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From the Publisher
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“Set in post-apartheid Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, this realistic story traces protagonist Mercy’s quest to speak up for truth and, consequently, for herself. […] Sensitive, funny, and tender.” — Kirkus, starred review |
“Karen Vermeulen’s simple line drawings complement Krone’s text with appropriate whimsy. [...] Krone notes that her 'favorite stories are those that, just when you expect a lesson, sing a song instead.' Small Mercies is just that surprising song, full of light and sweetness. Readers will carry the melody in their hearts long after the last page is turned.” —New York Journal of Books |
“This novel has a gentle, timeless feel, complex secondary characters, and quirky humor. A heartfelt, human, and wise addition to middle grade shelves.” —School Library Journal |
Mercy experiences a lot of bullying in this book. How can we more actively create safe spaces for our children at school and at home?
Bullying is a big topic that often crops up in children's books and for good reason: it's complicated, real and there are almost as many ways of dealing with it as there are bullying situations. I don't think there's a 'one-size-fits-all' solution. While I believe some kids do manage situations on their own, others really are best served by confiding in an adult who intervenes on their behalf. But not always. Sometimes – and this was the line I took in Small Mercies– the bully is managed by a realignment of loyalties. Mercies' classmates form new friendships and this happens quietly. Beatrice, the class bully, is not publicly vanquished but subtly side-lined. I like the line from The Art of War which says, 'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.' Anti-bullying programs can be effective, even critical, but stories will always be better at revealing more nuanced solutions.
Mercy feels a lot of pressure to hide her feelings and avoid asking for help. How can we convince our children that it's okay not to be okay?
Children, just like adults, hide their feelings for so many reasons. Our culture is not gentle with people who are not okay. So the best way to encourage children to tell us the truth is to make it safe for them to do so. That might mean giving them the vocabulary to talk about feelings or keeping calm when truth is told; not lecturing them on what they 'should' be feeling; modeling our own honesty; recognizing that truth is often messy ... all these things will help.
And stories, again, help more than we realize. I think it was CS Lewis who said, "We read to know we are not alone." Careful, kind adults are not always available to receive children's honesty, and stories can really step into the gap to show how the world works: things are messy; truth will sometimes triumph; courage can be rewarded; pain will not be denied and connection is our best hope for survival.
