French-authored and first published in Germany, this fabulous wordless picturebook presents a realistic storyline that some readers will know all too well. Vanessa is new in town and feels isolated at her school. The story gets going when a classmate decides to bully Vanessa. Upset, she flees in tears. The other children feel powerless over the act of bullying and hang their heads in shame. However, the picturebook concludes by the children realising the strength of unity and teamwork. Vanessa is empowered to participate in her new school: she no longer walks alone, but within a crowd of allies and friends. The final scene of the picturebook shows Vanessa at the gates of her school in a vibrantly illustrated crowd of multicultural classmates; the crowd keeps getting bigger. This picturebook is notable as one of the best and most positive representations of a multicultural and multi-ethnic community of children.
