Debbie Lechtman

A Cry For Attention

Illustrated by Jordan Wester

When Sibley died, they said it was a cry for attention. I hear them say it, and in my head, I mock them, because I know that they are so right and so wrong. So right and so wrong — it’s a peculiar inconsistency. But it’s there, and it’s true. They are so right and so …

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Little Princess

Illustrated by Lakshmy Mathur

Amira. Her name is Amira. It rolls prettily off the tip of the tongue: Ah-MEER-ah. Amira. In her native language, it means “princess.” Nobody ever laughed about the meaning of her name. It doesn’t matter that she is poor as a pauper. It doesn’t matter that she’s never owned a pair of shoes. It doesn’t matter, …

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