School of Fish

by Michael Haase, Billy O'Keefe (Illustrator)

Young Jerome, a hopeful whale, was born so tiny he could not keep up with the rest of his family. While Jerome is searching for his way home, he comes across a child who takes him in. The two develop a trusting friendship and soon the kindness, love, and compassion fills Jerome to the point where he can no longer be contained in a fishbowl. As Jerome grows larger, so does the trust between friends."School of Fish" will inspire its readers to consider that a little bit of compassion can help make a heart feel as big as a whale's. Jerome helps us see how valuable a little bit of extra help can really be. The story’s flowing poetry paired with the peaceful and colorful illustrations by Billy O’Keefe will take you right to the oceans’ edge and make you feel like you’re swimming along with the "School of Fish."Michael Haase, the author, is also a school nurse. Because of the pandemic, the 2020/21 school year presented a challenge that no nurse could overcome alone. He witnessed the compassion, stewardship, and resilience it took on everyone’ s part to keep his school safe and open, and they did so beautifully. Michael was inspired by his students and their compassion for one another to pen "School of Fish." Ultimately, this story is about trust, compassion, friendship, stewardship, and personal growth. And all of the above were exhibited by every person at Michael's school during what has been arguably the most difficult time in its history. Channeling these inspirational traits displayed by his students, "School of Fish" serves as a love letter to his school, as well as a great story and lesson on how caring for others can change anyone's life for the better.

25 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2021