Watch out! My little ninja librarian is about.

My eight year old is a bit of a complex character.

She's academically gifted but also a space cadet. She's a sensitive soul but seems to have a way of attracting attention that she can't handle.

She's a proper bookworm, extremely confident, yet seems to let others get to her. She worries a lot, but then seems to go along quite happily in her own little bubble.

She's an enigma, in a puzzle. She confuses the beejeezzus out of me and The Dad most days. But she seems to be growing up ok, despite the craziness that seems to be going on in her head.

Last term, her school decided they were going to 'hire' two junior librarians. They are to help in the library, keeping it tidy and organizing the lending of books to their fellow pupils. They had to write an application letter, out of which two pupils would be chosen. Trouble One is a bit of a geek and was very proud when she was chosen as one of the new junior librarians. She got a special 'Junior Librarian' badge and she wears it every day - she takes it off at night and puts it on her shelf, then she puts it back on every morning before school. She takes her role very seriously. She loves books, and loves being a librarian. 

For a few weeks, she's been having trouble at school with some of the older boys, one in particular. She goes to a small village school and the years 4, 5 and 6 are all in the same class for at least half of the week. The boy in question seems to be the ringleader and is egging the more impressionable boys on. Some other parents have told me that their child is also getting grief and this boy's name has been mentioned more than once.

Trouble One has been complaining about general unpleasantness. The boys are calling her a midget (she is short for her age) and teasing her about her ginger hair. She chats back to them, and her mouth has always been her biggest asset as well as her downfall (like mother, like daughter). They know they are upsetting her, so it continues. They pick on other children too, particularly the younger and weaker ones. But it does sound like it's coming from this one boy. 

Trouble One can be a bit annoying, but she's not nasty. She knows injustice when she sees it, and does try to be a peace-keeper. 

Today was an epic day in Trouble One's school life. Today she snapped. Weeks of being bothered by this boy took its toll.

At home-time in the cloakroom, she told him off for being mean about a girl who'd recently left the school. I think she felt it was unfair as the girl wasn't around to defend herself, and she told him so. Then he started on her. He followed her about aggressively, chanting 'midget, midget' behind her. She carried on walking and told him to go away. He didn't stop. A couple of the other children were a bit scared by it all.

So she did what any self-respecting librarian would do - she turned round and clocked him across the face with a library book she was planning to put back in its place. How apt.

He was a bit shocked and went to tell a teacher. Trouble One was upset that she'd done something wrong, but most of all that me, The Dad and the teachers were going to be cross at her. 

For the record, we're not cross. We're proud that she stood up for herself, and for her friends, and she's a bit of a hero, especially among her fellow year 4 pupils. We now hope this unpleasantness will end and she can go back to enjoying school without mean boys bothering her or any other children. 

Apparently, the boy has a mark near his eye. Ah well, he'll live. And learn hopefully. Though I'm not holding my breath.