A Different Kind of Sentence #WATWB

Judge gives books to minors she sentences. "Sometimes they’re just shocked. I don’t think they get a lot of stuff.” https://t.co/E92SW9vEP1 pic.twitter.com/YORtuDOvew

— Heidi Stevens (@HeidiStevens13) September 1, 2017

We Are The World Badge We Are The World Blogfest BadgeThis seventh month of #WATWB, I am sharing a story that I found while tweeting out a fellow blogger's post from last month.  This story of a judge who gives away books to juveniles spoke volumes to me. 

I love reading. I have since I was in elementary school. It never occurred to me that adolescents would not have access to books. Then again, I thankfully never lived on the "mean streets" where showing any kind of love of learning is not only frowned upon but could cause you serious trouble.

Ms. Heidi Stevens aka @HeidiStevens13, writer for the Chicago Tribune, was happy to allow me to share the story she wrote about Associate Judge Linda J. Pauel and why she gives out books:

She had the idea to stock her courtroom with books after an exchange with a minor who was repeatedly failing to show up for the various appointments mandated by his probation terms. Pauel asked him what he does all day, and he told her he sits around with his girlfriend.
 
“Me being a mom, I said, ‘Don’t you ever read a book?’” Pauel recalled. “He said, ‘Yeah I read a book. I have one book.’ I said, ‘Yeah? What’s the book?’ He said, ‘Of Mice and Men.’ He was rereading it over and over.”
 
She was a little chagrined. And determined.
 
“Instead of telling them, ‘Why don’t you read a book?’ I thought, why don’t I just give them books? A lot of them are very heavily gang-involved. They can’t just get on a bus and go to a library. The world is very different for them.”

If you would like to see the full story complete with a video, visit here.
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I hope the provided books will help these young people realize there is another way to get through the tough times. Many thanks to Judge Pauel for coming up with this idea. A huge thank you to Ms. Heidi Stevens for sharing a positive news story via a major newspaper.

Who knows what other great stories are in store for you this month. Ones that may take you on a journey to some place or event you didn't know was waiting for you. A great place to start, is with our co-hosts this month: 

Andrea Michaels, Emerald Barnes, Michelle Wallace,  Peter Nena, and Shilpa Garg

You can also visit the Facebook Community Page for more of this month's blogs. 

If you are a blogger and would love to be a part of sharing positive stories with others, visit here to learn more.

Have a positive one!

Lynn Hallbrooks
Blogger/reader/author/founder of Call Sign Wrecking Crew, LLC