Noot is delighted when she is allowed to paint umbrellas like the other girls and women in her Thai village who uphold this tradition for their livelihood. She hopes secretly that she might be chosen as that year's Umbrella Queen but she strays from the set patterns and paints from her imagination - to the consternation of her family. Her compromise is to paint her quota of conventional designs during the day and in her own time she paints freely on tiny umbrellas she has made for herself. The King's attention is caught by these miniatures when he visits to chose the Umbrella Queen and Noot's dream comes true. This simple picture book story about following one's dream is beautifully illustrated with scenes of village life and communal artistry depicted in the style of silk-screen prints.