The Red Pencil by: Andrea Davis Pinkney

Andrea Davis Pinkney has written a wonderful story of hope in her book The Red Pencil.  This book has beautiful illustrations by Shane W. Evans and it is written like a poem.  It will touch your heart with the words and pictures.

Amira is a 12 year old girl living in Sudan.  She is not able to attend school and she so badly wants to learn.  When her best friend leaves their township in hopes to attend a school for girls, Amira finds herself longing to leave as well.  Amira's mother tells her that she is meant to be a wife and mother and that there is no need to learn to read and write.  Amira doesn't want the life that her mother explains to her.  When they are forced to flee their home, as their town is burned, they travel for many days finding a place to finally stop walking in a refugee camp. Life in the camp is worse than anything Amira could imagine. She receives a gift of a red pencil and soon she finds the courage to flee the refugee camp.  Will she finally get the change to attend a school?  That is for the reader to learn.

After reading this book send a note of gratitude to someone who has given you the chance to learn.  Being able to read opens the world to us all.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna