The original Hitty doll

The Hitty doll upon whom the book is based was found in an antique shop by Rachel Field in the 1920s. The doll is carved from ash wood and is six and one-quarter inches tall. This doll presently resides at the Stockbridge Library Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts with the clothing and accessories bought for her by Rachel Field.

Hitty dolls

Hittys are wooden dolls based on the doll in the book Hitty: Her First Hundred Years. Most wooden Hitty dolls are 6 and one-quarter inches tall like the original Hitty doll.

Hitty dolls, however, are generous in allowing other dolls to be considered a "Hitty", and it is not uncommon today to find Hittys made from wood, cloth, resin, or even porcelain, so long as they are created in a similar style to the original Hitty doll. Many Hitty artists enjoy experimenting with different media in which to create Hittys. There have also been a number of Hitty gatherings over the last few decades, and many of these feature a special artist-made Hitty doll. These dolls are highly sought-after by collectors, as are most artist-made Hitty dolls.

Hitty books

Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field won the Newberry Award in 1930. Since that time, Hitty has been a popular children's book enjoyed by generations of children. The book details the memoirs of a small wooden doll residing in an antique shop. Access to pen and paper prompted the doll to write her life story from the time of her creation in a cottage in her home state of Maine until her arrival in the antique store nearly one hundred years later.

The inspiration for the book was a small wooden doll discovered in an antique shop by the author Rachel Field. Once acquired, the doll seemed to take on a life of her own and became part of the author's personal collection.

Hitty and her continuing adventures

In association with Bookbyte.com.

• Hitty: Her First Hundred Years (1929) by Rachel Field: The original book. Buy Hitty.
• Rachel Field's Hitty: Her First Hundred Years (1999) by Rosemary Wells. Buy Rachel Field's Hitty.
• Civil War Days (2001) by Ellen Weiss. Out of print.
• Gold Rush Days (2001) by Ellen Weiss. Out of print.
• Voting Rights Days (2002) by Ellen Weiss. Out of print.
• Ellis Island Days (2002) by Ellen Weiss. Out of print.

You might also enjoy these articles:

• "Where Is Hitty?" by Dottie Baker in Doll Reader (February/March 1986).
• "'Hitty' Is Found!" by Nancy Reinhart Charlton in Doll Reader (August/September 1988).
• "Hitty's Legacy" by Dottie Baker in Doll Reader (October 1994).
• "Hitty approaches the Millennium" by Virginia Ann Heyerdahl in Doll Reader (November 1998).
• "Dolls and Books: A celebration of 'Doll' Fiction"; by Dian Zillner and Marianne Clay in Doll Reader (June/July 2003).
• "Travels with My Hitty" by Kathy Witt in Dolls (October 2003).
• "Hello Hitty" by Trina Laube in Dolls (October 2003).
• "Cloth Hitty" (pattern) by Barbara Spencer in Soft Dolls & Animals (March 2004).
• "Hitty, Storied Sweetheart" by Virginia Ann Heyerdahl in Doll Reader (May 2005).

Hitty gallery