Maggie's Special Gift Eliza

Michel wrote this story on a flight from Sydney, Australia, to San Francisco in the 90's. It's based on a request from Michel's friend's daughter, then budding creative writer, 12-year-old Esme Hall, of Christchurch, New Zealand, to write a story about: "A little rag doll, Eliza, who falls off her shelf and gets lost under her owner's bed. The little rag doll has flame-red hair, big gray eyes and a perfect little rosebud mouth. She has a bit of a temper. " In the spring of 2022, Michel asked his 14-year-old granddaughter, Kendra, to illustrate this story... and voilà! Narks and his friends play pranks in the beautiful Butterfly Island. Narks pulled off one of his best pranks - unknowingly stealing his sister's birthday gift, the doll Eliza, from Mr. Fitzgerald's store. Will Maggie receive her special birthday gift? Maggie wanted this doll to add to her rag doll collection. Maggie discovered that Eliza had a rotten attitude, and the rest of the dolls taught her a lesson she would never forget.