Ms. Paul Character Analysis in Monday’s Not Coming

Ms. Paul is a librarian at the local library. She agrees to watch Claudia after school most days while she works, partially in exchange for plates of food and cash from Ma. Ms. Paul is kind and seems to genuinely care about Claudia and Monday’s wellbeing, since she sees the girls so often. In the “After” timeline, when Claudia begs Ms. Paul to let her see all the books that Monday ever checked out, Ms. Paul complies—even though doing so violates confidentiality rules. With this, Ms. Paul shows how committed she is to helping Claudia recover and remember that Monday is deceased, even if that means breaking the rules.

Ms. Paul Character Timeline in Monday’s Not Coming

The timeline below shows where the character Ms. Paul appears in Monday’s Not Coming. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Family, Community, and Responsibility Theme Icon

Growing Up, Independence, and Friendship Theme Icon

...can come over after school and Ma agrees, as long as Claudia checks in with Ms. Paul first at the library. Ma assures Claudia that Ms. Paul isn’t a babysitter, and that... (full context)

Poverty, Social Support, and Desperation Theme Icon

...Claudia brushes off Monday’s teasing as they skip into the library to say hi to Ms. Paul . Ms. Paul used to watch Claudia every day after school at the library until... (full context)

...bubble feels that way—like her secrets will leak out if someone punctures it. She greets Ms. Paul , who asks where Monday is. Claudia lies that Monday is just busy. Ms. Paul... (full context)

...and she explains to Michael that it’s Monday’s. She keeps forgetting to give it to Ms. Paul . Interested, Michael flips through the book and asks why Monday would read it. When... (full context)

...leaps up. She runs to the front of the library and shoves the book at Ms. Paul . She says it was Monday’s and Ms. Paul stares at the book like it’s... (full context)

Claudia asks if she can see what Monday took out. She tells Ms. Paul she wants to read what Monday read. Ms. Paul insists that info is private, but... (full context)