Maku is sitting with the other kids in his class.

Miss Jackson, his new Grade Three teacher, says, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’

She points to different kids around the room and they

out their answers.

‘A firefighter,’ says a boy at the back.

‘A pilot,’ says a girl behind Maku.

Then Miss Jackson points to Maku. ‘And you, Maku?’ she says.

Maku hesitates. He isn’t sure what to say.

‘Maku means grub,’ yells the boy from the playground. ‘So, he’s going to be a butterfly or a butter spread.’

but the teacher stops them.

‘That isn’t very nice. That’s not the way we treat people, do we? Especially when you’re new to the school.’

Everyone

at Maku.

He sinks further into his shell.

Miss Jackson asks Maku again, and this time he takes a moment to think about all the things he’d like to do when he’s older. Then, like a light coming on in the dark, a thought springs to mind and Maku says, ‘I want to make a one day.’

‘That’s great, Maku,’ says Miss Jackson.

Maku shrugs and Miss Jackson smiles. ‘Well,’ she says, ‘that’s your homework for the weekend. To come up with an idea for your movie. Is that okay?’

Maku is quick to reply.