Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because it has a really good message with a different take on the anti-bullying story.
Mister Cool
By Birdy Jones
Illustrated by Tara D Lynch
32 pages – ages 6+
Published by POW! on January 6, 2015
Theme/Topic- Anti-bullying
Genre- Self help
Opening and Synopsis- Opening “Don’t know if you heard… but I’m Mister Cool.”
Synopsis (publisher’s description) “The clever tactics of Mister Cool, who faces down the mean kids at school with confidence, show elementary-school age kids how to deflect bullying with humor and create friendships through kindness.”
Why I liked this book- I think that this book is a marvelous story about how to be yourself, and how to use your talents to take away a bullies’ power. It’s great how Mister Cool seems like he’s perfect at whatever he does, and while that may be true, he still gets bullied. It shows that anyone can get bullied. And using what they can do, and a witty (but kind) comeback, they can make new friends or maybe show a bully that he/she is wrong. The illustrations are funky and have a slightly abstract, notebooky kind of feel. It is very imaginative. This is a really well done book.
Activities and Resources-
Education World has a list of anti-bullying lesson plans – click HERE.
Bullying No Way! has a list of anti-bullying activities – click HERE.
You could role play with your kids and act out some of the bullying things Mr. Cool goes through (like getting tripped) and try to figure out another way to handle it (Mr. Cool breaks out into cool dance moves 😉 ).
To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog HERE!
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Categories: Age 6-9, Perfect Picture Book Friday
That Mr Cool is pretty funky! Sounds like kind of a different take on bullying. But these tales are always good ones! Thanks Erik!
It is a wonderful take on bullying. 🙂
Never enough anti-bullying books. Like that the character is so self-confidence and kind of has a plan of his own to deal with bullies. Love the quirky illustrations!
This a marvelous book. I hope kids learn from it! 🙂
Sounds like a good one!
It is a great one! 😀
He sounds real cool, no wonder you spotted this book. From one Mr Cool to another 😉
You’re too kind! 😉 Thanks! 😀
Funky, yes. And the word is so cool too!
Yes it is! 😀
Any new ways to address bullying is OK by me. ….or I could just bite them…. You’re welcome!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Um… I’ll just go… Over there… Yeah… Thanks?…
Pats and scratches (and ninja skills),
Erik
😉
This one sounds great, Erik. Super find – and a MUCH-needed topic.
Thanks Ms. Sher! 😀
Another good one. I don’t like this topic, but sadly books are needed on this subject. This looks like a gret one. Hope I can find it.
It is a marvelous PB on bullying! 🙂
Bullying can come in many guises, from so called teasing to actual physical abuse. My son came home from school at lunch one day and announced he wouldn’t go back to school – EVER. It turns out that his fifth grade class had a “Master/Slave” system going and guess which one he was. I marched back to school to the principal and eventually the teacher. They weren’t aware of this “game”. Fortunately, the “game” stopped. Beryl
Whoa. That’s sad. I’m glad you found out!
This sounds like a good one for our school. Thanks, Erik!
It is a great book. I hope it helps out there! 😀
Every school needs a mr. cool… sad that we are still fighting bullies – but sadder still that bullying continues beyond the playground and into the workplace and social media. Oh, and Eric – happy belated!
Thank you Ms. Heavenrich! You are (sadly) right. I hope that somehow we will not have bullying in the future.
Really cool!
Super cool!
We had a picture book unit recently, and I used lots of your PPBF recommendations. 🙂
Thank you! I feel honored! Did they do the job? 🙂
I am fascinated by the way different authors tackle the subject of bullying. This title looks like one of the better ones. Gonna take a peek!
You are right about that. Now, if every restaurant would tackle the subject of waffles… 🙂