Kid Quixotes: A Group of Students, Their Teacher, and the One-Room School Where Everything Is Possible

(Hardback)

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In my years of experience as a writer and as a college professor, I have never seen anything like this: the love for language, the passion for discussion, clarity of mind, and humility of heart. Stephen Haff invents impossible projects and makes them possible.
Valeria Luiselli, author of Lost Children Archive

The unlikely, inspiring true story of a one-room school where children of undocumented immigrants and their teacher discover their voices and speak truth to power.

Still Waters in a Storm is an after-school program held in a small room in Bushwick, Brooklyn; it is a place for kids to practice reading and writing in English, Spanish, and Latin. For the students, many living in constant fear of deportation, Still Waters is a refuge. For Stephen Haff, a former public-school teacher, it is the sanctuary he built following a breakdown caused by bipolar depression. At Still Waters, all agreed that there would only be one rule: Everyone listens to everyone. And this has unlocked spectacular potential.

Since 2016, the students have been collectively translatingDon Quixoteinto English, taking the Spanish talea story about a dreamer who never gives upand adapting it into a bilingual musical. Six-year old Sarah tells of her mothers journey across the desert from Mexico riding on the back of a tiger. Alex, a very private teenager, sings her coming out song to standing ovations. As the kids perform their work across NYC, they learn that they belong in this countrytheir voices amplifying to deliver a message of diversity, love, hope, and resilience essential to us all.

Reviews

I wept and cheered all through this extraordinary book. There ismagic in these pages just as surely as Stephen Haff and his studentsprove there is magic in the act of telling and, importantly, in theact of listening. Everyone everywhere needs to read this book. Cristina Henrquez, author of The Book of UnknownAmericans A remarkable demonstration of the actual miracles that can beperformed with no resources beyond the determination of an individual and the community that rallies to support him. Its themost inspiring book Ive read in a long, long time. Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours,winner of the Pulitzer Prize Cervantes would be proud that his 400-year-old novel is helping these extraordinary schoolkids and their impressive teacher make sense of their lives; face their fears; and tell their stories with courage, imagination, and song. Salman Rushdie, New York Times bestsellingauthor of Quichotte The one rule at Still Waters in a Storm, the beautiful school atthe heart of this beautiful book, is everyone listens to everyone.I listened to the many voices telling this necessary story,and I was moved and changed by them. Jonathan Safran Foer, New York Times bestsellingAuthor of Everything is Illuminated One of the most achingly poignant and genuinelyinspiring books I have ever read. Steve Haff s clarion call fordiversity and inclusion, his emphasis on empathetic listening,and his conviction that classic literature can be urgently relevantto our lives today make his a peerless pedagogy. The story of hisbrave, creative, and resilient students will win your heart completely;the story of his school should galvanize reforms of oureducational system and political policies and remind everyonethat any true education must be founded on love. Priscilla Gilman, author of The Anti-RomanticChild: A Memoir of Unexpected Joy In my years of experience as a writer and as a college professor,I have never seen anything like this: the love for language, thepassion for discussion, clarity of mind, and humility of heart. StephenHaff invents impossible projects and makes them possible. Valeria Luiselli, author of Lost Children Archive The story of the Kid Quixotes is gritty, moving, and inspirational.It is a potent reminder of how powerful gentleness is, howimportant respectful, sincere attention isanurgently needed reminder in our time. Stephen Haff is a great teacher who hasallowed himself to be taught. This beautiful book shows thereader, among other things, how to learn and to keep learningthrough careful, gentle attention to people, words, and ideas. Mary Gaitskill, author of Bad Behavior Haff paints a picture of what education in America could andperhaps should be. His story is passionately honest, profoundlyopen-minded, and suffused with optimism, and his writing iscrisp and clear and persuasive. Andrew Solomon, National Book Awardwinningauthor of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression In a Bushwick storefront classroom, Stephen Haff and his mostlyimmigrant Kid Quixotes have created a community of joyfullearning, resilience, courage, astounding creativity, generosity,and love. Haff is a humble genius and visionary,and this book brings you into that enchanting, truly revolutionaryclassroom. Francisco Goldman, author of Say Her Name Behind a storefront in Bushwick, Stephen Haff is doing the workof angels. The story of his evolution into a teacher making ahuge difference in the lives and education of immigrant childrenis inspiring enough, and the stories of the children themselvesare a fascinating tapestry; but the message throughoutthatwe listen to one another, and respect study and expressionoverridesit all. It should be woven into all systems of education.You cannot read this book and go a page without being thoroughlyinspired. Susan Minot, author of Monkeys and Evening A necessary antidote to despair and reminder of the immensityof what can be accomplished in a single neighborhood, in a singleclassroom, and how that can improve us all. Phil Klay, National Book Awardwinningauthor of Redeployment In lively dialogue both funny and heartbreaking, and a multiplicityof narrative voices, Kid Quixotes allows its characters totell their own deeply moving stories. This is a book that listens." George F. Walker, author ofLove and Anger,winner of the Governor Generals Award for Drama In Kid Quixotes, the children of Latino migrants in Bushwick,Brooklyn, carry on Don Quixotes mission to bring literatureto life and rescue the world in the process. Stephen Haff revealsthe power of words to heal oneself and a country simultaneouslyformed by migrants and suspicious of them. Cervantes couldntbe any prouder. Rogelio Miana, author of La verosimilitud en el Siglode Oro, head of the Department of Global Studies andModern Languages, Drexel University Kid Quixotes is an adventure of the human spirit, a glimpse intothe genius of immigrant children who overcome circumstancesfew readers can imagine with courage, heroism, and the loveand dedication of a visionary teacher. . . . A riveting, inspiring,and ultimately triumphant ode to the power of education andindomitability of the imagination. William Egginton, Johns Hopkins University,author of The Man Who Invented Fiction:How Cervantes Ushered in the Modern World Kid Quixotes is alive with humor and heartbreak. It is a great reminderof the resilience of children in the face of adversity. Goliathmay have become ruler of the land by spewing hatred towardimmigrants, but, true to their namesake, the Kid Quixotes refuseto stand by idle in the face of injustice. Their stories weave intopowerful songs echoing with optimism and purpose and resoundingwith a love that refuses to be silenced. Maria Venegas, author of Bulletproof Vest

Author Bio

Stephen Haff is the founder of Still Waters in a Storm, an after-school program serving Spanish-speaking immigrant children in Brooklyn. Previously, he taught English at a public school in Bushwick for nearly a decade. He earned his MFA in theatre at Yale, and has directed plays and taught theatre in New York, Vermont and Canada. He currently lives in Queens with his wife and three children. Sarah Sierra joined Still Waters in a Storm in 2015 at the age of six. She was a founding member of the Kid Quixotes musical touring troupe, and plays the starring role in The Traveling Adventures of Kid Quixote. She loves to tell imaginative and creative stories that convince audiences anything is possible if you keep on trying.