“She had a great idea.”
I love the simplicity of the opening line of this book. How many of our students think every idea they have is great? They run to us wide-eyed, ready to share, and the words burst out of them excitedly.
Too often, I think our answer is no. Maybe there isn’t enough time in the day, maybe it really isn’t school appropriate, or maybe you don’t think it’s as great of an idea as they do.
The main character in this book hears “no” over and over. So many times and in so many forms, you wouldn’t blame her for giving up. But she persists. She enlists help. And in the end, her idea is realized, although not exactly the way she originally envisioned.
It is her persistence and willingness to ask for help that makes me choose this book as a read aloud for what is going to be a most unusual and difficult school year. If she can persist after hearing the word “no” a thousand times, we can persist and meet the challenges we will surely face. We don’t have to do it alone- we can ask for help too.
Good luck teachers- we’ve got this!
