How Molly Lou Mellon Made Me Cry

R-E-S-P-E-C-T:

I wasn't planning to post tonight . . . I've been trying to only post every other day, BUT last night I gone an e-mail from Maria at Be the Difference and knew that I just had to link up with her Make a Difference linky party. 

This week's theme is respect. I wanted to share a book with you that I refer to often in my classroom to teach respect and tolerance. Many of you probably know and love this book.

Molly Lou Mellon is a quirky, remarkable girl who never lets life get her down. Oh, the world tries to take her down, but with some good advice from her Grandma she takes life by the horns!  She is extremely short, has wonky teeth, and can't carry a tune in a bucket but the kids at her new school are eventually able to embrace her because she is talented in other ways.

Here is an okay video of this story from You Tube:

Hanky at the Ready:  

This book is actually special to me in more ways than one. I am tearing up right now just thinking about how this book came to me. 

I found Molly Lou at my local thrift store last year. I have never heard of this book before and it looked really cute. I opened it up in the store and some papers fell out. One of them was a letter in an envelope, it was addressed to "Grandma" from a girl in South Carolina. 

I immediately teared up. I knew that this book probably belonged to someone who had passed away, because I remembered that a lot of my own Gramma's things went to good will after she passed. 

I wish that I could find the letter right now to show you but it is jumbled up in some papers. :/ But in the letter the girl thanked her Grandmother for being the voice in her head always believing in her and giving her good advice, she said that this book reminded her of her and that she couldn't wait to visit soon. 

By this point I am trying to hold in the tears.  Then, a postcard falls out, it is from her grandson who had written to say that he loved her and missed her. 

My own Grandma died in 2004 but sometimes the pain of losing her still feels just as fresh. I know that those of you who have lost someone will know what I mean. For days after I bought this book I would think about my Grandma and cry.

 

Every time I read this book to my class I remember the special lady who once owned it. I will always take care of this book, in memory of this Grandmother that I didn't know and mine who I knew and loved and who loved me. :) 

So, how do you teach respect in your classroom? Go link up! :) 

Happy Monday!