WILLIAM by Anne Welsh Guy

READING TIME: 80 minutes

PAGES: 124       PUBLISHED: 1961

BOOK JACKET DESCRIPTION: “We’ve come to school and we’re going to stay! said William.

Miss Howard, the teacher in the white school welcomed the boy of determination. There were many problems for William to overcome, and the biggest one was his fears. There was the fear of new people and a strange school, but mostly there was his fear of not being accepted by the members of the fifth-grade class. William’s fight to conquer his suspicions and those fo his classmates is a long struggle. The mysteriously missing class fund of twenty dollars and the exciting, almost tragic, skating party are some of the events along this road. Eventually a rewarding friendship and understanding springs between the white children and William.

FAVORITE LINE OF DIVERSITY UNDERSTANDING: “But Mama,” persisted William. “What if the kids in that school don’t want us there? What if they make fun of us – or maybe won’t talk to us or look at us?”

MY THOUGHTS: This one may be a difficult one for you to find. I got it at a yard sale (50 cents- original price for this hardback when published $2.95). I also saw it at our local library. I was curious as to how diversity was handled in literature over 50 years ago. William is a great role model for kids then and now as to how to deal with differences. The story is well told with some nice pencil sketches throughout. Recommended if you can find it.

NEXT UP: THE YEAR OF THE BOOK by Andrea Cheng

MY MOTIVATION FACTOR: I’m refreshed and ready to go with another round. I have driving duties again today and thankfully the football hungry teens smell better this morning than when I picked them up yesterday. My goal is five more books today, but two are quite lengthy so we will see.