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    Hate Mail
    Hate Mail
    Hate Mail
    Ebook80 pages1 hour

    Hate Mail

    By Monique Polak

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Inspired by real-life events, Hate Mail examines the transformative power of speaking out against prejudice.

    Jordie’s cousin Todd has moved back to Montreal and is attending Jordie’s high school. Todd has autism and requires an aide. Todd has not been welcomed in the school. He’s known as a freak, and even other parents seem to resent Todd’s special needs. Jordie does everything he can to distance himself from his cousin, fearful of what his friends might think. When he learns that Todd’s whole family is buckling under the pressure of a hateful letter, Jordie starts to question his own behavior. But Todd’s resources are unique, and he soon finds a way to prove his worth to his peers and to the community at large.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOrca Book Publishers
    Release dateSep 1, 2014
    ISBN9781459807785
    Hate Mail
    Author

    Monique Polak

    Monique Polak is the author of more than thirty books for young people. She is the three-time winner of the Quebec Writers' Federation Prize for Children's and YA Literature for her novels Hate Mail, What World is Left and Room for One More. In addition to teaching at Marianopolis College in Montreal, Monique is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in Maclean's Magazine, the Montreal Gazette and other Postmedia newspapers. She is also a columnist on ICI Radio-Canada's Plus on est de fous, plus on lit! In 2016, Monique was the CBC/Quebec Writers' Federation inaugural writer-in-residence. Monique lives in Montreal.

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      Book preview

      Hate Mail - Monique Polak

      Hate Mail

      Monique Polak

      O R C A   B O O K   P U B L I S H E R S

      Copyright © 2014 Monique Polak

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

      Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

      Polak, Monique, author

      Hate mail / Monique Polak.

      (Orca currents)

      Issued in print and electronic formats.

      ISBN 978-1-4598-0776-1 (bound).—ISBN 978-1-4598-0775-4 (pbk.).—

      ISBN 978-1-4598-0777-8 (pdf).—ISBN 978-1-4598-0778-5 (epub)

      I. Title. II. Series: Orca currents

      PS8631.O43H38 2014        jc813’.6        C2014-901563-1

      C2014-901564-X

      First published in the United States, 2014

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2014935381

      Summary: Jordie has a hard time going to school with his cousin with autism.

      Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

      Cover photography by iStock

      Author photo by Studio Iris Photography

      www.orcabook.com

      17  16  15  14  •  4  3  2  1

      For my friend David Riverin,

      who loves to read

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Acknowledgments

      Chapter One

      Are we out of juice boxes? I call out.

      Mom walks into the kitchen. She’s on the phone. I can tell from the way she keeps shaking her head she’s upset. She must be talking to Aunt Anna. I bet they’re talking about Todd.

      Just before the school year started, Aunt Anna, Uncle Fred and my cousin Todd moved back to Montreal from a small town in upstate New York. We have more services for kids like Todd here, and Mom thought it would help Aunt Anna if they lived closer to us.

      Who would write something like that? Mom says into the phone.

      Juice boxes? I whisper.

      She opens the cupboard under the sink, pulls out a packet of juice boxes and hands it to me.

      I hate orange, I mutter. But Mom isn’t listening.

      I toss a box of orange juice into my lunch bag. Maybe Tyrone will trade me.

      Mom follows me to the front hallway. She tucks the phone between her ear and her shoulder so she can hear Aunt Anna while she kisses me goodbye. Have a good day, Jordie, she calls out after me.

      As Mom closes the door behind me, I can still hear her talking to Aunt Anna.

      What I don’t understand is how anyone could be so deliberately cruel. Not only to think those awful things, but to put them into a letter. There’s a pause, and then she adds, Thank goodness Todd doesn’t know.

      What letter? I wonder.

      When I get to our locker, Tyrone is checking his cell phone—Tyrone is always playing with his phone. What’s good, bro? he says, high-fiving me.

      Samantha and Isobel walk by. They’re both wearing tight striped T-shirts and short skirts. Looking good, ladies! Tyrone says, and they laugh. Samantha gives me a little wave.

      I spot Todd coming down the hallway. I look away, pretending to search my locker.

      The bell rings, and I slam the locker shut. The hallway is filling up with kids moving in every direction. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t see Todd now.

      Where’s your babysitter? I hear a guy call out.

      I know without looking up that he must be talking to Todd. Correction: not talking to Todd. Talking at Todd. Except for the teachers and Darlene, Todd’s aide, hardly anyone at school talks to Todd. Not even me.

      Aren’t you a little old for a babysitter? the same voice asks.

      I don’t hear Todd answer.

      Quit bugging him, a girl’s voice says.

      Then I hear a loud "Oops!" It’s probably Todd.

      When some kids start snickering, I know for sure it’s him.

      Leave me alone! He is shouting now. Go away! Up the hall, I see Todd is on his back on the floor, his arms flapping. Kids are backing away. When Todd loses his temper, he really loses it.

      I feel bad for Todd, I swear I do. I know I should go over and help. Except no one—not even Tyrone—knows that Todd is my cousin.

      Where’s Darlene anyhow? She gets paid to look after him.

      As I’m thinking that, I spot the top of Darlene’s head. Her curls make her look like a walking mop. Todd! Are you hurt? Darlene is one of those loud, slow talkers. It probably comes from spending her days shadowing kids like Todd.

      I can’t see Todd through the crowd of kids now, but I can hear his labored breathing as

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