Awake and Dreaming - Kit Pearson [5]
“Sure!” Robert jumped to his feet. “‘What is peace? Peace is when there’s no more war. What is war? War is shooting and guns and bombs. What are bombs? Bombs are—’”
“That’s enough, Robert,” said Mr. Barker. “I think we get the idea.” For a second he almost frowned, but then his expression became even jollier. “Good for you! It was very creative of you to extend the original premise like that!”
“It’s an awful poem!” said Nita. “It’s way too violent.”
“It’s how Robert feels … what he wanted to write. That’s the most important thing,” said Mr. Barker. “Now, who wants to be next?”
After Lindsay read her long poem about love and Adam his rhymed couplets about peace, Mr. Barker became more and more excited as he searched for extravagant words of praise for each of them.
“Now let’s see … How about … Theo!”
Theo jerked to attention. She’d been looking out the window and imagining what it would be like to be able to leap from tree to tree like a squirrel. “What?”
“How would you like to read us your poem?”
“No, thank you.”
“Well, then … how about if I read it?”
Theo shrugged; she knew she didn’t have a choice. Mr. Barker took the paper off her desk.
“‘What is grey? Grey is cold rain. Grey is a scratchy blanket. Grey is a hard sidewalk. Grey is a rat in the bin. Grey is no colour at all.’”
There was silence. In front of Theo, Angela turned around and gave her an understanding look.
“A rat!” said Yogita finally. “Yeck!”
“That’s too depressing for a poem,” said Shannon. “Poems are supposed to be happy, like Nita’s.”
Mr. Barker seemed to be swelling like a balloon. Then his words spewed out all at once. “I think it’s brilliant! Superb! It’s original and evocative and full of emotion! Poems don’t have to be happy, Shannon. I’m delighted Theo reminded us of that.” He put the paper back on Theo’s desk, practically jumping up and down with enthusiasm. “Very well done, Theo! Excellent!”
For a second Theo felt a tinge of pride. Mr. Barker really seemed to like her poem.
But he’d acted excited about the others, too. He was obviously just trying to be nice to her.
At last the closing bell went and school was over for the day. Theo rushed out of the room.
THE SCHOOL LIBRARY was crammed into a space that was much too small for it. Books and magazines and computers lined every surface. There was barely enough room to walk between the shelves and tables and bean-bag chairs. The librarian, Ms. Cohen, wasn’t there, but students were allowed to check books in and out on their own. Theo took Five Children and It from her bag and signed it in. Then she went over to the fiction section.
Choosing a new book was like looking for treasure. Theo always took a good long time. First she examined some paperbacks on a revolving stand. But they were mostly novels about one girl or one boy with a problem, or horror stories with scary covers. That wasn’t what she wanted.
She knew she’d have better luck on the shelves where the older hardcover books were kept. She walked along looking at them slowly, tilting her head to read the titles. Half Magic, The Moffats, The Family from One End Street … Theo tingled with pleasure as she recognized favourites from other libraries.
At her last school there had been only paperbacks. But this new library was the best kind—it didn’t throw out its old books. They looked ugly, with their thick, plain covers. But the dull outsides concealed the best stories.
Usually a title would leap out at her, as if it were shouting, “Read me!” And here it was—All-of-a-Kind Family. Theo pulled it off the shelf. The cover was sturdy and green, with a faded picture on it. It showed five girls in matching old-fashioned dresses and pinafores tumbling down some stairs. They were all smiling and, best of all, they were holding books!
Theo opened it up, read the enticing first sentence, then sighed with relief. She’d found the right book.
Ms. Cohen was back at her desk when Theo returned to it. She smiled. “Hello, there! Theo Caffrey, isn’t it?”
Theo nodded.
“Is Theo short for something?