Boy Zorro and the Bully by Kat Aragon

Title:  Boy Zorro and the Bully 
Author & Illustrator: Kat Aragon & Noel ill

APA Bibliographic Information: Aragon, Kat, and Noel Ill. Boy Zorro and the Bully. Lectura Books, 2014.
Genre: Fiction
Lexile: 520L

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Summary: 

This book is about a small Latino boy name Benny Lopez who has a dog. Benny loves to help other people he encounters. One example of this would be when he helps the elderly lady cross the road. One day he sees something that isn't right and he knows he has to do something about it.  There is a boy who he is getting picked on. He does not know what to do so he goes and finds the principal. The principal then resolves the situation.  He was a hero for doing something and not ignoring the situation.  It shows students that getting help from an adult or telling on someone who is doing something bad is the right thing to do.

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

This book would be great for bilingual children who are just starting to read books in both languages.  It teaches students how they can help their community and how to stand up for those who get bullied. Most authors make the victim the main character but in this case, they make the person who stands up the main character. Students who like books about heroes would really enjoy this book. 

Evaluation Of Text: 

The text is in two languages so that a child who is learning English or Spanish is able to learn. I would have like to see more dialogue throughout the book. The text is simple which makes it very easy to understand and for students to follow along. The illustrations are very colorful and can be very engaging to foreshadow. 

Reader Response Activity: 

For this activity, I would create flashcard with diffrent scenerios on a child getting bullied. I would then have the students get in partners and talk about how they would stand up for that child in that specific situation. We would then come back as a whole group and share our scenario and how we would respond. Students will get a chance to learn from each other. 

Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai

Title:  Shooting Kabul 

Author:  N.H. Senzai 

APA Bibliographic Information:

Genre: Fiction 

Lexile: 800L

Published: June 22, 2010

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Summary: 

Shooting Kabul is about a young boy whose name is Fadi.  Fadi, his parents, and two sisters decided that it is best for everyone to leave their country of Afghanistan because of the Taliban. On their way to American, the sister he was supposed to look after gets lost. When Fadi arrives in America not only does he get bullied but he struggles with a lot of guilt because he feels responsible for his sister. At school, he has to get reduced lunch because his parents don't have the resources and this makes him feel ashamed. When the attacks of 911 occur is when the discrimination and bullying appear. Due to being Muslim and because of the way he looks, people automatically start making fun of him for being a "terrorist". Later on in the book he decides to join a photography contest and hopes of winning and then having the resources to go find his sister. He does not win but in the end, they are able to find her because of one picture that he recognized her from. 

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

Anyone from the age of 8-12 years old would really enjoy this chapter book. It's a chapter book that focuses on a boy who in reality would be part of a minority in this country. Even if the students isn't Muslim, I think that many students who are a minority or who have immigrated would be able to relate to the story.  It would also be a good book for students that like books based on true events and fact that happened, for example, 911 attack that is mentioned in the book.  This would be a good book for someone who has experienced bullying.

Evaluation Of Text: 

The dialogue in this book is really great and it really allows us to get to know the characters and their personalities.  The author's purpose was to show how an event in the real world can impact people that had nothing to do with the actual attacks. It allows us to see this event from a different perspective. Muslims all over the U.S were targeted after 911. The structure of the story flows which makes it easy to follow along. 

 

Reader Response Activity: 

For this activity, we would research events like 911 that impacted a minority or a group of people. The kids would work in groups of 2-3 people. An example, that they could do their mini project on would be the Holocaust. The students would have the option of either doing a collage, drawing a picture or writing a story.  For those who pick to write a short story, they would make up a character who is facing challenges due to something that happened in our history, like Fadi did. 

Enemy Pie By Derek Munson

Title:  Enemy Pie

Author:  Derek Munson

Illustrator: Tara Calahan

APA Bibliographic Information:
 Ludwig, T. (2013). The Invisible Boy. NY: Random House Children's Books.
Genre: Fiction
Lexile: AD550L

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Summary: 

This book is about a boy who believes he will have a perfect summer up until a new boy comes along by the name of Jeremy Ross and moves right next to his current best friend. He does not like Jeremy because not only does Jeremy laugh at him but he also never invites him to any of his trampoline parties. Jeremy becomes his one and only enemy.  His dad tells him that he has a recipe called enemy pie that will help him get rid of his enemy. The ingredients are top secret but his dad assures him that it is the fastest way to get rid of any enemy.  His dad does mention that in order to the pie to work he will have to spend a whole day with Jeremy and will have to be nice to him. As his dad makes the pie, he realizes that the pie looks and smells good but his father tells him it has to in order for the enemy to eat it.  He then goes on to spend an entire day with Jeremy and to his surprise he actually has fun.  They both go back to his house where the enemy pie awaits for Jeremy. They have dinner and when it's time for dessert, he changes his mind.  He no longer wants Jeremy to eat the enemy pie because he had such a good time with him. His dad proceeds to eat the pie and he gets confused. Wasn't the pie supposed to be awful? It actually turns out that the pie was delicious and Jeremy was no longer his enemy. 

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

This book would be perfect for anyone in Kindergarten to first grade depending on their Lexile level. They would enjoy the story because its something that many might be able to relate to. When you're young you sometimes dislike others because they laugh at you and aren't very nice but this book shows that you can overcome that with kindness. Students who love books about food and about friends would really enjoy this book. It is targeted for a younger audience but it really is a perfect book for a read out loud. It a book targeted to teachers who want to teach students to be nice to those who are maybe not so nice. 

Evaluation Of Text: 

I would give this book a four out of five starts. The story is very engaging and it is so creative.  The illustrations were a lot of fun and really helped guide the story. I do wish that there had been more dialogue between the main character and Jeremy. I also wish that the message had been more brought up and clear for students to understand the purpose of the book.  They do mention that the main character has a best friend at the start of the book but they never bring him up again and I thought that was a little misleading. Other than that I really liked all the descriptive words in the text because you could really visualize what was happening without even looking at the pictures. 

Reader Response Activity: 

A fun activity would be to make worksheets in the form of a pie that they could possibly color if they had time and then I would give the students room to write underneath or on the actual pie itself.   I would then ask them to write what kind of ingredients they would use to make the pie.  And why making it a delicious pie was a better idea than making something gross.  If they disagree with this, they can also decide to make it a real enemy pie and write their reasoning behind this. If you have the fund it would also be great for the students to talk about their favorite pie while they eat some.

Two of a Kind by Jacqui Robbins

Title:  Two of a Kind
Author & Illustrator: Jacqui Robbins & Matt Phelan

APA Bibliographic Information: Robbins, J., & Phelan, M. (2009). Two of a kind. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Genre: Fiction Children's Literature 

Lexile: 520L 

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Summary: 

Two of a Kind is a great book about two girls who go by the name of Kayla and Melanie. They tend to hang out together and bully Julisa and Anna. They take over the jungle gym at recess time and don't allow anyone to go up there with them.  During class, they make fun of Julisa and Anna for wearing glasses.  This all changes when the teacher makes the girls be partners with each other.  Melanie is surprised by Anna's intelligent and decided that she should go up to the jungle gym with them. Julisa is left alone while and this makes her friend Anna feel bad because she can now hear the two other girls making fun of her friend.  In the end, she decided to leave the jungle gym and join her friend. She realizes that hanging out with Kayla and Melanie make her feel bad and it's not the kind of friends she is looking for. 

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

Young girls who are struggling to make friends would really enjoy this book.  The targeted audience would be anyone who is getting bullied for being different or simply for wearing glasses. This book shows the type of friends that you should try to stay away from and how hanging out with bullies is only going to make you feel bad. This would be a perfect book for anyone in Kindergarten to Second grade. 

Evaluation Of Text: 

I really liked how there the characters were different races and nationalities,  this makes it relatable to a bigger group of students. Having said that, I love how the illustrations filled the page and how the characters showed their emotions and set the tone by their facial expressions and body language. There is plenty of dialogue and inner thoughts are shared to help the reader understand the situation.  I would have like to see the author elaborate on the title of the book and how it tied in with the whole story. Other than that I really enjoyed the plot.  

Reader Response Activity: 

I would do a writing activity with my class.  Since this is a book showing what a good friend is and how a friend shouldn't be a bully, I would have them write about their best friend.  I would ask, "What qualities does your friend have that make him or her your best friend?" and "What qualities would they have to have in order to not make them a friend but rather a bully"?.  I would have them write for about 6 minutes and then give them 5 minutes for those children that would like to share what they wrote.   

Felix Stands Tall by Rosemary Wells

Title:  Felix Stands Tall
Author & Illustrator: Rosemary Wells

APA Bibliographic Information: 

Wells, R. (2017). Felix Stands Tall. Place of publication not identified: Candlewick Press.

Genre: FictionLexile: AD530LPublished Date: 2017

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Summary: 

Felix Stands Tall is about a guinea pig boy who struggles to stand up for himself not only for those who make fun him but his best friend. His best friend Fiona makes all the choices and does not give him a say in anything. So much so that it almost seems like shes unintentionally bullying him too.  Felix's peers then go on to make fun of him by calling him Twinkletoes because he dances with Fiona in the talent show.  Very frustrated he goes to his mom and she suggests to stand tall but Felix does not know what his mom means by this. Fiona explains to him that standing tall means to stand up to the bully and confront them head-on.  She tells him to imagine that he is wearing an invisible suit that will protect him and give him the strength to do it. He tries what she says and it works! His bullies never bother him again and he stops letting his best friend from bossing him around all the time. 

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

The targeted audience for this book would be students anywhere from Kindergarten to Second grade, depending on their Lexile level.  This would be a good book for small children who are just starting to learn about bullying. This also teaches students to learn to listen to the wants and needs of their peers instead of only thinking about themselves all the time. This book would be perfect for a student who likes books with a lot of dialogue and who enjoys reading books in which the characters are animals. 

Evaluation Of Text: 

I would give this book five out of five stars because overall it's a book that most children would enjoy for the following reasons.  The illustrations and pages in this book are very colorful and detailed but I do wish they were a little bigger. There is a good amount of dialogue between the characters that show the interaction between Felix and his bestfriend Fiona. I also really like the movement of words on the pages because it's not something you see in many books.  Finally, the author does a really good job at using repetitive sounds like " Snip, Snip" and "Zizz, Zizz" which makes it a lot of fun for students to read. 

Reader Response Activity: 

For this activity, I would do a small guided discussion. I would ask my students if they can relate to any of the characters or events that occurred in the book. For example, have you ever felt like one of your peers was bossing you around? and how did you handle the situation? Another question that I would ask would be, What other strategies would you use to stand tall. Felix pretends to wear an armor suit in the book. Would this work for you? Why or why not?  Have the class sit in a circle and share their ideas. 

Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig

Title:  Just Kidding
Author & Illustrator: Trudy Ludwig & Adam Gustavson

APA Bibliographic Information: Ludwig, T., & Gustavson, A. (2012). Just kidding. Toronto: CNIB.
Genre: Fiction
Lexile: 590L
Published: 2012

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Summary: 

This book is about a boy named D.J. who gets constantly bullied by one of his peers named Vince. His bully always makes him feel like he isn't wanted on anyone's team, he makes fun of him for being a goalie and pokes him on the bus.  Whenever Vince is caught he tells people around him that he was "Just Kidding".  D.J knows that Vince is not kidding and is doing all this to harm him negatively. D.J. tires to resolve this issue by standing up for himself but he has no luck. He then tries to use the advice that his dad and brother by ignoring Vince and agreeing with what he says but it doesn't work either. Finally, he seeks help from the teacher and counselor who help him resolve this problem. 

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

The targeted audience for this book would be students from the age of six to nine-year-olds.  Its a book targeted to students or children who are learning about bullying and ways to resolve this problem. Teachers can read this book aloud to their students to teach them about this subject or they can have their students read it on their own if that's what they wish to do.  This would a perfect book not only to create awareness for young children but it would really help those kids who are getting bullied. It could also be targeted for those children who are bullies and might not realize it because they think its only playful teasing. Even if students are not learning about bullying they would still really enjoy reading this book because the plot is very engaging. 

Evaluation Of Text: 

I would rate this book at five out of five stars for the following reasons. The illustrations are very well done because they allow the reader to make conclusions based on the characters facial expressions. In the text, we can find a lot of dialogue between the bully and the victim which allows the reader to get a more personal understanding of their situation. The text also does a great job focusing on the purpose of the book which as I mentioned before is to teach about bullying but at the same time, the author gives us a great story to read.  

Reader Response Activity: 

Role Playing Activity: 

For this activity, I would have the students get into a group of three and try to roleplay similar situations to the ones that D.J encountered. They would have the choice of taking the role of the bully, the person getting bullied or the adult.  I would then ask them to see if they would have reacted the same way towards getting bullied or would they have done something different.  This an activity that will allow them to get up from their seats and work with their peers.  You can also have them right down the situation that they have come up with and how it was solved. This would also be a great time for each student to do a small reflection on why they believe that bullies feel the need to pick on other kids (this is talked a little about at the end of the book). This could be a choice for those students who would rather work by themselves. 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Title:  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie  Illustrator: Ellen Forney

APA Bibliographic Information: Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2008). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Tumwater, WA: Washington State Library.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Lexile: 600L

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Summary:

This book is about Arnold, a Native American teen who lives on a reservation.  He lives with a family that struggles with many problems and loses many people he loves throughout the books. He is also very different than those who make part of his community because unlike most people there Arnold has dream and goals.  He wants to go to college and make something of himself and very few Indians that he knows about have done this. The only way he will have a chance is to move to an all-white school that is over 20 miles away from his house in the reservation.   When this happens, most of his family sees him as a traitor and bully him even more than they did before.  He gets bullied walking down the street, at school and even at his basketball games.  At his new school, he isn't well received at first but as time goes by they accept him.  He has an inner battle that consists of him feeling guilty for going against the norms by leaving his reservation and trying succeeded as an individual.  He hopes that maybe this will inspire others to not give up hope and realize that there more to life than what's just on the reservation. 

Who Would Enjoy this book? (Targeted Audience) :

Young adults would be the targeted audience for this book.  I would probably not recommend it for younger students who would not have the maturity to handle some of the explicit language used in the text. This would be a good book for teens who are having trouble finding an identity or are scared of following their dreams because of other people opinions. This again would be a good book for students to learn about bullying because this book touches on this specific subject on various occasions. A student who likes sports would also really like this book. 

Evaluation Of Text:

The author does a job creating a setting and characters that we can visualize. I also really enjoyed how we get a couple of sketches throughout the book, this is something rare in a young adult novel. It has a lot of twists and turns that the reader does not expect to happen. The tone of the story changes throughout the story.  There are times when the tone is humorous and other times when the tone saddens. The text also provides some challenging words that could be used for a vocabulary exercise.

Reader Response Activity: 

There are many activities that could be done with this book.  First of all, you could focus on the bullying that occurs and have a discussion about that.  The book also focuses on a couple of different tribes and I know that in school we don't get much education in this area. Not many books talk about Native American and their struggles, this is why I think this would be a good opportunity to shine some attention to those issues.  For the first activity, you could have your class pick a Native American tribe, do a little research and have them share it with the class.  Another idea would be to have them research the current struggles that Native Americans are struggling in this country and make a presentation.