Willow and the garden folk
'Willow' is the first story in a series of 4, each with a focus on difference and what that can feel like to a young person who is born 'different'. Each book is named after the protagonist, whose journey and experience we follow.
Step inside the world of Willow, Foxglove, Trix and Blue 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...
​
are we really that different after all?
'At the bottom of a garden,
among the bugs and shrubs
lives a tiny little fairy,
named Willowmena Grubbs.
But when you think of ‘fairy’
what’s the first thing we all think?
Dainty, fragile, girly, cute
and dressed head to toe in pink?
Well, this one is nothing like that
or the ones you’ve seen in books.
You see, this one is quite different
to how other fairies look'.
​
©beckynancarrow2024
'Willow' is a story about kindness, acceptance and above all 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.
Summary of
Willow and the garden folk
​
Somewhere, at the bottom of someone’s garden, lives a community of fairy folk. Most of the fairies might look as you imagine a fairy to be, a bit earthier perhaps, but there are a few who do not. One of them is Willow. She is always scruffy and muddy with dishevelled hair and not because she isn’t looked after by her dad, it’s exactly the way she likes to be. Oh, and she was born with a wonky wing. Willow has difficulty expressing herself, making it hard to form the friendships she yearns. One day, a series of unfortunate events take a turn for little Willow, and she finds herself in a bit of a fix. A heartfelt wish for help and friendship 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.
