Willow and the garden folk
'Willow' is a story about kindness, acceptance and the importance of friendship. The reader experiences what it's like to be autistic in a neurotypical world and just as the setting has been chosen to challenge the stereotypical impression of fairies and mythical garden dwellers, the aim is to change the perception of difference.
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This is the first story in a series of 4, each with a focus on a difference and what that can feel like to a young person who is born 'different'.
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Step inside Willow's world to find out how tough it can be when you're different. But what if we just stop for a moment to look closely, deep inside? Might we begin to ask...
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are we really that different after all?
'At the bottom of a garden,
among the bugs and shrubs
lives a tiny little fairy,
named Willow Merrygrubs.
Willow has a wonky wing
messy hair and muddy knees
and you will always find her
hiding, high up, in the trees.
She's not like the other fairies,
in lots of different ways,
from the way the walks
to the way that she talks,
to some of the things that she says.
She tries to make friends at fairy school
but her words seem to come out all wrong,
and as hard as she tries to be like the rest
she often feels like she doesn't belong.
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©beckynancarrow2024
Summary of
Willow and the garden folk
​Somewhere, at the bottom of a garden, live a community of fairy folk. Most of the fairies look as you might imagine a fairy to look, a bit earthier perhaps, but there are a few who do not. One of those is Willow. She's messy and muddy with dishevelled hair and not because she isn’t looked after by her dad, it’s simply how she likes to be. Willow has difficulty expressing herself, making it hard to form the friendships she yearns. One day, a series of unfortunate events find Willow in a bit of a fix. A heartfelt wish for help arrives in the form of Ash, who sees beyond Willow’s difference and likes her just the way she is. This is Willow’s story, but wouldn’t it be great if, after reading, every child wanted to be like Ash?
I am currently seeking representation and a publishing deal for my work.
