The Little Girl in the Red Dress Book One Lila's Dream Wall

Copyright © 2026 Ghina Itani All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

Dedicated to my parents, who never quite knew what to do with a little girl who declared, “I’m bored!” five minutes after receiving a new toy, and who lovingly tried to channel my endless curiosity, enormous ambitions, and larger-than-life dreams. And to every parent raising a child whose imagination can never be contained.

Acknowledgements Lila was inspired by the little girl I once was—the girl with many interests, big dreams, and an imagination that refused to fit inside a box. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout my life and career. To my parents and family, whose strength, integrity, creativity, and perseverance helped shape the person I became; to my husband, whose support allowed me to continue pursuing my dreams; and to my children, who have always been among my greatest inspirations—thank you for believing in me and being part of this journey. To my clients, colleagues, and friends, and to every person who trusted my vision, encouraged my ideas, opened a door, or supported my work throughout the years— your confidence in me helped me grow, create, and continue moving forward. A special thank-you to Fairytale Publisher who helped bring Lila to life.

Most importantly, to every child who has ever been told that their dream is too big, too different, or impossible: Lila was created for you. Stay curious, believe in yourself, and never be afraid to dream beyond the box. With love and gratitude, Ghina Itani

1 Lila had many questions, but her favorite always began with two little words: “What if?” At home, those words followed her from room to room. When music filled the living room, Lila twirled in her red dress and asked, “What if I learned to dance?” When she opened her sketchbook, she wondered, “What if I became an artist?” While she wrapped a tiny bandage around her teddy bear, she whispered, “What if I helped people feel better?” And when her dolls sat neatly for story time, she announced, “What if I became a teacher?”

3 Every day, Lila discovered something new to love. She enjoyed learning, solving difficult problems, helping others, and making ordinary things feel beautiful. Her books stood neatly on the shelf, her crayons were arranged in rainbow order, and her shoes sat perfectly side by side. Everything had its place except her hair. No matter how carefully Mom brushed Lila’s dark, wavy curls, they always bounced back. Mom laughed and said, “I don’t think your hair likes to be tamed.” Lila giggled. “I think it has adventures of its own.”

5 At school, Lila was just as curious. She always had another question to ask, another idea to explore, and another possibility beginning with “What if?”

7 One Monday morning, Mrs. Carter rolled a giant bulletin board into the classroom. “This week, we are making a Dream Wall,” she explained. “I would like each of you to draw one picture that shows your dream for the future.” The children eagerly reached for their crayons and began to draw. Lila looked at the blank page in front of her and wondered how one picture could possibly hold all the dreams in her heart.

9 After thinking for a moment, her eyes brightened. “I have an idea,” she said. Lila drew herself in the center of the page. Around her, she added ballet shoes, a paintbrush, a book, and a stethoscope.

11 The next morning, the children proudly placed their pictures on the Dream Wall. Soon the board was filled with pictures of doctors, firefighters, artists, teachers, and many other hopeful futures.

13 Then Lila hung her picture beside the others. A classmate studied it and said, “I thought we were supposed to choose only one thing.”

15 Lila’s smile faded. She looked at the other pictures and then back at her own. Perhaps she had misunderstood the assignment. Perhaps her picture was too full.

17 After school, Lila helped Mom set the table, but she did not hum as she usually did. Mom saw her upset, but said nothing. After lunch, she unfolded her picture and placed it beside her plate. Lila held an eraser over the ballet shoes. If she erased them, dancing would disappear from the picture. She moved the eraser toward the paintbrush, then toward the book and the stethoscope, but each choice felt like leaving out an important part of herself. Mom sat beside her and asked, “Lila, I haven’t heard a single ‘What if?’ all afternoon. What happened?” “I think I did the assignment wrong,” Lila said. “Everyone else chose one dream, but my picture has too many.”

19 Mom studied the page carefully. “Do all of these dreams belong to you?” Lila nodded. “Yes. I love every one of them.” “Then perhaps your picture is not too full,” Mom said gently. “Perhaps your dream simply has many beautiful pieces.” Lila looked again at everything she had drawn. The dancing shoes, the paintbrush, the book, the stethoscope, and the welcoming table were different from one another, but they all came from the same curious heart. Slowly, she put the eraser away.

21 The next morning, Lila stood in front of the Dream Wall with her picture held against her chest. Her heart beat quickly, but she took a steady breath and faced the class. “I do not know exactly what I will become when I grow up,” she said. “I know that I love dancing, drawing, helping people, teaching, and making others feel welcome. I do not want to erase any of those things because they are all part of me.” Lila pinned her picture back onto the wall. “My dream is to keep learning, keep trying, and discover where all my questions will take me.”

23 Mrs. Carter smiled. “You followed the assignment in a wonderful way, Lila. You drew one picture of your dream, and you showed us that a dream does not always have to fit inside one little box.” The class looked at Lila’s picture again. This time, Lila did not look down. She stood a little taller and smiled because she had not erased a single thing.

25 On the way home, Lila twirled once, tucked her sketchbook beneath her arm, and thought about all the possibilities still waiting for her. Before long, another question began to sparkle in her mind: “What if...?”