Later that day, Mrs. Osbourne thinks back to story time. She cant remember Jamal ever relating to a story like that. Hed been excited and yet sat quietly, entranced by the pictures on each page. Hed even asked to see the book after the story was over; pointing to the pictures and talking about his own memories of the day his baby sister came home from the hospital. What was it about this story that connected so deeply with Jamal? Mrs. Osbourne wonders. Then it dawns on her: This is the first story the class has read that mirrors Jamals life and his African American heritagehed felt personally connected because he could see himself in the story.
