Willie Was Different is a children’s story written and illustrated by Norman Rockwell. The story focuses on a wood thrush with a magical gift for music and tells of the trials of genius and the satisfactions of true friendship. Willie Was Different has been published in three different versions.

In 1966, Rockwell wrote a story outline about a little bird with a special talent. Rockwell’s wife Molly, a retired English teacher, rewrote the text and greatly expanded it.  “Willie, the Uncommon Thrush, a Picture Story” was published in an abridged version credited to Norman Rockwell in McCall’s magazine in 1967 with Rockwell’s original color illustrations. Willie Was Different, The Tale of an Ugly Thrushling by Norman and Molly Rockwell was published in book form by Funk and Wagnalls and intended for adult as well as adolescent readers.  Quotes from these earlier versions appear within the mats of the paintings.  The 1994 edition, co-published by the Norman Rockwell Museum and Berkshire House Publishers, returned as nearly as possible to Rockwell’s original manuscript, and it is once again clearly a children’s story.

Willie Was Different is not a true story, although Rockwell wrote it as if it were a narration of real events.  There is no monument to Willie and his musical genius in Washington, D.C.  The Willie Room, and Willie’s fame, exist entirely in the pages of Willie Was Different.

Willie is a wood thrush--but a very different kind of wood thrush. Driven by his intimation that he possesses a special genius, Willie leaves his avian fellows to take up singing with the exquisitely down-to-earth Miss Polly, flautist extraordinaire. Together they find fame, and they eventually travel to the nation's capitol so Willie's beautiful singing can be appreciated all the more. Yet all the attention and bustle of city life distress Willie and make him stop singing, so Miss Polly brings Willie back to his native woods, where he resumes his tranquil life and music-making with her. But the world remembers and reveres Willie and the genius of his song.

Willie was born to a normal wood thrush family--A slightly proud and pompous father, a loving mother, and two rambunctious older brothers. Willie was different.

His father gave daily lectures on the importance of being a proper wood thrush. Although they are not as mighty, wise, beautiful, or clever as some other birds, wood thrushes are vitally important because of their song that has inspired numerous composers.

"Willie was proud of being a wood thrush. But he also wanted to be himself. He was tired of his father's daily lectures and of trying to be like every other wood thrush. Finally he just couldn't stand it anymore." So he flies off. 

Willie sounds like a typical teenager. 

One evening in his new wood, he hears the notes of a flute. Following the sound, he lands on a branch outside the town librarian's window. Miss Polly just happened to be playing a song by Handel that features the thrush song. A delighted Willie sings along. And then he begins to improvise and sing all the song, not just the wood thrush part. 

Miss Polly is equally delighted. They play together until twilight. 

The next day, Miss Polly goes out for some note taking on Willie. She brings her notes and findings to the local bird club. 

They in turn relay her findings to the top ornithological officials in Washington. These experts motorcade to Miss Polly's house to see Willie in action. 

All the experts taking a peek at Willie. 

All of these faces are based on the actual top ornithological experts of Rockwell's time. 

This picture is pure Rockwell.

Willie was unconcerned by this scrutiny. In fact, he sang better than ever. 

He sang so well, the experts insisted he was too important to be left in the wild. "All the world deserved a chance to hear and see this remarkable creature." Miss Polly "feels a responsibility to Willie's genius," so she treks down to Washington with him in a cage. 

He is placed in a large aviary in Washington.

There is no quiet and Willie is miserable. Even when Miss Polly comes along with her flute, he is too miserable to sing. 

"Willie was proud to be different, to be a genius, but he did not want to be a celebrity."

In a few days, Miss Polly puts her foot down. Her sweet Willie needed to return to his own wood. After a few days of recuperation, he rejoins Miss Polly in evening music--just for their own enjoyment.

But in Washington, a room was built to Willie's honor. And if you have the right spirit, amidst all the hustle and bustle of Washington, you can still find Willie's room. 

Since this is autobiographical, it is pretty easy to assume that Rockwell wasn't a huge fan of the celebrity that went with his artistic success. Some people argue that Miss Polly was based on his third wife--maybe she helped him to return to his "wood" away from all the trappings of a famous life.