ROCKY AND THE BULLY
by Mary Aggas ; illustrated by José at GetYourBookIllustrations
Miniature horses stand up to a bully in Aggas’ picture book.
Raven, a full-size horse, is a bully to miniature horses. When Rocky is hungry, Raven eats all his hay. Raven then steals Buttercup’s bow, chases Pirate into the creek, and kicks Brady to the ground. Rocky fears Raven, but he remembers the time they banded together to save bunnies from a felled tree. Rocky reminds the others that, together, they can stand up to Raven: “We may be little, but we’re not TOO little if we stand together.” Raven tries to scare the others by screaming and stomping, but “the Minis” outnumber him. After Raven backs away, Rocky considers that “Maybe Raven will want to be friends someday.” Warm and gently instructive, this picture book delivers a clear message about standing up to bullying and the power in numbers. The book’s dedication section also includes a gentle reminder for readers to speak up for victims of bullying: “For the friends who reach out to help: your kindness changes everything.” The illustrations are heartwarming, with expressive animal characters, although the different background colors may make it a little hard to follow the storyline.
A powerful reminder that sticking together in the face of bullying makes you stronger.