Sit, written by Deborah Ellis. Groundwood, 2017. $9.95 ages 10 and up

"I am ten years old and have lived in this town my whole stupid life, so, no, I am not lost. Everything will be okay as soon as you get away from me. And, yes, I should be in school but I am taking the day off because I'm sick of people BUGGING ME!" Bea said none of these things, of course. Instead, she looked up from her book, smiled sweetly and said, "I'm just waiting for my mother."

Bea is not waiting for her mother. She has taken her leave from school for just the reason she wishes she could say out loud. Instead, she is sitting in The Day-Off Chair in one of the eleven short stories shared so eloquently and poignantly by the accomplished Deborah Ellis. To 'sit' seems a simple task. In each of her eleven stories, sitting and where the sitting takes place have great importance. Each of the chapters is titled for the chair's existence: The Singing Chair, The Time-Out Chair, The Question Chair, The Knowing Chair, The Plain Chair, The Day-Off Chair, The Glowing Chair, The Freedom Chair, The Hiding Chair, The War Chair and finally, The Hope Chair.

Each 'chair' has special meaning for the person whose story is being shared. Whether it's a restrictive apartment housing far too many people in Uzbekistan, the glowing chair her father warns her about should Miyuki return to dangerous radiation zone to save her mother's donkey following the Japanese tsunami, a pink plastic time-out chair where a young girl can contemplate escape without her mother's knowledge, a chair crafted by a child worker in an Indonesian furniture factory that carries his inscribed poems to the outside world, or a cement bed for a boy who spends 72 days in solitary confinement as a young offender, each story resonates with heart and power for those who 'sit'.   

It is a wonderful collection, as I have come to expect from Ms. Ellis after reading each of her published works. As we await the much anticipated release of the animated movie The Breadwinner, I went back to reread it. It made an indelible impression when I read it 17 years ago. It is one of those 'window' books that allows a careful look at a then unknown-to-me culture, and the plight of many children in our world.

This new book does the same thing ... allows readers a look at children who might be like them, and others who are not.  The places to 'sit' may be different, but each provides the context for a very powerful story. These are young people who will not let adversity shatter their spirit. Rather, they do what they can to change their circumstances and fight for what is of great importance to them. Yes, there is disobedience; ultimately, there is a renewed understanding and hope for better times. Their stories should be heard and discussed in middle years classrooms.