Caezaah Wiggington never had it easy. He is unable to express himself verbally. Labeled as slow or stupid, sometimes both, growing up he made an easy target for those too quick to judge. Now in his early twenties, Caezaah works as a late night dishwasher and shares a one room apartment with a family of mice. Despite past events and current circumstances, Caezaah believes that everyone gets his day. He prepares for his. He envisions that when his day comes, he will rise from the lowly ruins to high respect because of his gift. Caezaah's gift is dancing. And, his day has arrived. Although his...

UNITED WE RISE features four distinct stories "dreamed up" with 80 fourth graders at Larchmont Elementary School in Mount Laurel, NJ. The stories, written by author S F Hochman based on the students' plotting and characters, carve out highly creative paths to welcome new and very different kinds of students to the mythical Mont Larch School. Larchmont Elementary plans to use the book to introduce students to their values and the "Larchmont family." That said, you do not have to be a Mount Laurel student to enjoy and learn from these stories. In fact, you don't even have to be a fourth...

This book was born from brainstorming with more than 75 students at two premier Jewish Day Schools in southern New Jersey. After passionate debate and discussion with each group, the author weaved their thoughts, plots and character suggestions into four stories that string together the themes of social justice, tolerance, respect and the healing powers of hope and faith. "The Book That Will Not Open" takes place in a Jewish day school where strange doings suddenly occur. Many students start to wonder whether they may be experiencing a new onslaught of the Plagues. For the source of their...