Vertellingen

Pim has just started at a tiny, pleasant school on the edge of town, a place he reaches each day by crossing the railway with Betje, the local “dagmeisje.” The school is small enough for intimate classes, offering the usual subjects plus hands‑on lessons in woodworking, pottery, gardening and outdoor games. Life there feels safe, yet the daily trek over the tracks adds a hint of adventure to his otherwise ordinary routine.

What sets this school apart is its dual grading system: pupils earn marks not only for academic progress but also for behaviour, a score that the teachers value almost as much as the “Prins” title for top scholars. A more coveted honor, the “Rex,” rewards the boy who shows the most grit across the whole school, and every three months a new Rex is chosen. Young Pim, eager to impress his mother and honor his late father, watches the teacher’s words closely, hoping that his determination will one day earn him the coveted title.