The Story of Holly and Ivy facts for kids
First US edition (publ. Viking Press)
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| Author | Rumer Godden |
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| Illustrator | Adrienne Adams (first publication) Barbara Cooney Sheila Bewley (Puffin edition) |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Christmas |
| Genre | Children's fiction |
| Published | 1958 |
| Media type | |
The Story of Holly and Ivy is a children's book written by Rumer Godden in 1958. It was first illustrated by Adrienne Adams. Later versions had pictures by Barbara Cooney and Sheila Bewley. The story is about two main characters: Ivy, a young girl who wishes for a family, and Holly, a Christmas doll who wishes for a child to love her. This story was also made into a play and a TV show called The Wish That Changed Christmas in 1991.
Contents
Story Summary
This book is all about wishing. It shows how strong a wish can be.
Ivy's Christmas Wish
The St. Agnes orphanage closed for Christmas. All the children went to different homes. Only Ivy was left. Miss Shepherd, the head of the orphanage, could not take Ivy home. She decided to send Ivy to another orphanage for babies.
Ivy had a surprising idea. She said she could go to her grandmother in Aylesbury. Ivy did not actually have a grandmother. But this wish was the start of her adventure.
Ivy got on a train. She told other travelers she was visiting her grandmother. When they seemed to know Aylesbury, she realized it was a real place. She got off the train there. Ivy explored the town on Christmas Eve. She hoped to find her grandmother.
Holly's Christmas Wish
A beautiful new Christmas doll named Holly stood in Mr. Blossom's toy store window. She wished for a little girl to take her home. An old toy owl, Abracadabra, was next to her. He was not kind. He said no one would want Holly after Christmas. He thought she would end up in the back room with him.
A Christmas Tree
Mrs. Jones lived near the toy store. She asked her husband, a police officer, if they could have a Christmas tree. He said no. He thought it was a waste of money since they had no children. But Mrs. Jones bought a tree anyway. She decorated it beautifully.
The Lost Key
After a busy day, Mr. Blossom's toy store closed. Holly and Abracadabra were still there. Mr. Blossom was tired. He asked Peter, a boy who worked there, to lock up. He also told Peter to pick any toy as a bonus. Peter locked the store. But the key slipped out of a hole in his pocket. It fell into the snow outside.
Ivy Finds the Key
Ivy was sad because she had not found her grandmother. She walked past the toy store. Holly caught her eye. The doll was exactly what Ivy wanted. But the store was locked. Ivy wished to have the doll. At the same time, Holly wished for Ivy. Ivy then found the key Peter had dropped. She decided to keep it. Night came, and Ivy found shelter in a nearby alley.
Wishes Come True
The next morning, Ivy went back to the toy store. She heard Peter talking to Officer Jones. Peter was upset about losing the key. Ivy realized it was the key she found. She gave it back to Peter. Peter went inside to check the store.
Officer Jones quickly saw that Ivy was alone. He decided to take her home for breakfast. Ivy insisted she was going to her grandmother's house. Officer Jones let her lead the way.
Peter found the store was safe. Because Ivy saved his job, he chose a gift for her. He picked Holly. Abracadabra was angry that Holly's wish was coming true. He threw himself at Peter and ended up in the trash. Later, Mr. Blossom looked for him, but Abracadabra had disappeared.
Ivy led Officer Jones to a house with a beautiful Christmas tree. She said it was her grandmother's house. Officer Jones was surprised. It was his own home! Inside, Mrs. Jones quickly welcomed Ivy. Ivy felt she had found her grandmother. Soon after, Peter delivered a wrapped box. Inside was Holly.
Everyone's wishes came true. Ivy had a family and a doll. Holly had a little girl. Mrs. Jones had a child. She and Officer Jones adopted Ivy. The story ends by showing how small things can lead to big changes. Holly thinks, "If I had not wished," meaning her wish made everything happen.
Characters
Here are the main characters in the story:
Humans
- Ivy – A brave six-year-old girl. She lives in an orphanage and really wants a family.
- Peter – An older boy who works part-time at a toy store.
- Mr. and Mrs. Jones – A police officer and his wife. They are middle-aged and do not have children.
- Mr. Blossom – The owner of the toy store where Peter works.
- Miss Shepherd – The head of the orphanage where Ivy lives.
- Mr. Smith – In the TV show, he tells the story and helps things happen.
Toys
- Holly – A beautiful Christmas doll. She wants a little girl to belong to.
- Abracadabra – A mean stuffed owl. He has some strange powers.
- Mallow & Wallow – Two baby hippopotamus toys. They are next to Abracadabra and are scared of him.
- Crumple – An elephant toy in the shop.
- Other dolls – A bride doll and two bridesmaid dolls. They are next to Holly. They are not sold at Christmas. They can be sold at other times of the year.
Television Show
The book was made into a TV show. It was called The Wish That Changed Christmas. It aired on CBS on December 20, 1991. The show was 30 minutes long. Jonathan Winters was the voice of The Owl. Brittany Thornton voiced Ivy, and Lea Floden voiced Holly.
Some newspapers, like The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, did not like the show much. They thought the story and animation were not great. They also questioned why Ronald McDonald was the host. The Washington Post liked the show more. But they also wondered about Ronald McDonald being the host.
