doll maker in Krakow

Like "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and "Number the Stars," this blend of fairy tale, folklore, and World War II history eloquently illustrates the power of love and the will to survive, even in the darkest of times. In Dollland, there is magic. In Human Land, there is war. Everywhere there is pain. But together, there is hope. Karolina is a living doll whose king and queen have been overthrown. But when a strange wind blows her away from Dollland, she finds herself in Krakow, Poland, with the Dollmaker, a man of superhuman strength and a rich past. The Dollmaker has learned to keep to himself, but Karolina's courage and kindness lead him to smile and even form a friendship with a violinist father and his daughter—after the Dollmaker gets over the shock of realizing his doll is speaking to him. But their newfound happiness is shattered when Nazi soldiers attack Poland. Karolina and the Dollmaker quickly realize that their Jewish friends are in grave danger and resolve to save them at all costs.