Bullies Never Win

Gr 1—3—Jessica, who first appeared in Margaret Cuyler's 100th Day Worries (2000) and Hooray for Reading Day (2008) is back in this new episode (2010, all S & S) in Jessica the Worrier series. In this story, the girl's worries are exacerbated by Brenda the Bully, a jealous classmate who berates Jessica whenever she does something well. Jessica takes the teasing to heart, changing her clothes, hiding her homework, quitting kickball, even eating alone to avoid criticism. The constant worry affects Jessica's sleep and causes her to feign illness to skip school. At her mother's urging, Jessica tells the teacher about her bullying problem, and Brenda calls Jessica a tattletale. The solution to the problem comes from Jessica's new friend, who tells her that people need to stand up to bullies. Jessica finds the courage to say that "bullies never win!" The fact that this causes Brenda to back off seems somewhat implausible, but it is only one of several solutions that are presented to deal with bullying. Cuyler introduces the video, confesses to being bullied, and advises youngsters to seek the help of adults if Jessica's solution doesn't work for them. Arthur Howard's charming watercolor illustrations come to life in close-ups and panning that create a sense of movement. Randye Kaye's fine narration gives each character an age-appropriate voice. The teacher's guide offers a brief summary, objectives, and questions for discussion. Jessica's experience will generate some good conversations about bullying.—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY