Age:
High School
Reading Level: 3.2
Chapter One
“You pronounce it mix. Try it with me, children. Mix Rogers.”
“Mix Rogers.”
“Well done. Any questions?”
“Do you have a cold, Mx. Rogers?”
“No. I am feeling better than I have in a long time.”
“Did you go to Disneyland?”
“No. I was absent for personal care.”
“Your voice sounds different.”
“Well,” said Mx. Rogers, pointing at every student, “a voice is a unique instrument, isn’t it?”
The children were confused, but flush with interest.
Serena said, “My dad has a tie like that.”
Felix said, “I like your pants, Mx. Rogers. My mom says she wears the pants in the family, but she’s not the only one. I have five pairs of pants!”
Mx. Rogers smiled and signaled for the children to gather round. “I have written a story,” they said, “for story time.”
The pupils moved obediently into an open semicircle.
Chapter Two
Mx. Rogers read from their iPad.
“Ellie the Eel had smaller fins than her brothers and sisters. Therefore, she might swim off course and lose sight of her direction. The other eels wanted to help, but they didn’t know how. Nigel, the Most Unkind Eel, called her Aimless Ellie.”
Sarah raised her hand immediately and said, “You shouldn’t call people names.”
Micah said, “We’re all different.”
Elijah said, “I use fins and a life vest in the pool next door. If Ellie were my friend, she could use my life vest and swim with all the rest.”
Daniel said his dog had babies.
Felix said, “I wear pants and so do my brother and sister. Sometimes, my sister wears my pants when they don’t fit me, anymore.”
Mx. Rogers nodded affirmatively to each student and continued.
“Ellie the Eel became separated from her brothers and sisters. She was not strong enough to make the climb upstream. The other eels looked on with sadness. They wondered why Ellie was not the same as the rest of the group. 'You can call yourself Ellie the Eel,' said Nigel the Most Unkind Eel, 'but that doesn’t make it true.'”
Eugene said, “Nigel is not very nice.”
Rajeev asked, “Is Ellie all alone?”
Mx. Rogers said, “Yes and no.”
Elijah said, “A life vest would be just the thing.”
And Felix added, “I have a pair of pants just for Sunday, but nobody in my family goes to church. They’re just-in-case pants.”
Chapter Three
Mx. Rogers continued their story. “Ellie the Eel was having a real identity crisis. She needed to know who she was. And she was prepared to ask anyone.
“Early the next day, she came upon a seahorse who just happened to be giving birth to his babies. Ellie introduced herself and asked, 'Can you tell me who I am?'
“Sammy the Seahorse answered, 'Well, that’s not for me to say, but you certainly are an early bird.'
“‘I’m not a bird!' said Ellie the Eel. 'I don’t have feathers and I can’t fly!' Nonetheless, Ellie knew that eels eat worms, just like some birds. It was all so confusing.”
But Eugene’s confusion was elsewhere. “Can boys have babies?” he said.
Mx. Rogers said, “Seahorse boys do.”
Sabrina said, “Your voice sounds different, Mx. Rogers.”
Eugene said, “My brother got kicked out of the choir because his voice changed.”
Serena said, “I like your haircut, Mx. Rogers.”
Mx. Rogers answered another question before continuing to read. “Yes. You can take her at her word. Ellie is not a bird.”
Felix said, “Boys and girls both wear pants.”