Miss Hickory written by Caryolyn Sherwin Bailey is a fantasy novel about Miss Hickory, a doll made of twigs and a hickory nut for a head. When her owner Ann decides to spend the winter in Boston, far from New Hampshire, Miss Hickory is scared at first. The prospect of spending the fearful winter months alone was a depressing thought. Miss HIckory takes the help of Crow and settles in Robin’s nest for the winter. She immediately strikes up a bad relationship with the squirrel who lives in a hole at the bottom of the tree she lives in. She slowly learns to accept help from others, and even offers help to others, like the hen-pheasant or the bullfrog. She has many different adventures living up in the nest, and is able to observe many things from her high point of view. She gives small acts of kindness occasionally, and begins to be more open to her surroundings. Sadly, when spring comes, she gets kicked out of the nest by the Robin, and when she goes down to the Squirrel, her head is eaten. She quickly climbs up an apple tree, where she gets engrafted, and promises to give Ann, who had recognized her when she returned, a big red apple.
Home sweet home. Everybody should have a place where they can shelter in and feel happy and warm, and it should always be suitable for them. Miss Hickory is looking for a place to belong in the winter. She knows she cannot live under the lilac bush forever, and so she tries to live in Robin’s nest first, but then gets kicked out. Afterward, she goes to Squirrel’s hole, where her head is eaten. She is alway looking for a place to call home, but learns that she must make her own home, because other people’s homes are never hers. One should always find a place where they belong. Miss HIckory finally declares that the apple tree is her home, and so it is. It is natural, and fit for her, and nobody has called it home yet. She is happy and content in the tree, and is able to regrow her head while living in it by engrafting her body. She realizes the true meaning of home while living in the apple tree. One should always find a group and a place in which they belong. A home can be defined as a place where one is happy, warm and not lonely.
A community is a group of people or animals or things. But, it isn’t just a random group. It’s a group where everyone is accepted, and everyone belongs. You can’t say that a group of people bunched together is a community. But, if it’s a bunch of people that know each other and are helpful toward each other and are accepting, then you can call that a community. The help that is offered in the community Miss Hickory lives in is a main theme. Help is often given to many animals, by each other. Miss Hickory slowly learns to accept help from others and to offer help herself, sometimes. Some examples of Miss Hickory helping others is starting the Ladies’ Aid Society for hen-pheasants who have been abandoned by their husbands. Another two examples are that she helps a bullfrog shed his winter clothes, and gives Groundhog food to eat. Miss Hickory also gets help. Mr. T. Willard-Brown and Crow didn’t have to help Miss Hickory, but they did. Wild-heifer also became friends with the fawn, purely on her own choice. A community is accepting and always offers help to others. Help in a community is a key to a stable community.
Attitude can tell many things about a person. And that person chooses what to tell, because that person chooses their attitude. An attitude can tell others if you’re mad, hungry, or sad. But, it’s you who decides what story to tell, because it’s you who decides your attitude. Miss Hickory has a change of attitude throughout the book. At first, she was stubborn and unwilling to listen. When Crow tells her that Ann is going to Boston, she chooses not to believe him at first and go on with her life. But after Mr. T. Willard-Brown tells her, she finally begins to accept the news. Also, she doesn’t take other people’s help at first, but throughout the book, she learns that taking advice from others won’t always kill you. Later on, she starts to think of her own attitude toward others, and begins to be more open to others’ advice and different possibilities. Instead of narrowing her thoughts to only what she thinks is right, she accepts different opinions and considers them before making a rash decision. You choose the story to tell about yourself. The job of others’ is to either accept or decline it. Your attitude is a strong expression of yourself, your entire body. So, be careful on how you express yourself.
Miss Hickory written by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey is a truly astounding fantasy written like a fantasy of animals, but actually, it’s just a human problem given to Miss Hickory. THey story shares many themes, the main ones including home, community, and attitude. Miss Hickory learns valuable lessons throughout the book. She learns to accept help, and change her attitude so that she is more willing and open minded. She learns to accept things more easily, and to find a place where she belongs. Carolyn Sherwin Bailey really spins a tale of passionate themes and unique characters, each one with a different personality and each one with a different role. Miss Hickory, as well as the other characters, learns to strengthen their weaknesses and learn valuable life lessons from their experiences.
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