Willaby

by Rachel Isadora

Willaby is always drawing. She makes pictures while the other first graders are doing math or history or taking a nap. Sometimes she even draws on the walls or the floor if she runs out of paper for her pictures. Miss Finney, her teacher, understands about Willaby's drawing, but one day Willaby draws instead of doing something very important. This time she isn't sure if Miss Finney will understand.
  This warm and funny story about a small artist who just can't resist an opportunity to draw will appeal to everyone whose fingers ever itched to hold a crayon. Rachel Isadora's lively illustrations make Willaby and her artistic efforts memorable.

Genres: Picture Books, Art

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Rachel Isadora is an award-winning children's author and illustrator. She has written children's books on multiple topics including ballet, life in America and Africa, and has illustrated several Brother Grimm tales in an African setting. She is most well-known for her Caldecott Honor Award book "Ben's Trumpet". She was a ballet dancer before she became an illustrator and children's writer.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful story about a little girl who loves to draw, but she loves it so much she often gets distracted in school. A crisis occurs when she draws a picture for her sick teacher, but forgets to sign it. The story is told very lovingly, and the illustrations are all in black and white line and shading, with splashes of color to highlight Willaby and her artwork. The protagonist is an African American girl, and her class is very racially diverse, which I appreciated.

[Vonne Jasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I ever read on my own. I would check it out from the library every chance I got. It is about an adorable little girl who likes and she likes to draw. Her main goal in life is to make her teacher happy, and she does.

[Ned Lecic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who could not like this book? My father brought it home from the library when I was about 4 years old and read it to me. Willaby really likes to draw, at school and at home. So much that she even, for example, does a math problem by turnng the "8" into a snowman. Eventually, though, she gets a little carried away and nearly fails to complete an assignment, which puts her at risk of failing to let her teacher know about her appreciation for her. In the end, everything works out, but hopefully a lesson has gently been learned.

The message of the book is a very nice way of teaching kids about responsibility and remembering to follow steps, without preaching. At the time I was exposed to the book (ca. 1984), I was living in the Jane-Finch neighborhood of Toronto, which is racially diverse, so I could relate to the pictures very much.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Willaby is a first grader who loves to draw. She draws pictures when her classmates are doing their assigned lessons. Willaby even draws pictures during nap time, and when she's at home. When her teacher, Miss Finny is out sick, the substitute teacher Mrs. Benjamin has the class do a special project, but Willaby is too busy drawing and does not complete her task.

[Jayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willaby's love of drawing causes confusion when it comes to making a get well card.