The Dilemmas of Daisy Dimple

Pen Jen's Inkwell Podcast

A smile and a flower can change lives.
Daisy Dimple can't smile enough. At age 10, she plants flowers everywhere she goes, even in parking lots and sidewalks. She loves their scent and the beauty they bring to the world. Her 13-year-old brother Billy is a bully who’s jealous of her daisies and magic “hypnotizing” dimple. He calls her “Crazy Daisy,” and she nicknames him “Lil’ Boy Buster.” Daisy wishes she had enough courage to stand up to him once and for all—but she’s just too nice. Grandpa Blum hires Daisy and is confident she can build a garden for his Fourth of July party.
Daisy branches out with many different flowers, and she finishes the garden two days before the party. The money will go to her class field trip—a day at the beach without her brother. Lil’ Boy Buster angrily floods the flowers and lets out a cage of rodents in the garden. Determined to rebuild the garden, Daisy sets traps for the rodents, levels the ground, and brings in new flowers. She stays up all night guarding the garden. The next day she plants even more flowers right up until the four o’clock party, but still isn’t done. So, when neighbors arrive, Daisy asks them each to plant a flower and contribute to finishing the garden. Of course, her magic dimple makes them say: “Yes.” The neighbors each want Daisy to build them a garden of their own.
Lil’ Boy Buster sneaks through the back fence with a large water gun and the garden hose. He tries to flood the garden again, but Daisy wrestles him to the ground and plants a flower on his head. It takes root, and he can’t pull it out of his head. He yells and screams in embarrassment. When Daisy’s parents see the wonderful garden in Grandpa Blum’s backyard, they are upset at Lil’ Boy Buster and ask Daisy to transform their backyard into a beautiful paradise as well. Lil’ Boy Buster can no longer call Daisy “crazy.” She suggests that he replant the flower from his head in Grandpa Blum’s garden. If he decides to replant it, instead of destroying it, Daisy is sure it will come out of his head without a problem. So, Lil’ Boy Buster plants the awkward flower from his head in Grandpa Blum’s garden, and he slumps off in defeat, swearing to return in victory.
The garden party is a huge success. Daisy will have more than enough money for her class field trip and decides to donate the rest of her money to planting a garden at the local Community Center.