Lucie's first day of school is
less than what she hoped for when she gets unwanted
attention. Through a turn of events, she teaches
her whole class the power of acceptance.
About
the Book
This tender story of "Lucie, the hippopotamus" at
Barnaby Elementary School focuses on her very noticeable
difference that brings her "unwanted" attention.
Lucie's self-consciousness and self-doubt
are quickly overshadowed by the disappearance of Stewart
after the class gangs up on him. The plot thickens when
they must all report to the annual Spelling Bee. Each
classmate must work through their own struggle to become
a person of character. The pain felt for Stewart will
leave a lump in your throat though the sadness is
quickly swallowed up by the new-found unity in the
class!
About the Author (the real Lucie)
As
a child growing up in Clinton, Mississippi, Abigail Cole
Hardin realized her birthmark made her different from
others. Having overcome battles with low self-esteem,
she wrote Look at Me; I Am Just Like You in
hopes of addressing children’s deep longing for
acceptance.
She has
read her book to over 6,000 children across the country
and has received endorsements from school counselors and
teachers who have seen positive results of teaching
empathy and building self-value. Mississippi’s Rankin
County School District’s counselors adopted Look at
Me; I Am Just Like You in their elementary schools
to address bullying and resolving conflict.
Abigail is
a student at the University of Alabama and was inducted
into the
University of Alabama Elliott Society for her book’s
contribution to social justice and was honored as a
“Patient of Courage” by the American Plastic Surgeon
Association. Tuscaloosa’s NBC 13 visited Abigail while
she was reading to students and surprised her with the
“Make A Difference Award.” The State of Alabama awarded
her with the 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year Award for her
efforts in promoting her children’s book and sharing her
personal story with students across the state.
Abigail
recently competed as Miss Hoover in the Miss Alabama
Pageant. She is founder of the
Open My Eyes Foundation and plans to continue
writing on other challenges facing youth today in order
to promote acceptance and unity among all people.
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