Little Pete's Plaid House (ePub)

Little Pete is a sweet, simple snail who lives on the shady side of a farmhouse porch. Her real name is Holly, but her grandmother calls her "Little Pete." She lives in a brown shell that is too big for her and also a bit drafty. Little Pete shares the porch with other snails who have beautifully colored shells and extra luxuries, such as running water, heat, and electricity.

Little Pete's brown shell was all she had, and she loved having her own house. But she soon learned the sad lessons of hatred, judgment, and criticism from living in a shell that did not fit in with the others. She suffered the sorrow of being bullied by the others.

Then the other snails started having trouble with their own beautiful shells. They soon learned that Little Pete would keep them safe and warm and unafraid as she invited them to stay in her shell. They learned lessons of grace, forgiveness, love, and support. They learned that Little Pete had a hero's heart. They learned that her love was pure and real. They learned not to judge a snail by her shell.

This book was inspired by the belief that bullying can and should be addressed in early grades. Young learners will hopefully be encouraged to recognize what bullying is and understand in some way the sadness and helplessness it brings to the sufferer. This book was created to inspire learning of the concept of empathy, forgiveness, and generosity and to celebrate the differences that are unique to us all.