sells ice, is known for ice cream in the summer, apple cider in the fall, and popped corn in the winter.
Jacob Penning	A boy from a wealthy family, he has been tutored privately and is an excellent student. He comes to live with his uncle while his parents are in Europe.
Charles Schiller	Grandma Sunday's grandnephew who is only two years older than the orphans.
Mr. Lenter	He is an older man with ill fitting false teeth that whistle when he talks.
Laurette	A girl in town who plays the piano quite well, but is not proud or arrogant about it.
Jenny Miller	She is a trend setter and not afraid to be the first to do something. She starts the handbag craze in the spring.
Anette Harker	She is very shy and stays to herself. The "seven orphan sisters" befriend her and find her fun to be around.
Dr. Jenkins	The veterinarian in Amber Fields who recommends treatment for the black mare, which Johannah and Meg follow.
Mr. Whitty	An Irishman who tells travel stories that boarder on tall tales.
Mr. Mitchell	A member of the board of trustees for the orphanage who makes it a point to find wool for the girls to finish their blankets.