Suzy And Leah By Jane Yolen

“Suzy and Leah,” a story by Jane Yolen, is a story that teaches many life lessons. The story's main character is Suzy, an average school girl, and Leah, a refugee during World War Two. When refugees arrive and start going to Suzy’s school, it is the English-speaking students’ job to get paired with a German refugee, and Suzy gets paired with Leah. Suzy and Leah’s relationship changes over time, but one thing we can learn is to not judge somebody before you know them. The feelings that Suzy had towards Leah were different throughout the story. At the start, Suzy doesn’t like Leah and finds here mean and boring, and Leah finds Suzy silly and fake. In her diary, Suzy writes, “She’s so stuck up, she only talks in class to answer questions. The other refugees aren't like that at all. Why is it only my refugee what's so mean?” Suzy’s feelings change towards the end of the story. After learning what Leah has been through, Suzy feels guilty and visits Leah in the hospital to apologize for her lack of understanding. The two girls make up, and Leah writes in her diary, “I have a new word now, as well. It is this: diary. A new word. A new land. And-it is just possible-a new friend.”

At first, they were not fond of one another because they didn’t understand each other. Suzy writes about Leah in her diary, “Mom says I should invite her home for dinner soon. We’ll have to get her a special pass for that. But I don’t know if I want her to come. It’s not like she’s any fun at all.” However, later on, after reading Leah’s diary, Suzy learns from her mother how difficult Leah’s life has been, and figures out why she seems grouchy and unhappy. After Leah got her appendix removed, Suzy decides to visit her in the hospital and apologizes for not understanding. She then lends Leah her own diary to read. The two girls then begin to understand and respect each