Newcastle author, Manfred J. von Vulte, or ‘Mr. V.’, as he’s known to his grade seven and eight students, has penned a delightful children’s story entitled, ‘There’s a Muffin in my Boot’, that chronicles a single day in the life at school of a Purple Lion and a Spotted Snow Leopard. What is different about this series of events, is that not only does it have a lyrical rhyming pattern, it also subtly paints a picture of students dealing with everyday social challenges in positive ways using some of the key tenets of character. These include kindness, resilience, perseverance, empathy and integrity.

