The Part She Means

Ages 12-15

Pessie puts a small sample beside the group's painted sign.

The sample has one blue strip and a little folded peak above it. Beside her bag is enough material to make the whole border that way.

Across the room, her classmate holds up the sign.

"Peaks all around? That will cover the words."

Pessie pulls the sample back.

The other girls begin setting out the plain border pieces.

Pessie puts her sample against one short edge of the sign. The peak reaches above it, away from the words.

"Just here."

Her classmate moves the long plain strip closer.

The group joins the plain border along the other edges.

At Pessie's corner, a plain piece almost covers the little peak. She shifts her sample to the end of the short strip.

No one stops working.

Pessie fastens the sample there and returns the remaining pieces to her bag.

The sign stands against the wall. At one corner, a small blue peak rises beyond the plain border. In Pessie's open bag, the unused peaks lie flat together.