Description
New to school, Layla is shy. When all the other kids sing the hello song in the morning, she's the only one unwilling to sing out her own name. When playing on the playground, Layla stands to the side while the other kids run about. And since she wears a head scarf she's subjected to a kind of scrutiny. A nice librarian shows the other kids a book of where Layla's family is from. A lunch lady compliments her food. And when she draws a picture of her family, not even Danny's callous critique of their head scarves can keep Layla from feeling good when her teacher says, "It's beautiful." It does not take long for the class to welcome her.
Ronald Himlers watercolor illustrations give the first graders distinct characteristics and provide a realistic portrayal of a first grade classroom.