A Boy, His Bear and a Bully

It is, but it deals with the issue skillfully. It is not preachy or didactic. Katie Flannigan's development of the characters is skillful. P.J. Reece's illustrations add another level of meaning and humour to an important and serious topic. He has skillfully used colour, white space, contrast and different design elements throughout. Some are full page illustrations; others focus in on the action where the illustrations are framed in a circle - it's a bit like looking through a porthole. By the end of the story, readers are given some tools they can use - the 'Stop it. I don't like it' message, along with what to do if someone you know is being bullied. There are apologies given and forgiveness shown. This book will sit well in education and home settings, forming the base for good discussions about navigating bullying in a modern environment. * Kids Books NZ * Scott finding his brave is the very best thing, and now things are different. A simple story about standing up for yourself when something is happening that you don't like. A friend by your side always helps. * What Book Next? * Katie Flannigan's sympathetic story is a guiding light in the dark world of bullying * BuzzWords * The more discussions we have about unfriendly behaviour with children, the more they will be able to assess a situation and behave appropriately. Bullying is not acceptable at any age.. * Blue Wolf Reviews * It is, but it deals with the issue skillfully. It is not preachy or didactic. Katie Flannigan's development of the characters is skillful. P.J. Reece's illustrations add another level of meaning and humour to an important and serious topic. He has skillfully used colour, white space, contrast and different design elements throughout. Some are full page illustrations; others focus in on the action where the illustrations are framed in a circle - it's a bit like looking through a porthole. By the end of the story, readers are given some tools they can use - the 'Stop it. I don't like it' message, along with what to do if someone you know is being bullied. There are apologies given and forgiveness shown. This book will sit well in education and home settings, forming the base for good discussions about navigating bullying in a modern environment. * Kids Books NZ * Katie Flannigan's sympathetic story is a guiding light in the dark world of bullying * BuzzWords * A Boy, his Bear and a Bully is a wonderful addition for any kid's library that can help parent-kid teams discuss a challenging topic while having a good laugh. * Picture Book Parents * The story can be used by counsellors, teachers and parents to stimulate discussion about strategies children can use to find their brave, get bullying stopped, support friends who are being bullied and think about the effects of their mean behaviours on others. Suitable for 5 -10-year-olds. -- Hazel Prickett * New Zealand Association of Counsellors magazine * Aimed at 4 to 8 year olds this picture book will be useful as a starter to a discussion * Reading Time * An imaginative and sensitive treatment of how to deal with bullying. The lively illustrations reflect the story well, making this a very approachable book. * Pinerolo * Completely relatable, whichever side of a bullying incident children have found themselves on, A Boy, His Bear and a Bully will help them to understand, to notice and to empathise with bullying and to know that it is not OK. * A Word About Books * Aimed at 4 to 8 year olds this picture book will be useful as a starter to a discussion * Reading Time * This is a gentle and sweet way of helping children who may be experiencing bullying in preschool or early primary school and could also be useful for the bully. Actually it should be read with all younger children to give them an idea of what happens when people are bullied. * School Days Magazine * The book's themes focus on being brave, standing up for oneself, supporting others being bullied, emotional resilience, forgiveness, friendship and kindness and like all good books the problem is solved by the bullied child himself, who discovers he has a voice, and the emotional intelligence to understand by the end of the story that his bully may need his help in how to be a friend. The descriptive illustrations do a great job at describing the characters expressions and feelings and overall this book will be enjoyed by children 3.5+ * Swings and Roundabouts Magazine; Spring Issue *