The Wand in the Woods

The Wand in the Woods is a delightful tale about the wonder of discovery and the charm of mindfulness. For one young child, finding a glowing wand that can effortlessly wave away her chores highlights the simple pleasure of doing things independently and mindfully.

For Elliot and her dog, Spinner, this morning’s walk in the woods begins like most others: practicing their balance, sniffing out snacks, and searching for sticks to build forts. But today, she discovers something unusual on the forest floor—a stick that glows like the moon.

This stick reveals itself to have special powers, particularly appealing to a girl not fond of cleaning her room or bathing her dog. With just a simple swipe of the wand, every chore is done, and every piece of homework is perfectly completed. It’s no wonder that Elliot quickly becomes reliant on this new-found treasure.

However, she soon realises that with such ease, the joy of her accomplishments begins to fade. What will it take for Elliot to truly enjoy her everyday pleasures again and feel the “magic in the doing”?

With charmingly expressive illustrations, Tom Booth’s fantastical take on mindfulness reminds us all to step away from our devices and relish the simple analog joy of accomplishing tasks ourselves, in the moment.