Cat  Tales  A  Public-­‐Private  Venture  For  Self-­‐Publishing  

Children’s  E-­‐Books  John  Messina  

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TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  

 

I.    Executive  Summary               3  

II.    The  Opportunities  &  Target  Market:      

           Future  Demand  and  Current  Need  Exist         5  

III.    Strategy                   10  

IV.    Marketing  Plan                 10  

V.    Financial  Plan                 12  

VI.    Things  Learned                 15  

VII.    Selected  Bibliography  /  Acknowledgements       16    VIII.    Draft  Story                   17  

 

     

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I. Executive Summary Where are we now? (The Situation)

Bullying is repeated aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance; such behavior could include actions such as: making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose1.

Approximately 70.60% of young people say they have seen bullying in their schools 2, and studies show that young people who either bully, or are bullied, are at greater risk for mental health and behavior problems3.

According to WorldCat, a catalog of library collections worldwide, the number of

English-language books tagged with the key word “bullying” in 2012 was only 1,8914, with many of those titles written from the perspective of those bullied.

Approximately $3.1 billion in children's books are being sold annually5, and E-Book and

App sales are on the rise ($177 + million in children’s E-Book sales in 20126).

Fourth graders who reported having 25 books or more at home had higher scores on reading tests than children who reported they didn’t have that many books7.

At a set price of $2.99 per E-Book/App, the average expected royalty is approximately

$1.728.

Depending on order size, binding and quality, the average expected cost of printing a book is between $2 - $59.

                                                                                                               1  Stopbullying.gov. "What is Bullying." Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/index.html  2  Stopbullying.gov. "Facts About Bullying." Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.stopbullying.gov/news/media/facts/ 3  Pacer.org. “Bullying Statistics.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.pacer.org/bullying/about/media-kit/stats.asp  4  Nytimes.com. “Publishers Revel in Youthful Cruelty.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/books/bullying-becomes-hot-and-profitable-topic-for-publishers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0  5  Npr.org. “The Future of Children’s Books.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.npr.org/2012/02/18/147099486/the-future-of-childrens-books  6  KoboBooks.com. “The Children’s Digital Book Market, Spring 2013.” Accessed July 13, 2014. https://media.kobobooks.com/sites/media.kobobooks.com/files/documents/childrens_digital_book_market_-_kobo_white_paper_spring_2013.pdf 7  Reading Is Fundamental. “Literacy Facts and Stats.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.rif.org/us/about/literacy-facts-and-stats.htm 8 Dragonpencil.com. “E-Book Royalties.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.dragonpencil.com/HTML/ebooks.html#royalties. Authorly.com “Pricing.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.authorly.com/pricing.html

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Where do we want to be? (Objective) To help children better cope with the social, emotional and behavioral impacts of bullying, and improve literacy. What is the plan? (Action) To capture the target market (i.e. females 30 – 44 yrs.; $50-$75k income) of the growing children’s E-Book/App industry by self-publishing a story which uniquely addresses the emotional aspects of bullying from both the victim and the aggressor’s perspective…and use 100% of the project’s profits to further spread the E-Book’s message and battle illiteracy. How do we get there? (Strategy) Crowdfunding! By using a crowdfunding platform (Kickstarter) that rewards the project’s supporters with exclusive and unique mementos/experiences (in exchange for their pledges), the goal is to raise $20,000 in order to launch the project. How exactly do we get there? (Tactics) Once funded, the project will employ the following tactics10 as it relies heavily upon a social media marketing campaign: 1) implement an efficient “keyword” strategy to maximize search engine optimization, 2) find, build and cultivate relationships with the right “influencers”—i.e. those with significant social media following (i.e. not for profit groups, schools, libraries, etc.) who are talking online about the issues of bullying and/or illiteracy, and 3) conduct audits and listen to the audience/customers to make proper pricing, marketing, content, etc. adjustments! The 23 month implementation plan is as follows: 1. Crowdfund (9 months) 2. Compose (3 months) 3. Proof (3 months) 4. Design (6 months) 5. Copyright (1 month) 6. Print (1 month) The goal is to create enough enthusiasm to encourage these “influencers” to discuss the E-Book/App online, and thereby generate sales.

                                                                                                               9 Diggypod.com. “Instant Book Printing Price.” Accessed July 13, 2014. https://www.diggypod.com/book-printing.html    10  Lieb, Rebecca. Content Marketing: Think Like a Publisher—How to Use Content to Market Online and in Social Media. Indianapolis: Que Publishing.  

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Can we get there? (5 “Next Steps11” to Implement Success & SWOT Analysis) With a recent survey indicating that the average self-published author makes about $10,000 / year from sales12, it is expected that the project’s “Break-Even” point of approximately 11,628 units could be reached within 24 months, at which point approximately 4,000 - 10,000 + printed books could potentially be provided to needy children. In order to reach this goal, the following 5 “Next Steps” must be undertaken: 1. Conduct “keyword” research to ensure search engine optimization. 2. Setup/design the appropriate landing page, blog, digital content accounts, etc. for the project. Examples: Kickstarter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr, etc. 3. Develop a strong story/characters, and find an illustrator who can best capture and convey the story’s message. 4. Find the “influencers” and build relationships with them. 5. Conduct audits and listen to the audience/customers by making the proper pricing, marketing, content, etc. adjustments! S trengths: Uniqueness, Simplicity, Charitableness, Universality Weaknesses: Unknown Author, Self-Publishing (resources, consumer trust, and quality generally suffer when self-publishing) Opportunities: Lack of competition, Merchandising Threats: Copycats, Negative Public Response: Lesson(s) Learned The most important thing I learned from this experience is that, in trying to resolve confrontations, we must first try to truly listen and place ourselves in the mindset of both the bully and the bullied—and somehow address the needs of each to resolve the conflict. II. The Opportunities & Target Market: Future Demand and Current Need Exist

                                                                                                               11  Lieb, Rebecca. Content Marketing: Think Like a Publisher—How to Use Content to Market Online and in Social Media. Indianapolis: Que Publishing.  12  CNN Tech. “Self-published e-book author: 'Most of my months are six-figure months'.” Accessed July 14, 2014. http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/07/tech/mobile/kindle-direct-publish/  

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The Digital Media: Future Demand According to Kobobooks13: While a 2012 parent co-reading survey conducted by the U.S.- based Joan Ganz Cooney Center, a non-profit agency dedicated to studying how digital media might help children learn, found that nearly three-quarters of iPad owners who read eBooks with their children still prefer reading print books with them; there were important micro-trends that may point to strong future growth. For example, while their parents might prefer print, only about half of the children preferred print, and 40% said they like eBooks and print the same. As well, publishers and retailers should take note that despite a print preference, 73% of the respondents still read books to their children on a device. Further, the Center noted that those parents tended to feel the features in eBooks such as read-along can actually help children learn to read on their own. In fact, the Center found that children ranging in age from three to six reading both print and basic eBooks preferred the eBook, and comprehension was the same for both formats. Part of the reason to resist reading on the iPad? Parents reported a concern that once their kids got their hands on it, “their children would want to use their e-Reader all the time.” They’d like it too much, in other words. Moreover, consider the following14: The Association of American Publishers reported substantial growth in 2012 revenues for children’s digital publishing (a nearly 200% increase year over year) in what has become a $177-million + business. A 2012 Bowker Market Research survey indicated that the number of e-Reading parents increased to 43%, versus just 26% the year before. Thirty-one percent of parents polled, with children aged 0 – 6, reported that they either had no preference between e-Books and print, or preferred e-Books—up from 28% the year before. Meanwhile, a 2012 Scholastic Kids report indicated that the number of children who have read an e-Book almost doubled since 2010 (25% vs 46%), and 72% of the parents polled said they were at least a little interested in having kids read e-Books. Of the children who have read an e-Book, 1 in 5 said they were reading more books.

                                                                                                               13  KoboBooks.com. “The Children’s Digital Book Market, Spring 2013.” Accessed July 20, 2014. https://media.kobobooks.com/sites/media.kobobooks.com/files/documents/childrens_digital_book_market_-_kobo_white_paper_spring_2013.pdf 14  KoboBooks.com.    “The Children’s Digital Book Market, Spring 2013.” Accessed July 20, 2014. https://media.kobobooks.com/sites/media.kobobooks.com/files/documents/childrens_digital_book_market_-_kobo_white_paper_spring_2013.pdf    

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According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey, the average reader of e-Books said he/she read 24 books (the mean number) within the 12 months preceding the survey (compared with an average of 15 books by a non e-Book consumer). Bullying & Illiteracy Statistics15: Current Need

Nearly 1 in 3 students (27.8%) report being bullied during the school year (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2013).

Students who experience bullying are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep

difficulties, and poor school adjustment (Center for Disease Control, 2012).

Students who bully others are at increased risk for substance use, academic problems, and violence later in adolescence and adulthood (Center for Disease Control, 2012).

Compared to students who only bully, or who are only victims, students who do both

suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for both mental health and behavior problems (Center for Disease Control, 2012).

Thirty-three percent of 4th grade public school students are at or below the “Basic” level

on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading tests. (NCES, 2009).

Forty-nine percent of 4th graders eligible for free and reduced-price meals finished below

“Basic” on the NAEP reading test. (NCES, 2009).

Fourth graders who reported having 25 books or more at home had higher scores on reading tests than children who reported they didn’t have that many books (NCES, 2003).

Where parent involvement is low, the classroom mean average is 46 points below the

national average. Where involvement is high, classrooms score 28 points above the national average. (NEA, 2009).

                                                                                                               15  www.pacer.org;  www.rif.org  

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Target Market for E-Books & E-Readers16: Females 30-44 Years; $50-$75k income

                                                                                                               16  Slideshare.net.    Understanding  Today’s  Children’s  Book  Consumers    http://www.slideshare.net/BookExpoAmerica/bea-­‐2013-­‐childrenspresentation052913final      

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III. Strategy The project will employ the following tactics17 as it relies heavily upon a social media marketing campaign: 1) implement an efficient “keyword” strategy to maximize search engine optimization, 2) find, build and cultivate relationships with the right “influencers”—i.e. those with significant social media following (i.e. not for profit groups, schools, libraries, etc.) who are talking online about the issues of bullying and/or illiteracy. The goal is to create enough enthusiasm to encourage these “influencers” to discuss the E-Book/App online, and thereby generate sales, and 3) Conduct audits and listen to the audience/customers to make proper pricing, marketing, content, etc. adjustments! The 23 month implementation plan is as follows: 1. Crowdfund (9 months) 2. Compose (3 months) 3. Proof (3 months) 4. Design (6 months) 5. Copyright (1 month) 6. Print (1 month) IV. Marketing Plan Overview Utilizing the strategy described in Section III (above), the project will employ a multi-tiered reward scheme to thank its supporters/backers:

Reward Scheme18

Level 1 Contributor ($15)—An E-Book, Digital Wallpaper of illustrator’s art, name listed in back matter of both the E-Book and printed editions.

Level 2 Contributor ($25)—Everything from Level I, plus a printed edition of the book.

Level 3 Contributor ($50)—Everything from Level II, plus match-donate a copy of the printed edition of the book to a worthy non-profit.

                                                                                                               17  Lieb, Rebecca. Content Marketing: Think Like a Publisher—How to Use Content to Market Online and in Social Media. Indianapolis: Que Publishing.  18  Kickstarter.com “Grandmother Fish.” Accessed July 14, 2014. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1849623603/grandmother-fish-a-childs-first-book-of-evolution?ref=category  

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Level 4 Contributor ($125)—Everything from Level III, plus limited edition art print signed by the illustrator. Your copy of the printed book will be signed by the author and the illustrator.

Level 5 Contributor ($200)—Everything from Level IV, plus 10 copies of the printed edition to be donated to the non-profit of your choice.

Level 6 Contributor ($500)—Everything from Level V, plus one custom illustration (to be included within the book).

Level 7 Contributor ($750)—Everything from Level VI, plus two custom illustrations (to be included within the book).

Level 8 Contributor ($1000)—Everything from Level VII, plus three custom illustrations (to be included within the book).

Level 9 Contributor ($5000)—Everything from Level VIII, plus 100 copies of the printed edition to be donated to the non-profit of your choice, plus a hand-bound, one-of-a-kind edition of the book signed by the author and the illustrator.

SWOT Analysis19 Strengths: a) Uniqueness: Addresses both aggressor and victim’s perspectives. b) Simplicity: Narrative is simply stated (less than 1,500 words). c) Charitableness: Book sales profit worthy causes. d) Universality: The story is a universal message that transcends cultures. Opportunities: a) Lack of competition: Currently, most bullying books do not address the issue from both the perspective of the victim AND the aggressor. b) Merchandising: Children’s marketing is BIG business. In 2002, U.S. four- to twelve-year-olds (parents) spent $30 billion. Youths also shape the buying patterns of their families. From vacation choices to car purchases to meal selections, they exert a tremendous power over the family pocketbook. Experts estimate that two- to fourteen-year-olds have sway over $500 billon a year in household purchasing. Thus, to influence youth is to influence the entire family's buying decisions. Threats: Copycats: Other, more well known and widely read children authors may write books from the bully’s perspective, thus diminishing my audience. Negative Public Response: The author’s choice to introduce concepts/words that young children do not often deal with may be upsetting to some, causing a negative response amongst parents, teachers, etc.

                                                                                                               19  Future  of  Children.org.    Accessed  July  21,  2014.    http://www.futureofchildren.org; The Marketing Strategy of Harry Potter by Srimoyee Dasgupta

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Weaknesses: Unknown Author: there is no author recognition. Self-Publishing: resources, consumer trust, and quality generally suffer when self-publishing. V. Financial Plan Consider the following:

At an average set price of $2.99 per E-Book/App (2013), the average royalty is $1.7220.

Depending on order size, binding and quality, the average cost of printing a book is between $2 - $521.

Accordingly, as the below financial calculations and projections will show, assuming: a) fixed costs of $20,000, b) a set price of $2.99 per E-Book/App sold, and c) variable costs of $1.27 per E-Book/App sold, approximately 11,628 E-Units will need to be sold to break-even.

                                                                                                               20 Dragonpencil.com. “E-Book Royalties.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.dragonpencil.com/HTML/ebooks.html#royalties. Authorly.com “Pricing.” Accessed July 13, 2014. http://www.authorly.com/pricing.html; PBS.org. “How to Set the Right Price for Your Self-Published Book.” Accessed July 21, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/09/how-to-set-the-right-price-for-your-self-published-book/ 21 Diggypod.com. “Instant Book Printing Price.” Accessed July 13, 2014. https://www.diggypod.com/book-printing.html    

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VI. Things Learned Cat Tales: A Public-Private Venture for Self-Publishing Children’s E-books, was a rewarding experience. As a real estate analyst and a former transactional real estate attorney, my experiences grew me accustomed to gathering and analyzing a complete set of data before forming detailed responses to questions. This project, however, placed me in a role which I was unaccustomed to—that of entrepreneur. Consequently, I learned that entrepreneurs need to make quick, informed decisions, while maintaining a solid line of argument, where free and reliable market data is hard to obtain. Equally as important, however, as I reflect upon my individual project experience, I was surprised in discovering that I learned more about life and human nature than I did about the business of self-publishing. We probably have all, at some point in our lives, experienced or witnessed a form of bullying. Yet, how many of us think of ourselves as a bully? More likely than not, at one point or another in our lives, we all had a “little bully” inside of us…whether it was failing to associate with certain people or groups, abusing them verbally, or physically…the examples are endless. Thus, though we often seek to address the feelings and needs of those bullied, what happens to those who fail to let go of the “little bully” inside of them? Though it is important to help the victim, if our goal is to prevent bullying (at school, at home, or at work), how can we accomplish this objective if we don’t equally take into consideration, and address, the mindset of the bully? What about the bully’s feelings and needs? In conclusion, and as my draft story intimates, perhaps the most important thing I learned from this experience is that, in trying to resolve confrontations, we must first try to truly listen and place ourselves in the mindset of both the bully and the bullied—and somehow address the needs of each to resolve the conflict.

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VII. Selected Bibliography Harvard Business Essentials: Entrepreneur’s Toolkit. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2005. How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character. Boston, MA: Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2012. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2006. Start Something That Matters. New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 2012. Acknowledgements I would also like to acknowledge, and thank, the following people for their input, support and advice: Al-Habech, Ali. Student, United Arab Emirates Al-Habech, Mohamad. Chief Commercial Officer, Hydra Properties, United Arab Emirates Dolo, Nico. Senior Partner, 37 Capital, Paris, France Kates, Betsy. Teacher, George Washington Elementary School, Mohegan Lake, NY Messina, Karen. Teacher, George Washington Elementary School, Mohegan Lake, NY Plateroti, Erica. Teacher, George Washington Elementary School, Mohegan Lake, NY Polichetti, Deana. Teacher & ELA Coach, George Washington Elementary School, Mohegan Lake, NY Saunders, Heather. School Psychologist, George Washington Elementary School, Mohegan Lake, NY Weitman, Michael. Social Worker, George Washington Elementary School, Mohegan Lake, NY

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VIII. Draft Story (Copyright 2014) 22 Shadow  cried  quietly  beneath  the  corner  carrel  in  Mrs.  Bailey’s  first  grade  classroom.          “Shadow,”  his  teacher  asked,  “what  is  the  matter?    It  is  time  for  recess!”    “Mrs.  Bailey,”  Shadow  bawled,  as  he  buried  his  furry  face  into  his  puny  paws,  “that  big  bad  bully,  Bandit,  was  bothering  me  again!  He  pushed  me  to  the  ground  and  made  fun  of  my  tail!    He  won’t  stop!    What  do  I  do?”    “Don’t  worry,  Shadow.”  Mrs.  Bailey  replied,  as  she  knelt  down  to  comfort  her  young  student.    “Class?!”  she  called  out,  “Please  follow  Mrs.  Simon,  the  hall  monitor,  to  recess.    Shadow?  Bandit?    Would  you  like  to  stay  and  have  lunch  with  me?”        “Yes,  Mrs.  Bailey.”  Shadow  whimpered  back.    “O….OK  Mrs.  Bailey.”  Bandit,  the  big  Burmese  cat,  said  hesitantly.    As  the  rest  of  the  class  followed  Mrs.  Simon  down  the  hall,  Mrs.  Bailey,  Shadow,  and  Bandit  began  their  lunches  as  they  sat  around  Mrs.  Bailey’s  table.    Upon  finishing  their  meals,  Mrs.  Bailey  asked,  “Bandit?  Shadow  claims  that  you  have  repeatedly  pushed  him  to  the  ground  and  made  fun  of  his  tail.    Is  this  true?”    “Y…ye…yes,  Mrs.  Bailey,”  Bandit  replied  softly,  as  he  looked  down  at  his  feet.    “I  was  angry  at  Shadow  because  he  wouldn’t  give  me  the  building  blocks  he  was  playing  with.”      “Well,”  Mrs.  Bailey  gently  smiled,  “being  angry  is  OK.”    “IT  IS  ?”  both  Bandit  and  Shadow  replied,  as  their  eyes  widened.    “Of  course  it  is!”  Mrs.  Bailey  laughed,  “We  all  get  angry  at  times!    Even  Mrs.  Bailey!”            “So  it  is  OK  for  Bandit  to  push  me  and  make  fun  of  me?”  Shadow  asked.    “Of  course  not  Shadow!”  Mrs.  Bailey  exclaimed.    “Being  angry  is  OK….but  how  we  express  our  anger  may  not  be  OK!”    Shadow  and  Bandit  looked  at  each  other  with  a  puzzled  look  and  replied,  “We  don’t  understand.    What  do  you  mean?”    “Well,”  Mrs.  Bailey  began  to  explain,  “expressing  your  anger  negatively  by  hurting  others  is  not  OK.    So,  Bandit,  what  you  did  to  Shadow  was  wrong.”    “So,”  Bandit  asked  aloud,  “how  do  you  express  anger  in  a  good  way  Mrs.  Bailey?”      “That  is  a  great  question  Bandit!”  Mrs.  Bailey  smiled  approvingly.    “Expressing  anger  in  a  good  way  will  depend  on  the  individual.    For  me,  running,  writing,  drawing,  or  talking  with  a  friend  about  what  makes  me  angry  helps  me  express  my  anger  in  a  good  way,  without  physically  hurting  someone,  or  their  feelings.”    “Ohhhhh…..,”  Bandit  and  Shadow  replied,  as  they  began  to  think  about  what  Mrs.  Bailey  had  just  explained  to  them.      

                                                                                                               22  This  story  was  inspired  from  Buzzfeed.com “Awesome Bullying Lesson From A New York Teacher” Accessed July 19, 2014. https://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/awesome-bullying-lesson-from-a-new-york-teacher?s=mobile and comments posted by one or more people suggesting the use of a $1 bill to convey the message of self worth.  

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 “You  see,  Bandit,”  Mrs.  Bailey  softly  began,  “when  you  express  your  anger  in  a  bad  way,  what  you  say  and  what  you  do  may  eventually  be  forgotten…however,  the  person  you  take  your  anger  out  upon  may  never  forget  how  you  made  them  feel….it  marks  them  forever.”    “I  am  confused  Mrs.  Bailey,”  Bandit  replied.    “How  will  Shadow  forget  what  I  said  or  what  I  did,  but  not  forget  how  I  made  him  feel?    How  did  I  mark  him?    What  if  I  were  to  apologize?”    “I  thought  you  might  feel  that  way,”  Mrs.  Bailey  chuckled,  as  she  pulled  out  a  crisp  $1  bill  from  her  wallet  and  handed  it  to  Bandit.    “Take  this  $1  bill  and  squish  it  up  into  a  little  ball.”    As  Bandit  eagerly  took  the  bill  and  did  as  his  teacher  asked,  Shadow  watched  carefully.    “Now,  Bandit,”  Mrs.  Bailey  explained,  “please  apologize  to  the  bill  for  squishing  it,  and  flatten  it  out  to  its  original  shape.”    As  Bandit  did  as  Mrs.  Bailey  asked,  Shadow  shouted  out,  “Mrs.  Bailey!  The  bill  is  now  wrinkled!    It  won’t  hold  its  shape!”        “Exactly,  Shadow,”  Mrs.  Bailey  said  reassuringly.    “Bandit,”  she  said  gently,  “pretend  that  Shadow  is  the  $1  bill  that  I  gave  you.    Now  do  you  see  how  expressing  your  anger  in  a  bad  way  leaves  a  mark  on  the  person  you  take  your  anger  out  on,  even  though  you  apologized?    How  your  anger  makes  them  feel  stays  with  them  forever…just  like  the  wrinkles  in  the  $1  bill.”      Bandit’s  eyes  welled  up  with  tears.    He  now  understood  the  consequences  of  his  actions  and  he  was  sad.      “It’s  OK,  Bandit,”  Mrs.  Bailey  said,  “You  chose  poorly  today,  but  that  does  not  make  you  a  bad  cat.    At  least  now  you  can  change  your  ways.”    “Thank  you  Mrs.  Bailey.”  Bandit  said  as  he  wiped  away  the  tears  from  his  eyes.      “Mrs.  Bailey,”  Shadow  interjected,  “I  don’t  want  to  be  marked  forever!    What  do  I  do?”    “Shadow,”  Mrs.  Bailey  began,  “take  a  closer  look  at  the  $1  bill.    Though  the  bill  is  marked  with  wrinkles  and  has  changed  its  shape,  is  it  still  worth  $1?”    As  he  frowned  thinking  about  the  question,  Shadow  replied,  “Yes;  it  is  still  worth  $1  Mrs.  Bailey.”        “The  same  thinking  applies  to  you  Shadow,”  Mrs.  Bailey  gently  said,  as  she  knelt  down  to  comfort  her  student.    “Though  your  experience  with  Bandit  today  left  its  mark  on  you  by  making  you  sad,  it  did  not  change  who  you  are  or  what  your  value  is  as  an  individual.    Though  experiences  such  as  the  one  you  encountered  today  leave  a  mark,  they  do  make  us  unique…as  they  help  shape  who  we  are.      The  important  thing  to  remember,  Shadow,  is  that  your  self  worth  is  not  defined  by  others,  or  their  opinions  of  you.”    “So,  Mrs.  Bailey,”  Bandit  smiled,  “Can  I  talk  with  you  about  what  makes  me  angry?”    “Of  course  Bandit!”  Mrs.  Bailey  said.    “Tell  me…what  makes  you  angry?”    “Well,”  Bandit  began,  “I  get  angry  when  I  don’t  get  what  I  want.    Like  today,  I  got  angry  because  Shadow  wouldn’t  give  me  the  building  blocks  he  was  playing  with.”    “OK,”  Mrs.  Bailey  said,  “but  why  did  you  want  the  building  blocks  when  you  saw  that  Shadow  was  playing  with  them?”    Bandit  scratched  his  head  as  he  thought  long  and  hard  about  the  question.    “Mrs.  Bailey?”  he  said,  after  a  few  minutes  passed,  “I  think  I  know  why.    

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Since  everyone  wants  to  play  with  the  building  blocks,  I  figured  that  if  I  had  the  blocks,  everyone  would  want  to  play  with  me.”        “Ohhh!”  Mrs.  Bailey  exclaimed.    “Bandit,”  she  asked,  “don’t  you  have  any  friends  to  play  with?”    “No,  Mrs.  Bailey,”  Bandit  said  softly  as  he  stared  at  his  feet,  “I  don’t.    Nobody  likes  me,  and  it  makes  me  sad.”      “I  understand,  Bandit,”    Mrs.  Bailey  said  gently.    “Sometimes  it  is  easier  to  be  angry  at  someone  than  it  is  to  tell  them  that  you  are  sad.    It  sounds  like  you  want  a  friend  to  play  with,  but  you  don’t  know  how  to  make  friends!    How  can  you  make  friends  if  you  push  and  make  fun  of  others?    These  poor  choices  stop  you  from  getting  what  you  want!    Why  not  simply  ask  Shadow  if  he  wanted  to  play  with  you?    You  don’t  really  want  the  blocks!    You  want  a  friend!”    “I  never  thought  about  it  that  way!”  Bandit  smiled.    “Thank  you  for  listening  and  not  judging  me  as  an  individual  Mrs.  Bailey.    I  now  understand  that  by  talking  to  someone  about  my  feelings,  I  can  express  my  anger  in  a  good  way!    And,  I  also  learned  how  to  make  a  friend!”    “You  are  welcome  Bandit,”    Mrs.  Bailey  smiled.    “Shadow,”  Bandit  asked,  “may  I  play  building  block  with  you  during  recess?”    “Sure,  Bandit!”  Shadow  smiled,  “I  would  like  that!”        “Run  along  boys  and  go  play!”  Mrs.  Bailey  smiled.    “Recess  is  almost  over!”    

The  End