Daisy the Daydreamer

Daisy “walks with her feet on the ground, and her head in the clouds,” a squiggly blue mass surrounding her head; it’s a fitting representation of the way she’s easily distracted and frequently caught up in her vivid imagination. Combining collage and printmaking textures to form shape-based illustrations, Goldfinger (Hello, My Name Is Tiger) shows pink-skinned Daisy immersed daily in an imaginative world of teeth-brushing rabbits, superhero exploits, and rocket journeys. When teacher Ms. Dill, portrayed with brown skin, announces that the best listener will be awarded the duty of line leader for an aquarium field trip, Daisy tries and fails to swat away the cloud long enough to verbally repeat the lesson, and misses out on an opportunity she’s longed for. But drawing the information communicates Daisy’s take on the material (stick figure octopodes are clearly labeled “8 arms 9 brains”), and Ms. Dill quickly appoints Daisy “our official artist at the aquarium.” Noting that this story is based on her own experience with ADHD, Goldfinger portrays with deep compassion how being fully seen and understood can open up new possibilities. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. [em]Agent: Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, Red Fox Literary. (Mar.) [/em]