The Youngest One — Nancy Springer

Jessie is tired of dealing with her drunk mother and life in a rough part of town, and when a creepy woman approaches her one morning and advises her to pay attention to Shakespeare's As You Like It in her English class she shrugs off the recommendation. After all, what relevance does Shakespeare have with her life? A chance encounter with an unusual toad, however, is about to completely alter Jessie's perceptions of what matters in the world, and might just provide her with an unexpected happily-ever-after.

A short story.