When Rocky Point School District’s Family and Consumer Science teacher Lauren Verderosa found out her colleague Rocky Point Middle School teacher John Mauceri wrote a children’s book, she thought it would be a great opportunity to share with her high school Child Development class.

Mr. Mauceri, who wrote a story based on a real-life experience, visited the students to share his process and encourage their own writings. His book, “Cindy the Crooked-Toed Rabbit,” a story about accepting people for who they are and not what they look like, was published earlier in the year. He read from the book, explained the history of his writing process and the encouragement from his wife to have it published. 

With themes from an individual’s unique characteristics to embracing connections with others and love for family, the story is filled with wisdom and lessons about people’s differences in a diverse world. 

Because he is a teacher, it is sprinkled with alliteration for his characters’ names, from floppy-eared Filomena the Fox (named after Mr. Mauceri’s mother), the one-eyed Tony the Turtle (named after his father) to Raven the Raccoon (who doesn’t have a black mask). Mr. Mauceri wanted his messaging to be that it is what is on the inside that counts.