Willow

by Denise Brennan-Nelson, Rosemarie Brennan, Cyd Moore (Illustrator)

Overview

Mom's Choice Gold Award Winner!

Miss Hawthorn's room is neat and tidy, not a pencil or paintbrush is out of place. And that's how she likes it. And she likes trees that are colored green and apples that are painted red. Miss Hawthorn does not like things to be different or out of the ordinary. Into Miss Hawthorn's classroom comes young Willow. She doesn't color inside the lines, she breaks crayons, and she sees pink trees and blue apples. What will Miss Hawthorn think?

Magical things can happen when your imagination is allowed to run wild, and for Miss Hawthorn the notion of what is art and what is possible is forever changed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781585363421
Publisher:	Sleeping Bear Press
Publication date:	05/01/2008
Series:	Sleeping Bear -- True Stories
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD620L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Denise Brennan-Nelson has written a number of books for children, including Tallulah: Mermaid of the Great Lakes, Leopold the Lion, Someday Is Not a Day of the Week, My Momma Likes to Say, and the popular Willow series. As a national speaker, Denise encourages adults and children to tap into their imaginations to create richer, fuller lives. She travels the country, sharing her reading and writing enthusiasm with schoolchildren and teachers. Denise lives in Howell, Michigan with her husband, Bob. She strives to spend each day teaching and learning with a creative spirit. Find out more about Denise at www.denisebrennannelson.com.

Rosemarie Brennan juggles careers as a writing teacher and an author. She lives in Brighton, Michigan with her three children, Ashley, Jason and Adam, who have taught her many important lessons, including that everything isn't black and white. Willow was the first collaboration with her sister, Denise Brennan-Nelson. When they are not writing together, Rosemarie and Denise are having fun presenting writing and creativity workshops and retreats. Rosemarie's diverse past includes stints as a birth doula, coffeehouse owner, and legal secretary. She is seldom without paper and pen.

Growing up on a farm in Georgia, Cyd had lots of time to dream...a lot of time to be quiet... lying all warm-in-the-sun flat-on-your-back in a wheat field...thats when she learned to feel and notice magic in the ordinary world. She went on to study graphic design and fine arts at the University of Georgia. Cyd is the illustrator of over 35 books, including the I Love You, Stinky Face series. She currently resides in southeast Michigan and loves to travel, practice yoga and garden. Speaking to schoolchildren and attending conferences is also something Cyd loves to do.

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Editorial Reviews

In dictatorial Miss Hawthorn's cheerless art room, students sit "in their rows, silent and still, like eggs in a carton" producing cookie-cutter busywork. "Everyone except Willow." Miss Hawthorn does not appreciate Willow's sweet nature or her inventive, colorful outlook on life. Willow is always in trouble with her wizened teacher, especially "for not painting things the way Miss Hawthorn wanted her to." When she tries to share her artistic excitement via a well-loved art book full of flamingo-pink trees, blue apples and other works of wonder, Miss Hawthorn rebuffs her. "Horrid little girl." But stony Miss Hawthorn is transformed by a holiday gift-the only one she receives-of that treasured art book, and when her students return after the holidays, they find a very different teacher, indeed. Motivational speaker Brennan-Nelson's message hits its mark, and Moore's energetic watercolors fairly vibrate-Willow would approve! Pair this with Peter Reynolds's The Dot (2003) and Paul Zelinsky's Doodler Doodling (2004) for an outside-the-lines art experience. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews