Why Won't Anna Say Hi? — Jessica Scott

Katie arrives at school for her first day of kindergarten. She is so excited to meet her new teacher, Mrs. Rogers, and all her new classmates. Katie enters the brightly decorated classroom ready to learn. She recognizes a friend from preschool and a boy from her neighborhood. She also sees faces of boys and girls who she hopes are going to be her friends. One girl has really caught Katie's attention. The girl's name is Anna. Anna is very quiet, and Katie notices she acts a little differently than everyone else in the classroom does. As the day goes on, Katie finds out that she really likes Anna. Anna has autism, but Katie sees her as just another girl.

This publication is the first of a series highlighting classroom diversity. Follow Katie and her friends as they learn to appreciate one another's differences. The students in Mrs. Rogers's class represent kindness and acceptance.