Mansfield Patch's Whiz Kid of the Week: Lily Goulding

Yet another Jordan/Jackson third grader received the distinct honor of being published in Hutch, a children’s creative magazine.

Lily Goulding was encouraged by her teacher, Rayna Freedman to contribute to the magazine. Freedman emailed her student’s parents to provide them with the information. Goulding’s mother, Patty Goulding did not have to encourage her daughter to take part. She wanted to submit a drawing.

“I didn’t say a word to Lily,” said Patty Goulding. “[She] decided to do one to submit.”

Goulding drew a black cat with colored pencils. In the background were lightening bolts emanating from a few distant storm clouds. She was inspired to draw a cat for two reasons; she has a black cat and she had seen a friend’s drawing of a cat, liked how it was drawn and tried to draw one in a similar fashion.

The drawing, titled very simply, “Black Cat,” was published in the latest edition of Hutch, which hit the shelves of the in Dedham on June 16. The much-anticipated release was celebrated at the store, where the students received a copy of the magazine and a certificate commemorating their accomplishment.

The student’s anticipation grew when they arrived to find a box on the counter, which read, “Do not open.”

“We were supposed to be there at 7:00 so you’re mulling around and you’re wondering what’s going to happen and then Peter Reynolds gets behind the counter,” explained Patty Goulding, “It was just before 7:30 and he showed everybody the box.”

Reynolds is an author, an illustrator and the owner of the Blue Bunny bookstore. He has written a number of books, including The North Star and he is the illustrator for the Judy Moody series, now adapted to film.

At exactly 7:30, Reynolds opened the box, which contained the coveted magazine and the student’s certificates. He spent time speaking with each of the students and signing books and magazines for them. He included a doodle of Judy Moody with his signature in Goulding’s book.

Goulding’s mother is tremendously pleased with her daughter’s accomplishments but is even happier that she had the chance to hear Reynolds’ story.

Reynolds told the students that he was not good at math in middle school and was always doodling on his papers. Luckily for him, he was encouraged the channel his distracting habit into something creative.

“He did a comic about teaching math,” explained Patty Goulding. “I thought it was really neat to have the kids hear that.”

All of the students in the store that night were smiling from ear to ear, according to Goulding’s mother.

Goulding was also honored with her Jordan/Jackson classmates at the last school committee meeting which aired live on cable access. She was accompanied by her father while her mother watched from home. She was thrilled to be on television and found the entire experience quite exciting.

The artistic young girl relished all of the experiences that came with being published. She would love to contribute to the magazine again and says that if she did she might choose to draw a flower in her favorite color, purple.