Tina Liu, Shenzhen Xiantong Primary School

It’s Sunday morning. I am really enjoying some light music when Mom knocks on the door of my room, comes in and says, “Tina, have you finished all your homework? You should be writing that composition assignment given by your Chinese teacher now.”

I don’t want to write my composition, so I protest, “I’m in the middle of listening to some music, and this piece hasn’t come to an end.”

If only I could turn into a tree! No one will disturb me in the middle of a piece of beautiful music if I were a tree. At this moment, I feel my hands and feet itching quite a bit. I bend my head and look down at my body: I have actually turned into a small tree!

Guess what grows on the tree that is me? Of course not flowers. Nor fruits. On my branches grow many comfy, puffy cushions. They come in a lot of different colors: red, golden, azure and many others.

So I can invite some small animals — birds, a rabbit, a baby fox, a young alligator, and some cute squirrels — to come and have a rest on the cushions. You can also come to chill out if you want. I’m not too tall, so you just need to jump a bit.

Mom comes to the tree with a dozen books, and asks, “Can I sit on this golden cushion and rest?”

“You are welcome,” I say, but no voice comes from my mouth.

She climbs up the tree, and gives the picture books, pop science books and story books to the small animals. Each has found their favorite book, and they begin to read the interesting books aloud.

Fascinated by what has happened, my mind begins to run wild, and suddenly, I come up with some very great ideas that I can use in my composition. A tree I have turned into, so I cannot speak, neither can I write. Frustrated, I begin to cry.

“Miss Rabbit, has it started to rain?” a little squirrel asks. “Nah, I don’t think so,” the rabbit says.

“I guess the small tree is weeping,” the clever fox says. “She must have thought of something sad. Let’s just ignore her.”

“You want to do your homework now. Am I right, Tina?” Mom asks.

She really can read my mind. I put my arms around her waist and murmur, “I love you, Mom.”