When Ms. Laverne gives her six students their Friday afternoon assignment, at first they don’t know what to do. Six kids from Brooklyn, sitting in an old art classroom with no expectations, no supervision, just an invitation to sit and talk. It starts out awkward, but each week Esteban, Tiago, Holly, Amari, Ashton, and Haley begin to open up and share a little more. They talk about the fears and trials and many of America’s social issues kids face today.
The experience of these students shows the depth of today’s struggles. However, the friendships they develop show that empathy and kindness can give strength. This is an inspiring story of the power of empathy and sharing our problems. Good for tweens as well as adults as we tackle the tricky and often divisive questions in our society.
Recommended ages--10 and up