belleteal

Belle Teal, by Ann M. Martin ISBN: 0-439-09823-8 c2001 214 pages R.L. 4.8 Points-6

Good sections to read aloud: -page 10 when they are discussing the bus the next day -page 33 when Darryl shows up to class

Summary: Belle Teal is excited to begin school. This year she will be in the fifth grade and have the teacher she has been waiting for....Miss Casey. There is a slight problem though. Some new “Negro” children will be starting at her school as well and this has caused quite an uproar in the community. Although there will only be three of them, many parents and students are not pleased. Belle Teal does her best to make Darryl, the boy who joins her homeroom, feel welcome. She has been taught to always be polite to any new student, and this will be no exception. Several boys in Belle Teal’s class make this quite difficult. The school year has many ups and downs from the new students entering school, another upity new girl that started, to Belle Teal’s grandmother losing her mind, to Belle Teal’s mom never being home....you get the gist....lots of problems, lots of laughs, lots of tears.

YA Fiction--historical fiction, friendships, segregation, African Americans, bullies, school

©Jennifer Lang - WDMS - 2003