LUCY AND THE BULLY

Lucy, a primary grader, is good at art to the delight of all her classmates, except for Tommy. The little bull acts out by stomping on her model blackbird, ripping her storybook and breaking her pencils, each time threatening lamb Lucy with the classic “or else!” if she should tell. But after a week of bullying, Lucy can’t conceal her misery from her mother, who promptly calls Ms. Goosie. “That night Lucy couldn’t sleep. She was afraid of what would happen the next day.” The acrylics are both bright and textured and have a lovely transparent quality, even when using bold color with soft black outlines, suiting the emotional tenor of the tale nicely. Readers never see the punishment meted out to Tommy, but his own unhappiness comes through to them and to Lucy, who extends a conciliatory trotter. As a model for resolution, this stands out; regrettably, bullying is not often resolved so easily. The foreword, by a staff therapist at Northwestern’s Family Institute, provides tips for parents and teachers on using stories in bullying-prevention programs. (Picture book. 4-8)