“Special”

“One by Sarah Crossan reminded me of when I had to go to a Japanese public school for short while during the summer. I was walking to school on the first day, and everyone was gawking and staring and pointing at me. It was probably because I was a new student who suddenly arrived. At that time, the school allowed kids from international schools or people who lived abroad to attend their school for just a few weeks, so I really didn’t have any friends. I felt so insecure and didn’t know what to do when they all looked at me. I kept attending that school though, because my parents wanted me to. Even though I hated going there, I think it helped me understand the Japanese education system and society.

Through the characters in the book, a pair of conjoined twins, I saw that when you’re ‘special’, a lot of people are curious about you. And when they ask questions, even really simple ones, they just hurt you and make you feel so insecure. I think this book was a really good example of situations where people show curiosity towards people who are a bit different from others.”

From K.H.

25 February 2025