In chapter 3, Angela attends school and has a difficult day. She arrives late and is scolded by her teacher, Mr. Williamson. During a spelling test, Angela misspells the word „truly,“ which leads to snickering and teasing from some of her classmates. Angela is embarrassed and feels like she can’t do anything right.
After school, Angela goes to the library to complete a school assignment. While she is there, she meets a kind librarian named Mrs. Schell, who takes an interest in her and offers to help her find a book for her assignment. Mrs. Schell is warm and understanding, and Angela feels comforted by her presence.
As Angela leaves the library, she runs into a group of boys who start teasing her again. One of the boys, named Jimmy, takes particular delight in taunting her and follows her down the street. Angela tries to ignore him, but he continues to harass her until she loses her temper and hits him with her school bag. Jimmy is shocked and backs off, and Angela runs home in tears.
At home, Angela’s mother scolds her for coming home late and not completing her chores. Angela is too upset to tell her what happened with Jimmy, and her mother is too preoccupied with her own worries to notice that something is wrong.
The chapter ends with Angela feeling alone and misunderstood. She reflects on her interactions with Mrs. Schell and wonders if there is anyone else in the world who might be able to understand her the way that the librarian does. Despite her sadness, Angela feels a glimmer of hope that things might get better.