Books and Bricks: How a School Rebuilt the Community

Salmina's school was a scary place. The fence had holes, the walls were thirsty for paint, and the yard was full of weeds and rubbish. No one wanted to play there. But things started to look up when the school received new computersa new chance to learn. Then disaster struck! Now parents, teachers, and students alike must rally together to save school and community. Books and Bricks is based on a real event at a primary school in Cape Town, South Africa, shortly after the historic election in 1994, that ended apartheid and elected the first black president, Nelson Mandela. Change, even change for the better, can be unsettling yet it provides an opportunity to work together to improve the world. Books and Bricks is a compelling and uplifting story about self-reliance and community building.