Down in the Dumpster

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

Monica Lamont does not want to be a Mudcat Kid. A Mudcat is the nickname
for students who go to J.J. Metcalf, which is Monica’s new school.
Monica was perfectly happy at her old school, where the students dressed
nicely and she had lots of friends. But her family had to move in order
to save her mother’s job. And now Monica is a stranger in a class
where kids wear jeans and talk in strange ways; one even wiggles his
ears. Because she refuses to talk to or dress like her classmates, they
leave her alone—and that is fine with her.

Monica’s only consolation is a tiny silver ring given to her by her
best friend at the old school. However, one day this precious ring
accidentally ends up at the bottom of the school dumpster. To save her
one and only treasure, even dapper little Monica does not hesitate to
climb into the smelly old dumpster; but while she is down there she
finds something even more precious than her ring.

This finely crafted story has a light but effective touch. The story
line deftly explores Monica’s pain at being separated from everything
she is used to, without becoming maudlin. The interaction of the
characters is sometimes painful, especially when the adults act like
self-important jerks, but the reader’s interest is always held. Highly
recommended.