"The day the custodian found the
bad-something on the bathroom
wall, all the girls from Mr. Gilbert's
class were called into the principal's
office."
That 'bad something' is all it takes for a staff to mobilize and let the school community know such foolishness will not be tolerated. Mrs. Martinez, the principal, wants to get to the heart of the matter quickly and speaks assertively to the girls assembled. No one admits that they have information; rather they want to know for themselves what is there and who might have done it. The girls sneak in to see what the fuss is all about, and are gob-smacked by what they see.
They don't understand why the girls have been singled out. It could have been anyone. Soon, classmates, parents, and the community-at-large knows. It changes their days in ways they don't like. They look at each other with suspicion, and begin to treat others with disrespect.
"We were meaner
than we used to be.
Like when Devon went
to sharpen his pencil and
tripped, and we laughed."
Mrs. Martinez and her teachers takes charge. She assembles students and rallies the students around the fact that no one likes what has happened. Things like the bad-something have no place in their school. Pride begins to spread. A project is suggested and the results show what a community that works together can accomplish. And, how it can change what lies beneath. Kids are kinder and proud of what they have done together. Bravo!
Converstaions begin here.
Corinna Luyken uses gouache, colored pencil, and ink illustrations to great effect here. Warm and cool colors effectively portray mood, and clear, diverse portaits show readers the classmates affected by the hateful writing on the wall.
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