Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Candlewick (2012), Edition: Illustrated, 32 pages
Description
While riding his new bicycle Desmond is hurt by the mean word yelled at him by a group of boys, but he soon learns that hurting back will not make him feel any better.
Local notes
School Library Journal, 03/31/2013
K-Gr 3—Archbishop Tutu describes the power of words and the secret of forgiveness in a story from his South African childhood during apartheid. One day Desmond rides his bike past a gang of boys, one of whom calls him "a very mean word." The pain of the word stays with him for days, following him around "like a shadow in the hot sun." A few days later, Desmond retaliates with a mean word of his own, but it leaves a "bitter taste in his mouth." Father Trevor recommends forgiveness, but the child is not ready to forgive someone who has not apologized. A week later, he sees his tormentor being harassed and is surprised to feel sorry for him. That moment sets the stage for Desmond's act of forgiveness, and he finally experiences the "magic" about which Father Trevor spoke. Ford's richly colored paintings capture life in the South African township. Light is a strong element, from the blazing sun to deep shades of night and sadness. The story avoids a preachy tone by staying true to Desmond's emotions and his struggle to reach a moral high ground. The book is both a lesson and a slice of life, giving insight into the person Archbishop Tutu became as an adult. The preface explains apartheid in child-friendly language, and the afterword tells more about the real Father Trevor. Some children might feel frustrated that the "very mean words" are never specified, but the real point of the story is the personal power one derives from letting go of revenge.—Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR Copyright 2013 Reed Business Information.
K-Gr 3—Archbishop Tutu describes the power of words and the secret of forgiveness in a story from his South African childhood during apartheid. One day Desmond rides his bike past a gang of boys, one of whom calls him "a very mean word." The pain of the word stays with him for days, following him around "like a shadow in the hot sun." A few days later, Desmond retaliates with a mean word of his own, but it leaves a "bitter taste in his mouth." Father Trevor recommends forgiveness, but the child is not ready to forgive someone who has not apologized. A week later, he sees his tormentor being harassed and is surprised to feel sorry for him. That moment sets the stage for Desmond's act of forgiveness, and he finally experiences the "magic" about which Father Trevor spoke. Ford's richly colored paintings capture life in the South African township. Light is a strong element, from the blazing sun to deep shades of night and sadness. The story avoids a preachy tone by staying true to Desmond's emotions and his struggle to reach a moral high ground. The book is both a lesson and a slice of life, giving insight into the person Archbishop Tutu became as an adult. The preface explains apartheid in child-friendly language, and the afterword tells more about the real Father Trevor. Some children might feel frustrated that the "very mean words" are never specified, but the real point of the story is the personal power one derives from letting go of revenge.—Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR Copyright 2013 Reed Business Information.
Awards
Children's Africana Book Award (Winner — 2014)