BOSTON -- Being hospitalized can be terrifying for anyone, especially children. The emotions can be overwhelming. But a local author is showing children how to express their feelings in a unique way.

NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported Thursday that children at MassGeneral Hospital For Children are surrounded by tubes and doctors. Eight-year-old Charon has cancer. Fourteen-year-old Trudy is recovering from a knee injury. And 5-and-a-half-year-old A.J. is confined to his bed because of a lymph node infection. But on Wednesday, these sick children got a chance to escape from reality, with the help of Joan Drescher.

"We'll put you in an airplane instead of being in a bed," said Joan Drescher, Artist In Residence at MassGeneral Hospital For Children.

Drescher is the author of "The Moon Balloon." She uses her book along with art to help children express their feelings. She has been teaching art therapy at MassGeneral Hospital for Children for eight years.

"Sometimes when a child or a parent is going through a difficult time, it is hard to put words in it. But you can write or draw what is going on. And that makes a big difference," Drescher said.

Drescher always has her imagination cart by her side. It's a portable art studio, overflowing with supplies.

"To me color is healing and it changes their hospital environment," Drescher said.

Drescher encourages the children to create different projects and use their imagination.

"It's a way for the child to get lost in what they are creating," she said.

Drescher says the art gets the children to focus on their projects and forget about their problems.

"There you are you're driving this airplane," Drescher told A.J.

This experience brought a smile to little A.J.'s face and helped his whole family.

"Getting him to talk about his feelings, because he doesn't want to talk about things that are scary to him," said Elizabeth Rayner, A.J.'s mom.