"Children's Illustrated Book: 'The Bench by the Tree'”

"The Bench by the Tree” In a small, peaceful town surrounded by fields and forests, there was a park where children played, families picnicked, and the elderly sat on benches, reminiscing about old times. Among these benches was one that sat beneath a large oak tree—a bench that seemed to always stay empty. For years, that bench was avoided by most of the townsfolk. It wasn’t because it was broken or uncomfortable. It was because of a quiet, unspoken rule that people in the town rarely talked about but always obeyed: "That bench isn’t for everyone ."The town, though outwardly harmonious, had long been divided by an invisible line. On one side of the line lived families who had been in the town for generations—mostly white. On the other side lived families who had moved inmore recently, many of them Black or Latino, seeking better opportunities. One summer, a boy named Marcus moved into the town with his family. He was twelve years old, full of curiosity, and excited to explore the new world around him. His favorite thing was drawing. He carried a sketchbook everywhere, filling its pages with pictures of trees, animals, and people he saw. One afternoon, Marcus wandered into the park, sketchbook in hand. He saw the empty bench under the oak tree and thought it was the perfect spot to draw. As he sat down and began sketching, he noticed a group of kids playing nearby. They stopped their game and stared at him. Whispering among themselves, they started walking over. "Hey," one of the boys said, his tone sharp. "What are Syou doing sitting there? "Marcus looked up, confused. "I’m just drawing. Why? "The boy sneered. "That’s not your bench." "My bench?" Marcus asked, bewildered. "It’s just a bench. "The group laughed, but it wasn’t a kind laugh. "That bench isn’t for people like you," another kid said. "Go sit somewhere else."Marcus’s heart sank. He didn’t understand. People like him? He tried to ask what they meant, but the kids were already walking away, still laughing. Feeling small and unwanted, Marcus packed his things and left the park. That evening, Marcus told his parents what had happened. His mother sighed deeply, and his father clenched his fists. "We were hoping things would be different here," his mother said softly. They explained to Marcus that some people might treat him unfairly because of the color of his skin—a concept that was hard for him to grasp. But Marcus was determined. The next day, he returned to the park. This time, he brought his sketchbook, a small stool, and his best box of colored pencils. He sat down on the bench and began drawing again. When the same group of kids showed up, they started to approach him, but this time, something different happened. A girl named Emma, who had been playing on the swings, saw what was happening. She had always been taught to be kind to everyone, no matter their differences. Watching the boys harass Marcus, she felt a knot of anger in her stomach. "Leave him alone!" Emma shouted, walking over. The boys stopped and stared at her. "It’s just a bench! He has every right to sit there."One of the boys scoffed. "Why do you care?""Because it’s wrong!" Emma said firmly. "He’s not doing anything to you."The boys mumbled among themselves and eventually walked away, annoyed. Emma turned to Marcus and smiled. "Hi, I’m Emma. What are you drawing?"Marcus hesitated, then showed her his sketchbook. It was a detailed drawing of the oak tree and the bench, with a few birds perched in the branches. "Wow, that’s amazing," Emma said. "Can I sit with you?"For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them talked and laughed. Emma even tried her hand at drawing, though she wasn’t very good at it. Other kids in the park noticed them and, slowly, began to drift over. By the end of the day, the bench under the oak tree wasn’t so empty anymore. Over time, Marcus’s courage and Emma’s kindness began to change the town. The unspoken rule about the bench started to fade. People began sitting there regardless of where they were from or what they looked [login to view URL] later, Marcus became a famous artist. One of his most beloved paintings was called The Bench by the Tree. It showed a group of children from different backgrounds sitting together under a sprawling oak, their faces lit with laughter. Beneath the painting, a plaque read:"Kindness is the strongest line that breaks the walls we build."The bench in the park still stands, and now, it’s never empty.