Cindy yelled at Ashley on the playground and said "Don't touch me! You've got bugs- You're in the retard class!" So Cindy was taken to the principals office and he told her she should spend some time in a class for children with special needs for two weeks. Cindy didn't want to but eventually the more she learned and watched them she realized they were kids just like her they just needed help in some areas. At one part the teacher explains that one of the little boys might never really be able to speak and Cindy says that's sad but the teacher responds with but does he seem sad to you? and she says no. This shows you shouldn't feel sad for people just because they have a disability because even though their life isn't like yours doesn't mean they don't have a good life. ( )

Wow, I love this book! This story is so raw and the pictures taken makes me feel like I was right there with them. I work with children with autism at a rehab clinic and the things the children do in the classroom, are very similar to the routine the kids do in the clinic. When the teacher tells Cindy that Richard may or may not be able to say some words by the time he grows up, Cindy replies with, "that's sad." The teacher tells her, "But does he seem sad to you?" was spot on. So many special need kids are happy most of the time. It is the people and kids who make the kids with special needs feel low from bullying. This book needs to be in every library. A lot of students do not know about children with special needs. The teacher and helpers in this book did an amazing job with the kids. I got very emotional when Cindy told Ashley she was in the retard class. A LOT of people use that word so carelessly and it bugs me. But it is because they do not know or have not been close to someone who has a special disability. This book can open the eyes of the readers into the world of someone who has a special disability. The teacher also does a great job in explaining things to Cindy where she can understand. ( )

Cindy told Ashley, “"Hey! Don't touch me! You've got bugs. You're in the retard class!" Cindy got sent to the principle office, where she got in trouble. She has to spend 30 minutes every day for two weeks in the special needs class. This is where Cindy grew as a character. She got to learn all about kids with disabilities. She got to see with her own two eyes what it is like every day for them, and the challenges they face every day. Cindy grew to love the students and realize that there is nothing wrong with being in a special needs class. At the end of the book, Cindy stood up for Ashley when she was being made fun of. I really enjoyed this book! It teaches kids that just because a student is in a special needs class doesn’t mean their stupid or unimportant. This book teaches others that it is okay to be different. You should stand up to rude people that are making fun of others. ( )

~Short Summary:
"Hey! Don't touch me! You've got bugs. You're in the retard class!" This is what a fourth grader named Cindy told Ashley.
Cindy was punished with having to spend 30 minutes with the special needs class for two weeks.
During the two weeks, she grew closer to the teachers and students in the classroom. She learned all about each of the student's disabilities as well as how they learn. Cindy grew to love the students and at the end of the book, she stood up for Ashley when she was being made fun of.

~About this book:
The pictures in the book are photographs of children who helped act out this entire book for the author. As this was based on a true incident in New York, having real photography helps bring more light onto the subject and the readers get to see real kids with real disabilities. For each child, it explains in fine details the disability she/he has along with what the disability is. It even goes into great details of how the students go to occupational and physical therapy and its definition.

~Does this book go by the "People First" rule?
-> Yes. It even explains the importance of not using the negative words like retard and why people use it. (due to lack of education about the subject)

~Is this a good book that explains a disability, correctly?
-> yes. It gives detailed definitions as well.

~What was the author's purpose?
-> To inform readers about kids with disabilities are capable of everything as the next kid.
-> To inform readers about the "person first language".
-> To inform readers that this was a real-life event that happened.
-> To educated readers on things they may not know about some disabilities.
-> To persuade readers to share this book full of knowledge in order to shine the light on disabilities and make it not so taboo anymore. ( )

I absolutely loved this book ! I loved it even more knowing that it was written about a true incident that happened in an upstate New York school. This book is told in an omniscient point of view so the audience can view multiple point of views in the book. This book starts off talking about a girl, cindy, who calls ashley, a girl in a special ed class, a retard. Cindy gets sent to the principle's office and is told to spend 30 minutes in a special ed class every day for two weeks. At first Cindy dreads the idea of going into the special ed class because she doesn't know anything about kids with disabilities. Ashley also feels afraid and sad when she realizes that the girl who called her a retard will be spending time in her class. Ashley begins to spend time with the children and learns about the children in the class and their disabilities. it is repeatedly stated in the book that the kids in the special ed class are just the same as kids in other classes but they just need extra help to learn. Cindy ended up being comfortable around the kids and volunteers to help in the class every day as she was doing before as punishment. She later notices a girl from her class picking on ashley and stands up for her. then they become friends. I feel like this is an amazing book to read to kids because often times when children don't understand things they are afraid of them.I feel like this book eliminates this fear because it makes students aware that the children with disabilities are like other kids but they just need more help to learn. ( )