Better Than You

by Trudy Ludwig, Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)

Jake's bragging is really starting to get to his neighbor Tyler. Tyler can't show Jake a basketball move, a school assignment, or a new toy without Jake saying he can do better. Tyler starts to wonder:  Is something wrong with him? Is he really such a loser? Is Jake really better than him at everything?  Or is Jake the one with the problem? With the help of his uncle Kevin, Tyler begins to understand that Jake's bragging has nothing to do with Tyler's own abilities and that puffing yourself up leaves little room for friends.

Genres: Picture Books, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Childrens, Fiction, School, Self Esteem

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues at schools and conferences around the country.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy collaborates with leading US experts and organizations and has been profiled on national/regional media outlets. She has also served as content advisor for Sesame Workshop's "Good Birds Club" TV episode and as an expert panel member on Sesame Workshop's video series on bullying.

Trudy's books have won the Victoria Soto Legacy Award, NAPPA Gold Award, Mom's Choice Gold Awards, the Moonbeam Children's Books Gold Award and are included in Kids'Indie Next Selection,the Cooperative Children's Book Center's Best of the Year Selection,and NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection. the Junior Library Guild Selection, the School Library Journal Best Picture Books Selection, and more.

For more information or to book Trudy for a speaking engagement, visit www.trudyludwig.com

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Comparisons, comparisons. Nope. No. And really boring and tiresome.

[Kennady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy named Tyler had a friend named Jake. Everything Tyler does, Jake has to outdo him. Whether it's in math class, music players, or basketball. Jake would make rude comments or just said they he could do better, no matter what it was about. Tyler got very annoyed with all of Jakes boasting and talked to his uncle. That was when he realized that Jake does that to everyone. So, one day Tyler saw Jake and a new kid named Niko playing frisbee in the park. Jake went over and asked if he could play. They both said yes. When they were playing Jake and Niko had really good throws and offered to teach each other their throws. When they offered to show Jake how to do the throws, he walked away and said he was out of there. Niko and Tyler then became really good friends.

I gave this book 4 stars, I thought that this was a pretty good book. It shows how bragging and boasting can ruin friendships and come off rude. However I did really like the illustrations, they were all very good.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake is that kid we all know. Everything you say, he one ups you. This is beginning to really make Tyler question himself and his abilities. Good resolution and adult help in this one. Plus the questions in the back are good starters for conversations.

Good for 3rd grade and up.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book because it encourages and inspires children to be good friends. It teaches kids the importance of not bragging, as it can hurt someone's feelings, and how true friends support each other without competing.

This book is about Tyler and Jake's friendship. Jake is always bragging and telling Tyler that he is better than him, which makes Tyler feel inferior and that he is incapable of doing anything right. Tyler regains his confidence with his uncle and new friend's support and realizes that true friends support each other and have nothing to do with his abilities to do things.

This book would be a great addition to my future classroom library. I would read it aloud and have a class discussion about what it means to be a good friend and what actions can hurt someone's feelings. The intended audience is 1st to 4th grade.

[Mya Motley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Better Than You" is a nice book for kids about friendship and competition. It's best for kids around 6 to 10 years old. The story is about two friends, Jake and Taylor, who keep trying to do better than each other in different things. But this makes their friendship hard. They learn that comparing themselves all the time isn't good. They also learn to value each other's strengths and to work together. I'd use this book to teach kids important lessons such as understanding their own strengths and how to be kind to friends. This book can be part of lessons about being nice to others and working together. It helps create a happy classroom where everyone feels included and supported.

[Nadja · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so important for humans, if we are to keep our sanity and peace of mind around inflated egos (of which the world has an ever-growing abundance of), to learn early on how to spot the signs. Great to have a resource to use with kids to teach them that sometimes it really is them, not you. A good buffer against the unnecessary damage that can be inflicted upon a fragile new self-esteem. The recommended reading list for adults is a welcome addition, too. As are the discussion questions. Good for the house and the classroom alike.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always looking for picture books that will lead to good discussion around topics that matter to kids. This is perfect for that! I can see teachers using it to build classroom culture as well as reading it when situations are arising. Thanks to nerdy friend Kristen Picone for the recommendation!

[Dedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite of the Trudy Ludwig books I've read so far. I think kids will easily connect with and be able to have some great discussions about it. I'll definitely be sharing this title with my librarians.

[Sarah Limb · Rating 3 out of 5]

With some of the other comments I agree this book was a little too blunt. I also don’t like that there was no restitution for Jake. It would’ve been nice to see him make a change in his behavior instead of losing a friendship.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-intentioned, but...a bit forced. And I'm not a fan of the ending; I wish Tyler had found a way to still be friends with Jake, rather than just dumping Jake for a new friend.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will recommend to guidance / social worker / psychologist.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend always trying to 'one up' you

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got a problem with bragging? This is the book for you! In this book Jake makes Tyler feel bad until Tyler realizes Jake brags to EVERYONE.

[Johannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the premise and message of this book but not how it was executed. A little too preachy, a little too on the nose, not very human.

[Alicia Kleoppel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favorite authors and books that I read with my class (2nd/3rd grade).

[McKenna Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trudy Ludwig tells a great story with a realistic fiction picture book to teach the lesson of friendship.

[Ikoy ･ ･ﾟ*☆ ☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.9

[André Henriques · Rating 5 out of 5]

When someone brags it means they don’t have confidence about themselves. They do not believe in themselves.

[Anna W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a good reminder that arrogance is not the right path all the time, but the plot itself felt incomplete. Her more recent books are fantastic though —The Invisible Boy, especially.

[im_just_vidu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice book that gives a good message. A message that most of the people won't realize that we needed to hear sometimes.

[Kit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is missing all the elements of a story.
Where was the resolution to the problem? What was up with Jake? Just what?…

[Emily Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It is a great message to kids about friendships and why bragging is not nice. Nobody wants to be friends with someone who is constantly putting them down. This is a book I would read when teaching kids about healthy friendships and what to look for in a friend!

summary: Tyler is a boy who is neighbors with another boy named Jake. Jake is constantly bragging and being a bad friend to Tyler. Tyler wants to show him his new basketball skills and Jake always tries to one-up him. Until Uncle Kevin talks to Jake about these types of friends and why nobody wants to be friends with someone who acts as a pufferfish.

[Sandra McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a retired clinical psychologist and a character education consultant, I have seen characterological problems from all aspects and for people of all ages. What began with the "Me-Generation" seems to have fostered a generation of kids who tend to be somewhat narcissistic and insensitive to others' feelings--kids we describe as lacking in empathy. Readers, both kids and adults, will immediately recognize the egocentric Jake and will also readily identify with the long-suffering Tyler who doesn't know how to deal with Jake's ongoing one-upmanship and his lack of empathy. This is a wonderful resource for both the home and the classroom and will facilitate some great discussions. As with all of Ms. Ludwig's books, another life lesson is presented in a warm and caring way. Highly Recommended!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about how to turn a jeering "put-down" bully on his ear. Tyler could never do anything right in Jake's estimation. Jake always knew a better way to do everything. There was always a better product to buy than what Tyler bought. Jake made fun of Tyler's grades. Jake made fun of Tyler's guitar playing. Tyler's Uncle Kevin knew the answer though - he advised him to play out his frustration on his guiter, to keep on playing. He told him to play the blues until he felt better. As Uncle Kevin and Tyler strummed their guitar and talked, Tyler told about his problems with Jake. Through good humor and a little fun, Kevin showed Tyler the humor in the situation. It's a simple story about how to channel problems into a different direction to deal with a jeering bully who just won't quit.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good picture book to share with kids as it teaches an important lesson about bragging too much, and the effect it has on others. Tyler's neighbor, Jake, is constantly boasting about how much better he is at just about everything. Whenever Tyler shows Jake a basketball skill he has learned, or something new he has bought, Jake always has to throw shade by saying how much better he is. Eventually Tyler becomes resentful of Jake, and begins to avoid him. This book has a foreword with tips for parents and educators about helping children change their boastful ways from Michele Borja, EdD.

[Gphatty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally don't like message books -- and the realistic art in this one had me predisposed against it. (So did the forward, the author's note, and recommended questions -- and I had merely glanced at them.) I firmly believe that books with messages should be vague or abstract in their art, so that every child could imagine being in the book. However, the actual story isn't as pedantic as I had feared, and it would be a very useful book for teachers or parents to help talk about the topics of bragging, friendship, and self-worth. It's actually kinda funny, too, in a corny way.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure where I'd be comfortable using this book, but it does have great information for parents and teachers. I did like Michele Borba's forward and can see this as useful for parents and teachers in opening discussions and bully prevention education. I'd be uncomfortable using it in a classroom, but can see groups and family situations where it would be great. I wonder if I was still in a school library weather I'd be tempted to shelve in in a professional collection or non-fiction.

[Shila Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great lesson about arrogance. A lot of adults need to read it as well! I loved the foreword, the authors notes about bragging and boasting, and the questions for discussion. This made the book very easy to use for parents, teachers, educators, librarians and library employees.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

good for a guidance lesson

[Kim Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic to use in bibliotherapy.