"David Likes to Play with Dolls"

 by Maricela Estrada

David Likes to Play with Dolls is a children’s book about acceptance and unconditional love. Its message is that children’s books are for everyone and a child’s gender should not determine what toys they should play with. Caroline is upset looking for her Gypsy Fairy Queen Doll. She knows David has her doll. She looks in every room in the house only to find evidence David has been playing with all her dolls and toys-realizing at the end the meaning of unconditional love and acceptance, and that ultimately toys are for everyone. 

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Image Source Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency, LLC

The book was inspired by my nephew David and his childhood joy playing with his sister Caroline’s dolls. He was a joyful, bright-eyed, happy child, and in his heart all he wanted was to be accepted. 

David was always the sweetest little boy. I remember one day we were playing in the grass and he found a quarter. He was so happy and said, “Mari! Mari! I found a quarter! This is a very special quarter, and I want you to have it.” I told little David he should keep his special quarter, but he insisted so much that I keep it, so I decided to keep it. The following day David came home from school full of excitement. “Mari! Mari! I found two quarters at school!” David was a cheerful giver and was blessed with double the amount, 50 cents. I couldn’t imagine such a sweet little boy feeling so much shame for playing with dolls. He would build a tent made out of blankets held up by chairs and hide, playing with Caroline’s dolls. When people got home he screamed and threw the dolls into thin air. It broke my heart to pieces.

Maricela Estrada

I wrote this book over twenty years ago when David was a little boy and now he is all grown up and a heroic health care worker. He is an inspiration to me and  he is the son I never had. I dedicated the book to David.

My niece Caroline is also an inspiration. She has always supported her little brother, and she is all grown up now and was awarded Arizona teacher of the year. She truly has a golden heart, and I love her with all the strength in me.

I knew I couldn’t go my whole life without publishing this book. I think the world needs a book like this.

I thank everyone—my family, friends, and dog—who supported me to make this book possible, especially David and Caroline my inspiration. I thank my publisher SBPRA, and my illustrator Kalpart did a remarkable job. After twenty years, I am so thrilled this book has finally came into fruition. 

Maricela Estrada is the author of Bipolar Girl: My Psychotic Self and Beautiful Bipolar Bisexual. She was inspired to publish her first children’s book David Likes to Play with Dolls after twenty years to send a message of acceptance and unconditional love in the world. sbprabooks.com/maricelaestrada