The One and Only Question

It's Zeke's first day at his new school and his head is filled with one big question: what will he do when they call him the N-word like they did at his old school?

Book Genre:

Picture Books

Audience:

ages 4 to 8 / grades K to 3

Written by

Norma Charles and Andrea Charles

Illustrated by

Ken Daley

Book Description
It’s Zeke’s first day at his new school and it seems like it is going to be the worst day ever. His favorite shirt has a mustard stain on it, the bus driver is unfriendly, and his teacher covers material Zeke has heard a million times. Worst of all, Zeke is braced all day wondering what he’ll do when someone calls him the N-word, like they did at his old school. It’s not until another student performs a small act of kindness that Zeke realizes that this school could be different.

The One and Only Question will prompt young readers to ask questions of their own about how to handle bullying — while also encouraging conversations about everyone’s right to a safe learning environment. After completing the following activities, teachers should expect children to learn how to be a good friend, develop deeper empathy and have a better understanding of bullying and how it affects others.
Pre-Reading Activities/ Key Ideas & Details
Discuss the Themes
This story has many themes including: being bullied, friendship, empathy and resilience. Discuss each theme and its meaning with students and ask them to share any personal connections they have with any theme.
Pre-Reading Activities/ Comprehension Strategies
Text Forms and Features
Show the front cover. Ask them to look closely at the expression on the boy’s face. Then, ask them to explain how they think he feels. Why? Ask students what else they see on the cover. Where do they think the boy is going? Why?
Pre-Reading Activities/ Comprehension Strategies
Picture Walk
As a class, look through the first few pages of the book. Ask students to predict what they think the book will be about. Ask students to point to the main characters. What can they tell about the characters by looking at the pictures? Record student responses and confirm predictions after the story has been shared.