Jamaica loves to draw and today in class her teacher, Mrs. Wirth, wants everyone to make a fall picture. Jamaica closes her eyes to "think first, and then draw" just as she's been taught. Then, Mrs. Wirth asks Jamaica to share her markers with Russell, a rash boy who snatches and throws sand and who reaches out and draws a blue streak across Jamaica's beautiful fall scene. Jamaica's feelings are hurt and at home she tells her family what this mean boy did to her today. But like everyone, Russell has a story and it is going to take a little more time for Jamaica to find out what is happening in Russell's life and to feel some empathy and compassion for a boy who is being asked to move away from everyone and everything he knows. Perhaps a marker, a blue marker, is not too high a price to pay to help someone else through a difficult time. Ages 5-9 32 pages