“ It was a really nice community moment for the school ,” the students wrote . “ It was the first big gathering we have had as a school since the start of the pandemic , and for a lot of Falk students , it was the first community-wide event they have experienced .”
In their letter , the students also asked Portis several questions : “ What inspired you to make this book ?” and “ What would you make out of a box if you were to do our Not a Box activity ?”
The class was delighted when Portis wrote back . She was inspired to write “ Not a Box ,” she said , by the memory of sitting in her family ’ s driveway as a child , making a train out of cardboard boxes with tin can lids for the headlights . She imagined her mother looking out the window at her and her brother sitting in the boxes and thinking , “ What are they up to now ? Oh no , they ’ re going to leave those boxes sitting in the driveway .”
“ I wanted to show the child sticking up for their imagination ,” she wrote .
“ As a kid , you don ’ t have control over much ,” Portis added . “ But with imagination , you can do anything and go anywhere . I remember how empowered I felt when I entertained myself and my siblings with imaginary play . So the book honors that power , which children exercise so freely .”
As far as what she would make , Portis wrote , “ If I just had one box to play with , I would make a rocket ship and fly to Saturn and see those rings in person .” ■
FALK LABORATORY SCHOOL | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH 17