I Won My First Contest

According to the judge, “Lewis chose a heart-rending scenario, that of a parent whose child ‘isn’t normal.’ The narrator speaks of the ‘critic column,’ that growing list of people who have negative things to relate about the problem child, and about the sense of disorientation that comes with being the parent of a child who does not fulfill happy expectations. Terse dialog carries the reader through the conflict. The stolen shoes, the victim’s tears, the teacher’s grim efforts to restore order, the parent’s shame, and Sam’s defiance are deftly presented in just a few lines. Lewis handles an explosive subject with powerful restraint, creating a tender portrayal of sorrow, confusion, and love.”

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