The Girl and the Willow

(By Catherine Cook-Cottone, PhD. Illustrated by Lucy Campbell. 2026)

A story about belonging without losing yourself.

The Girl and the Willow is a beautifully illustrated children’s story about the courage to be yourself in a world that often asks you to be someone else.

At the heart of the story is a young girl who is wonderfully, unapologetically herself. She is wild-haired, spirited, curious, and free. Her friendship with a willow tree provides a place of belonging, acceptance, and connection- a place where she can simply be who she is.

But as the girl grows, she begins to encounter the expectations of the world around her. She learns that there are ways she is supposed to look, behave, and belong. In her efforts to be accepted, she gradually gives up the very qualities that make her unique.

She becomes more acceptable to others, but less connected to herself.

And in that loss lies the central question of the story: What happens when belonging comes at the cost of being yourself?

The Girl and the Willow is ultimately a story of remembering, returning, and reclaiming the parts of ourselves that should never have been lost.

Why This Story Matters

As a psychologist, researcher, and author whose work focuses on embodiment, body image, self-care, and eating disorder prevention, I have spent much of my career exploring how people come to experience their bodies and themselves.

Children are not born believing that their bodies are problems to solve or that their worth depends on meeting the expectations of others. Yet, as they grow, they encounter messages about how they should look, how they should behave, how much space they should take up, and which parts of themselves are acceptable.

These messages can be especially powerful for young girls, although boys and children of all genders experience pressures to conform.

Over time, children may begin to look outside themselves for approval rather than trusting their own experiences, feelings, and inner knowing.

They may learn to value fitting in over feeling whole.

This is where the story of The Girl and the Willow connects to the science of positive embodiment.

Positive embodiment is about more than liking how we look. It is about experiencing our bodies as places where we live, feel, move, connect, and belong. It is about learning to listen to ourselves, respect our needs, trust our experiences, and recognize our inherent worth.

Our bodies are our homes, not projects to perfect.

When we teach children that their value comes from who they are rather than how well they meet external expectations, we help nurture the foundations of body appreciation, self-compassion, authenticity, and self-respect.

These are also important themes in conversations about promoting positive body image and reducing risk factors associated with disordered eating.

Although The Girl and the Willow is not specifically a book about eating disorders or a tested eating disorder prevention program, its message speaks to something fundamental in prevention: helping children develop a sense of self that is not dependent on appearance, approval, or conformity.

A Book for Every Little Girl and Little Boy- and Perhaps for the Adults Who Love Them

My hope is that this story will reach every little girl and little boy- and every child who has wondered whether being accepted means being less themselves.

I hope parents, grandparents, teachers, counselors, and other caring adults will read this book with the children they love and begin conversations about what it means to be authentic, to belong, and to appreciate the wonderful differences that make each of us who we are.

And perhaps adults will find something in this story for themselves, too.

Many of us can remember moments when we set aside parts of ourselves to be accepted, successful, loved, or included.

Sometimes we spend years finding our way back.

The Girl and the Willow is a reminder that we do not have to become someone else to be worthy of love.

We are already enough.

A Story to Share and Treasure

With lyrical storytelling and beautiful illustrations by Lucy Campbell, The Girl and the Willow invites readers of all ages to reflect on identity, belonging, friendship, and the courage to remain true to themselves.

It is a story to read aloud, to discuss, to give as a gift, and to return to as children grow.

Give this book to a child you love. And perhaps give a copy to yourself.

Because no one should have to lose themselves to belong.

Discover The Girl and the Willow- a story about the courage to be yourself and the love that helps you remember how.