This story, written by a friend and teacher’s aide, started in her classroom as a lesson to prepare students for the inevitable – conflict. It focuses on the cause, effect, and how to turn the situation around.

The author could imagine main character Gabby in her head, with hair that’s a little wild and freckles. Others, such as the bus driver, needed to look like a real life counterpart. I sketched out characters first in pencil, as in the group of new friends here, and finished in Photoshop.

Gabby Batts Extraordinary Hero is a great conversation-starting tool. It is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.