Stand Up to the Bullies

Amos Faces His Bully by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Have you ever wondered what makes some kids, or adults, a bully? Why do they enjoy teasing and taunting others? It’s sure not fun being on the receiving end. How to stop bullying is a big problem today, and it also is in Author Cheryl C. Malandrinos’s latest picture book AMOS FACES HIS BULLY.

The setting of the story is the city of Bethlehem many years ago. The boys in the neighborhood have fun taunting ten-year-old Amos. They call him names, like “cry baby.” They even get physical and push him around. You can imagine the emotions that run through young Amos. Or perhaps you or someone you know has been bullied too.

Luckily for Amos, seventeen-year-old David rescues him, again. David tells Amos his experiences with his older brothers, who liked to taunt him. He also has some wise words to share with Amos. Will Amos remember David’s advice the next time he sees the bullies? Will he be strong enough to stand up to Nathaniel, the leader of the pack? What do you think David told Amos?

The illustrator, Jack Foster, has created characters just right for this story. The expressions on the boys’ faces show their emotions, and I could almost hear them speaking to each other in a different tone of voice for each event in the story.

It seems to me that what worked for Amos many years ago would work for children and adults today. I recommend AMOS FACES HIS BULLY for young readers to show that they do not have to tolerate being bullied. It would make a great addition to school libraries, public libraries, and of course your own library.




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