Desmond and the Very Mean Word

A powerful, stirring yet utterly down-to-earth story with an unforgettable message about anger, compassion and forgiveness.

Based on a true story from the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s childhood, Desmond and the Very Mean Word depicts an incident in a South African town. While proudly riding his new bicycle, young Desmond is rudely insulted by some neighbourhood boys – and at first he responds angrily. But he’s troubled to find that retaliation brings him no relief, and he can’t stop thinking about the mean things the boys said to him. With the aid of the kindly Father Trevor, Desmond arrives at a better understanding of his feelings and learns that true forgiveness comes from within – and arises when you choose to regard all people with compassion, whether or not they say they are sorry.

A beautiful tale of forgiveness, as well as a lesson about how to handle bullying and feelings of anger, embarrassment and revenge, this is a vibrantly illustrated, deeply warm-hearted story.

About the Authors

Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his lifelong struggle to bring equality, justice and peace to his native South Africa. He continued to play an important role worldwide as a spokesperson for peace and forgiveness.

Douglas Carlton Abrams, co-author, has written many books which have been translated into more than two dozen languages. He lives in California, USA, with his wife and their three children.

About the Illustrator

A. G. Ford is the illustrator of Goal! by Mina Javaherbin, as well as the New York Times bestseller Barack by Jonah Winter and Michelle by Deborah Hopkinson. He lives in Texas, USA.