A lyrical tale that combats bullying through compassion and teaches children how to become heroes instead of victims.
A victim of vicious bullying transforms into the school hero in McMahon’s children’s story.
Thoughtful and kind, Manny McMoose has fallen into the familiar trap of too little exercise and too many snacks. His girth makes him an easy target for the bullies at school. When new kid “Billy the Bully” arrives on the scene, Manny’s life takes a turn for the worse. Endless taunting both at school and online leads to feelings of helplessness and depression. With the prompting of a caring teacher, Manny finds an outlet for his gifts by volunteering with the school’s special needs students. As he develops strong, trusting friendships, he finally finds his voice. Written entirely in rhyming verse, this timely work is well-suited for students. Its poetic nature helps to relieve some of the tension surrounding this important subject, although some of the language—“Hey McGeek, you goofy, gay lard. / Wipe up the drool from that stupid retard!”—seems inappropriate for the book’s targeted elementary audience. Manny’s climactic confrontation with Billy is a pivotal moment. Here, Manny transforms from victim to champion by showing Billy the error of his ways, speaking with a firm confidence that should help to inspire youngsters. The author presents both sides of bullying and shows kids ways to break its cycle. The piece also gives voice to Billy and highlights the fact that bullies are often victims themselves who usually endure some form of intimidation or abuse at home.
A lyrical tale that combats bullying through compassion and teaches children how to become heroes instead of victims.Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2013
ISBN: 978-1470130060
Page Count: 50
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 6, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Little Blue Truck keeps on truckin’—but not without some backfires.
Little Blue Truck feels, well, blue when he delivers valentine after valentine but receives nary a one.
His bed overflowing with cards, Blue sets out to deliver a yellow card with purple polka dots and a shiny purple heart to Hen, one with a shiny fuchsia heart to Pig, a big, shiny, red heart-shaped card to Horse, and so on. With each delivery there is an exchange of Beeps from Blue and the appropriate animal sounds from his friends, Blue’s Beeps always set in blue and the animal’s vocalization in a color that matches the card it receives. But as Blue heads home, his deliveries complete, his headlight eyes are sad and his front bumper droops ever so slightly. Blue is therefore surprised (but readers may not be) when he pulls into his garage to be greeted by all his friends with a shiny blue valentine just for him. In this, Blue’s seventh outing, it’s not just the sturdy protagonist that seems to be wilting. Schertle’s verse, usually reliable, stumbles more than once; stanzas such as “But Valentine’s Day / didn’t seem much fun / when he didn’t get cards / from anyone” will cause hitches during read-alouds. The illustrations, done by Joseph in the style of original series collaborator Jill McElmurry, are pleasant enough, but his compositions often feel stiff and forced.
Little Blue Truck keeps on truckin’—but not without some backfires. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Dec. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-358-27244-1
Page Count: 20
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author’s track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25248-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
SEEN & HEARD
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