Willow

Willow sits in Miss Hawthorne's rigid, disciplined art room day after day, week after week, month after month, listening to the narrow instructions and doing it wrong. When asked to paint a tree she makes hers pink and is told how wrong she is. When asked to paint an apple, she paints hers blue, and is told yet again how wrong she is. Everyone and everything is confined and structured by the order and uniformity that Miss Hawthorne requires until the last day of school before winter vacation. Only Willow gives Miss Hawthorne a gift and what a gift it is. Miss Hawthorne opens herself to art and creativity and imagination after she spends a few hours with Willow's gift. It's a very magical time and when the children come back to school they are delighted to find that the old Miss Hawthorne is no where to be found and the right to be the creative, free individual you are has been found and is about to be celebrated by all. How wonderful that Willow believed in herself despite the constant message that she was wrong. Wonderful book about self-confidence. 30 pages Ages 5-9