About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is hiding from a mistake or feeling paralyzed by the 'stain' of a bad choice. It is a whimsical, fairy-tale-style story about Tom Drum, a boy who eats a forbidden birthday pie and wakes up with three mouths. Overwhelmed by shame and the visible mark of his greed, Tom retreats into solitude, but he eventually finds a way to channel his unique predicament into a talent for invention. Nancy Willard uses magical realism to explore how a child's internal guilt can feel like a physical brand. It is an ideal read for children ages 6 to 9 who are navigating the transition from impulsive behavior to personal accountability. By focusing on Tom's journey from a 'marked' recluse to a celebrated inventor, the book teaches that our biggest blunders do not define us, they can actually be the catalyst for our greatest creative breakthroughs.
