This is the doll that accompanies the book, "How the Russian Snow Maiden Helped Santa".  The book tells the story of a child's self-discovery while it introduces a bit of Russian and a few traditions of a far-away country.  The accompanying 5 pieced doll is made in Russia and matches the one in the book.  Here you can buy the doll alone if you already have the book.

Santa Claus is overworked one year and writes his friend Father Frost, the Russian Santa, to ask if the Snow Maiden, Frost's helper, could come to the North Pole and pitch in. Since Russian children open their presents at New Year's, and therefore Father Frost is not as rushed as Santa, Father Frost agrees and sends the Snow Maiden to the North Pole with a nesting doll (a matryoshka) to remind her of home.

Playing with the doll consoles the Snow Maiden as she worries that she is not being enough help to Santa. When the littlest piece of the doll is lost, her woes are worsened and she despairs of being "only a little girl." When the piece is found, Santa also finds the perfect gift he needed for this year's Christmas. And the Snow Maiden learns a lesson in being herself.

This doll was carved in the Upper Volga region, then delivered to a workshop in St. Petersburg, Russia. The artists first hand paint the background, then apply various detailed elements, such as faces, which we print on a very thin vinyl adhesive. Such elements are reproduced original works of art we make specifically for nesting doll design. It is the artist’s magic brush that blends the two forms of artwork together into a unified piece. Finally, they baptize each doll in multiple layers of non-toxic water-based lacquer to make a marvelous matryoshka that will delight children and collectors. The bottom of the largest doll gets stamped with “Made in Russia”, initialed by the artist, and dated like a true collectible. We can only hope you will give it a good home.