The Yellow Card

In the book's opening chapters, Ally gives a yellow card to her teacher, leaving the school to go on maternity leave. The card is actually a sympathy card: Ally, who is unable to read, did not realize this, and purchased the card because she thought it was pretty. The choice of card gets her into trouble with the teacher and the school's principal, who see it as another example of Ally simply being a troublemaker. On this level, the card is a potent symbol of the trouble Ally's inability to read causes her. On another level, though, the card can be seen as having a similar meaning to a yellow card in soccer: when a player is shown such a card, it is a warning that his / her behavior on the field is unacceptable and unsportsmanlike, and that any further infractions will result in...