Ashley and the Dollmaker

Jared James Grantham's follow-up to 'Ashley and the Mooncorn People' sends young Ashley Houchin back into whimsical territory, this time through an encounter with Iola Taylor, a 106-year-old magical dollmaker who shares her extraordinary stories and powers with her new young friend. The intergenerational relationship at the book's center is its genuine strength — the notion of an old woman with deep folk-magic knowledge choosing to pass it to a child is an appealing narrative premise for middle-grade readers. The magic sits firmly in fairy-tale folklore rather than anything darker. Published through Leathers Publishing, a regional independent press, the book has positive reader reviews but limited critical documentation, and the small-press origin means editorial polish may be uneven. Readers should also know this is a sequel: the first book gives useful context. A warm regional fantasy for grades 4–6.