Story Setting
I was first introduced to Munro Leaf's The Story of Ferdinand as a five year-old child on a ritual excursion to the library. The simple illustrations and the record accompanying it connected me even closer to the character of Ferdinand. I was unaware that this particular storybook was a favorite of Gandhi and Franklin D. Roosevelt. 4 I easily became a fan of this peaceful and lovable bull. This unique and gentle bull went against the norms of his species and felt content smelling flowers instead of gouging other creatures as a daily routine.
I also discovered Kevin Henkes's story of Chrysanthemum the mouse during my course as a public school teacher. The entire plot focuses on how she endures being bullied because of her unusual name by a few of her classmates in her first year of Kindergarten. This story spotlights the important Lifeskills of caring, friendship, and courage. It highlights how bullying adversely affects the character's mental health and learning at school. It also emphasizes how we need supportive adults who challenge the dysfunctional norm of enduring cruelty and the antiquated belief that bullying is just part of any student's experience during school life.
Our own dignity can only be measured in the way we treat others.
~Desmond Tutu 5
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