The Poplar

One day, one class from one school went to one library. The children were jabbering along the way, each pair chattering about their own things, not listening to each other... And so the roaring flock of children moved slowly, but surely to the city library.

Nothing around them interested the kids, they’d walked this way thousands of times. The same grass, the same trees.

However, upon their arrival at the library, everything changed. Right at the door of the majestic library, the librarians shushed them.

“Hush, kids!” said their teacher, repeating it with her finger on her lips.

And the kids, though unwillingly, finally fell silent. First, the librarians explained to them how it works in the library. Then the children would be able to go and see the books themselves. If a book catches their interest, they can borrow it and take it home. Everyone was excited - except for little Joe.

“You don’t like books, do you?” the librarian lady asked when she noticed the boy was a bit lost.

“I don’t like letters,” he said quietly, his head down.

Even at school he tried to avoid them. The letters were constantly dancing and twisting in front of his eyes. There was no way he could grasp them and read them right. His classmates always teased him for it.

“Then let’s look for some books with pictures. You might find something interesting.” The librarian took Joe's hand and led him to the picture bookshelf.

Although Joe pretended he was looking for something, in reality he wished he was long gone from there. As he was hanging out around the books, he suddenly struck his elbow on a book that was sticking out of the shelf. And it fell right in front of Joe's…