There's an Ogre-Beast in the Playground

By Christopher Francis

A school social issues story about an extraordinarily large boy who struggles with bullying and low self-esteem. However, when a giant monster shows him the importance of being different, he learns to be proud of his unique qualities.

I hated school. I hated everything about it. Mostly I hated Corban Barkley because he convinced my entire class I looked like an overgrown circus monkey—or something like that. Life was pretty miserable for me at Red Apple Creek Public School—that is until the Ogre-Beast came to visit—then my life totally changed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Francis
• Release date: Apr 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386836698

Christopher Francis

Christopher Francis was born in Brisbane, Australia, on June 21, 1974. At 19, he was accepted into the Animation program at Sheridan College, and then graduated with a degree in Sociology from McMaster University. Following a two year adventure overseas working with children, Christopher completed a Bachelor of Education at York University. He is now teaching junior level students in Burlington, Ontario. Through Christopher’s experience working with children, he found writing and illustrating to be one of his passions. Currently working on a middle-grade series, Christopher has recently completed the first four books entitled: Solving Damian Dermite, Respecting Mr. Ravi , Remembering Kaylee Cooper and Alex was Here. Recently, Remembering Kaylee Cooper, has been published by Curiosity Quills Press Publishing House. In addition, Christopher has completed a Paranormal Teen Fiction novel, titled, Stoneway, and recently finished the Teen Fiction Sci-Fi, titled, They Came from the Trees, based on a short story called, That Thing in the Sky. He has also created eight primary leveled books called How to sneak your Monster into School, Mr. Pancake Turkey, I Don’t Want to go to Sleep! It’s Up to You, How Mr. Monster Biggens Changed My Life, There's and Ogre-Beast in the Playground, Bigger than Alexander and The Whispering Tree. Additionally, Christopher has illustrated children’s novels for several independent authors and publishing companies including Kids4kids.com, The Hamilton Spectator, BrendanKelly Publishing, Highview Press.com and Trimatrix. Most recently, They all can be viewed on francisart.com.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE: I Hate Everything

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DO YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I hate about school?

Everything.

That’s right, everything.

I hate the smell, I hate the classrooms, I hate the hallways, the teachers, the principal, the students, the subjects, the carpet, the walls, my desk—everything!

But you know what? There is one thing I hate a ka-gillion times more than all of those things combined, and his name is Duncan Myers.

Ew. Even saying his name gives me the heebie-jeebies.

The guy is mean. No, he is worse than mean. He is vicious, with a capital 'V'. Somehow in a matter of one week, the giant turd managed to turn every single person at my school against me.

Isn’t that awful?

In just one week.

The first week of school.

Because of him, everyone (including my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Rudy, and my ex-best friend, Keegan Fergus) thinks I am some sort of strange giant red-headed hobo. In other words, he convinced the whole school that being different is not cool.

How does that make me feel? Here’s an analogy for you (oh, in case you’re wondering, an analogy is just an adult way of comparing something random to something that is real). Duncan Myers has managed to make me feel like I am a green apple while everyone else in the world is red. Get me?

Anyway.

Can you see why I hate school? All I want this year is to be liked. I just want to be the same as everyone else. I need to be a red apple (even the school is named ‘Red Apple’. Because of that I actually have a red apple in my lunch every day. My ma knows to never buy green ones. I despise them.) Besides, who wants to be a stupid ugly green Granny Smith apple anyway?

One of the worst parts of my day is recess. All the kids from any grade can run wild outside. Eighth-graders can hang out with sixth-graders; second-graders can play with fifth-graders—seventh-grade freaks like Duncan Myers can hang out with dorky overgrown orange-haired fourth-graders, like yours truly. Break time at school is pretty much a free-for-all. There is only one or two teachers out on duty supervising so the chances of a kid being caught picking on another kid is pretty much slim-to-none.

How does that affect me?

Well, it means Duncan Myers can wander out of the intermediate doors, strut his way through the middle-grade field and straight over to moi.

Every day.

All the time.

Every recess.

Duncan Myers magically finds a way to make me feel...like I don’t belong.

Alright Class the bell is about to ring. Tuck in your chairs and line up at the door, announces Mrs. Rudy one morning. It's almost recess time.

For some reason my ears always start burning every time she says that. I want so desperately to ask Mrs. Rudy if I can stay in and help her wipe the desks or organize the crayon boxes, but she always comes up with the same old lame excuse.

I already have helpers today Henry. I’m sorry. Besides, you need to get some fresh air and stretch those big legs,