Desmond and the Very Mean Word

A powerful, stirring yet utterly down-to-earth story with an unforgettable message about anger, compassion and forgiveness. Based on a true story from the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu`s childhood, Desmond and the Very Mean Word depicts an incident in a South African town. While proudly riding his new bicycle, young Desmond is rudely insulted by some neighbourhood boys - and at first he responds angrily. But he`s troubled to find that retaliation brings him no relief, and he can`t stop thinking about the mean things the boys said to him. With the aid of the kindly Father Trevor, Desmond arrives at a better understanding of his feelings and learns that true forgiveness comes from within - and arises when you choose to regard all people with compassion, whether or not they say they are sorry. A beautiful tale of forgiveness, as well as a lesson about how to handle bullying and feelings of anger, embarrassment and revenge, this is a vibrantly illustrated, deeply warm-hearted story.