Review: Playing the Bully:

Playing the Bully: by Esther Sokolov Fine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*Please note, I won a copy of this book via Goodreads Giveaways.*

Melissa's Musings:

This book is very straightforward and the messages are clear:

"Bullying isn't nice."

"People don't like bullies"

"Families are all different."

The messages are good for children to learn, but I do feel that they could have been explored just a bit more. The writing felt too young for the ages of the characters. They are between 7 and 9, and the writing feels as though it's meant for kindergartners.

I was bullied and teased as a kid, because having a disability made me different from the other kids, and they didn't know how to handle it. In this case, Penny just seems mean and spiteful for no real reason, but I got the impression that the author was trying to have some of Penny's behavior and attitude mimic her dad's to show that behaviors are learned,.

There are good displays of problem solving, talking things out etc.

But, at the end of the story Penny is still a bully. Her behaviors haven't changed, and the lessons haven't sunken in. This also ends really abruptly, with no real resolution.

Were you ever bullied? How did you handle it?