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        Our quirky protagonist, Emma Estrada had a great day at Ginsburg Elementary on March 13, 2020 even though the thirteenth is known as a bad luck day. She was definitely not expecting that it would be the last day in school for a long time.

 

That night, Em is shaken when her mother tells her that the whole country is going into lockdown. Families have to go home and stay away from others.

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        Mami is an essential worker, a manager at Mercadito, a small local market.  Em’s grandma, comes to stay and be part of their coronavirus bubble for the expected two weeks of lockdown. Em misses people, she is sad, lonely and worried about everything and everyone. She has an idea. She puts up posters asking strangers to send her a postcard about their lives.

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        A few days later, Mami gets an email — the elementary school building is closed for the remainder of the year.  All students in the district will be issued a laptop and will learn from home.  Remote school, comes with daily challenges. Her classmates share stories of their home situations.  Life changed drastically yet gradually, everyone gets used to new ways of doing things. 

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        While in a chat room, her best friend Ayla shares that her dad, a nurse at the hospital is very sick with Covid. A computer glitch interrupts the conversation. Em yells out inappropriately which leads to a stern scolding from her teacher sending Em on a downward spiral.  She is desperate to be with other children. Oma and Em head out for the big playground only to find it closed with yellow caution tape.

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        The only thing sure to be open is Mercadito, but it is not like it was.  There are rules and directions posted everywhere. Life is different and harder than it was before. People respond to her poster, they start sending her letters and postcards describing their experiences.

 

        The school year comes to an end and Em expects to have even less contact with kids.  Then Ayla, her best friend calls and invites her to a birthday party. How fun! But is not a party, party, it is a drive-by. Inspired by the notes she’s received, Em writes her friend a heartfelt letter.

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        Afterwards, Ayla calls Em with a video chat. Em tells Ayla about all the mail she’s been getting. Together they make a plan to make the project bigger. They get a PO Box, an email account and a bit of national exposure. As summer comes to an end, the girls and their project are featured on a special segment on the TV news, Good Things Happening Now.