THE CHALK BOX STORY

This nicely understressed demonstration of creativity in process begins with a box of colored chalk and a blank sheet of paper. Then one by one the eight chalk sticks emerge—first, to make a picture (Blue draws sky and sea, Yellow sun and sand, Brown a little boy and two trees, Green palm leaves and a turtle, and Purple gives the boy a stick); and then, with no perceptible shift in gears, they tell a story. White puts a flag on the stick and Red writes HELP ME on it, Black makes a boat in the distance. Finally, with all eight colors used and the boys' plea still unheeded, the creation takes over. The turtle begins to move, invites the boy onto his back, and paddles him out to the boat. Thus the story grows on you, as you read it.