Nina And I: Based on a true story.

I was a quiet and shy kindergartener, the biggest in my class, and Linda was the smallest. Being different usually meant constantly being singled out and teased, and Linda was my biggest nemesis.

I remember sitting on the bus pretending not to notice the menacing smile on Linda’s face as she jumped from one seat to the other in front of me. When she finally succeeded in finally having me look her way, she stuck out her tongue for what I believed to be for no other reason than to make me cry. I remember getting off the bus, running for home with tears in my eyes.

I believed that Linda’s bullying would never end, until one day I was invited to her home for a playdate. Surprisingly, we somehow learned that we could be friends, and in the days that followed we were constantly together, holding hands, and giggling through school recess. Linda had become my unlikely best friend.

I could have easily written this book from my own childhood perspective as a taunted little girl hiding away from her bully. Instead, I thought it would be more interesting to try and write this story from Linda’s point of view. Although Linda’s perceived bullying towards me was easily misinterpreted, I can only guess, like myself, she was struggling to find ways to make new friends. Although, I will never know the true efforts leading to our playdate, I like to imagine that it was all Linda’s idea.