"So it's still here:
an empty page,
waiting,
still calling
to you.
You make up your mind
to try again.
Maybe a cookie will help."
An observer speaks directly to the boy who arrives with everything he could possibly need to tell his own story. Not only does he have the implements for writing and the sustenance to keep up his strength, the boy has everything else needed to write something in his own way. He has his senses, his brain, his heart, and his curiosity about the world around him. Is that all it takes?
Nothing happens on the blank page. There's a partially eaten apple, a couple of broken pencils, crumpled paper on the floor, and not one word. His canine companion is with him through it all, but cannot do much more than offer unwavering support. Moving the paper to recycling allows a break, and a diversion. So much better to read what others have written.
After a cookie, which is eaten in tiny bites over a long period of time, he works up his nerve to continue. What's that outside the window? Why, it's a chickadee. Careful attention to its movements allows a chance to really concentrate on what it is doing.
"It takes so much
energy,
concentration,
commitment.
But he's determined.
He doesn't give up.
He comes back
again and again."
Is that what writing is, too?
Hadley Hooper charms with pen, ink, and paint artwork, which is finished in Photoshop. Ample white space allows readers a clear look at the aspiring writer, the pitfalls of writer's block, and the tenacity required to sit down and write something that makes the writer happy. In back matter, Ms. Hopkinson provides a guide for tackling the writing life by making suggestions for the way writing works. She adds a website for learning even more about chickadees.
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