Second grader Sherry feels she is rich with the many treasures that her life brings, until one day in class she is teased by Mary Jane, the most popular girl in the class. At first, Sherry wants to retaliate by ‘getting even’. She imagines unleashing her pain and anger by hitting the bully, Mary Jane, until she promises to stop the teasing. Realizing that will never happen, Sherry tells her mama, I have to have more clothes, and not just more, but better; better clothes like Mary Jane to make the teasing stop. If I had clothes like Mary Jane, I would be special, and the kids in my class would want to be my friends. It is her mother’s answer to this comment that changes Sherry’s opinion of the bully and of herself. She finds that Being Special isn’t determined by what people say or don’t say about her, but more by how she responds to what they say. By the end of the story, Sherry feels more than special by choosing the right words , rather than the right fists or clothes. She learns the most valuable lesson of all … . . What makes you special is not how others treat you, but how you treat others. This is a beautiful story about acceptance of oneself and a bully. It is through the strong moral character of Sherry’s mother that this young girl learns valuable lessons that will serve her well throughout life. Emotional bullying is a daily problem for elementary children of all races and gender. Teaching the correct actions to take is often difficult. Students don’t want to tattle on their peers, so it’s difficult to engage students in an open, free discussion. This story is that opening . By reading and discussing each character’s role in the problem of harmful teasing and possible solutions, students can relate personally, but not be personal. But school isn’t the only venue for this story. The strong moral lesson lends itself to churches, Sunday school teachers, and families from around the world. Children learn through examples and stories. Share this valuable lesson with a child today. It may open his or her eyes to the beautiful person that lives inside, even when the ugliness of bullying exist outside.
