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Bully Trouble
Illus. in full color. "Plagued by a bully named Eddie who steals their treats, Arlo and Robbie turn the tables on him by concocting an enticing lunch that is booby-trapped with hot sauce. The plot is sure to please and the reading is easy, with jaunty color cartoon drawings providing visual backup."-- Booklist.
- GenresChildrens
48 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 1989
About the author
Joanna Cole
494 books209 followersJoanna Cole, who also wrote under the pseudonym B. J. Barnet, was an author of children’s books who teaches science.
She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.
Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.
She is most famous as the author of The Magic School Bus series of children's books. Joanna Cole wrote over 250 books ranging from her first book Cockroach to her famous series Magic School Bus.
Cole was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby East Orange. She loved science as a child, and had a teacher she says was a little like Ms. Frizzle. She attended the University of Massachusetts and Indiana University before graduating from the City College of New York with a B.A. in psychology. After some graduate education courses, she spent a year as a librarian in a Brooklyn elementary school. Cole subsequently became a letters correspondent at Newsweek, and then a senior editor for Doubleday Books for Young Readers.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
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December 12, 2017Text-To-World
The book “Bully Trouble” by Joanna Cole unquestionably shows a real-world scene of bullying. Most of the time older, larger kids pick on smaller, younger kids. In this story, the bigger kid, Eddie, picks on the younger kid, Arlo. Arlo and Robby are best friends, and play baseball together. The friends around them on the baseball field always shout, “you’re the greatest!” Off the field, the big kid, Eddie, continually picks on Arlo, first, and both smaller kids, in the end. Well, Arlo and Robby have a mischievous plan to get back at Eddie. The boys make a chili sauce sandwich and a vinegar, prune juice, and steak sauce soda. Eddie sure does have it bad as he steals the sandwich and drink from the boys. Eddie had no idea that the sandwich and drink were tampered with hot sauce and prune juice. The laugh was on him. I personally believe this is an outstanding way for children to handle bully situations. No one was hurt, but the bully received the message of “Don’t Mess With Me!!”
The book “Bully Trouble” by Joanna Cole unquestionably shows a real-world scene of bullying. Most of the time older, larger kids pick on smaller, younger kids. In this story, the bigger kid, Eddie, picks on the younger kid, Arlo. Arlo and Robby are best friends, and play baseball together. The friends around them on the baseball field always shout, “you’re the greatest!” Off the field, the big kid, Eddie, continually picks on Arlo, first, and both smaller kids, in the end. Well, Arlo and Robby have a mischievous plan to get back at Eddie. The boys make a chili sauce sandwich and a vinegar, prune juice, and steak sauce soda. Eddie sure does have it bad as he steals the sandwich and drink from the boys. Eddie had no idea that the sandwich and drink were tampered with hot sauce and prune juice. The laugh was on him. I personally believe this is an outstanding way for children to handle bully situations. No one was hurt, but the bully received the message of “Don’t Mess With Me!!”
May 12, 2022
I'm surprised this book is ranked so low! I mean I thought it was kind of funny and also, the lesson is you should stand up for yourself so I feel like there is a bit to take away from it. And the standing up for yourself wasn't even violence so idk, I really liked it.
November 12, 2018
This book is about a big kid named Big Eddie who was bullying these two best friends. Big Eddie would take their sodas, throw their baseball glove, trip them, and steal their food. The two best friends got tired of it and decided to give them a taste of his own medicine. After Big Eddie got what he deserved, his possible friends told the two boys that Big Eddie won't mess with them again because Eddie only messes with kids who let him get away with it. The tow friends clearly did not let him get away with this for very long.
While reading this book, I felt as if it was very easy for children to relate to it. Bully's are something almost every child has been a victim of, bystander, or even worse, the bully. I think the message it sends is a rather good one. It shows that violence and words isn't the only answer. It shows that giving the bully a taste of their own medicine in certain forms is acceptable. However, two wrongs don't make a right which is an important message to explain to a child/ children after reading this book. Overall, the book's message and images were very good. The images that were present highlighted the important parts of words so that children can have a visual when remembering what happened in the book.
While reading this book, I felt as if it was very easy for children to relate to it. Bully's are something almost every child has been a victim of, bystander, or even worse, the bully. I think the message it sends is a rather good one. It shows that violence and words isn't the only answer. It shows that giving the bully a taste of their own medicine in certain forms is acceptable. However, two wrongs don't make a right which is an important message to explain to a child/ children after reading this book. Overall, the book's message and images were very good. The images that were present highlighted the important parts of words so that children can have a visual when remembering what happened in the book.
September 10, 2017
Read to exceptional child class at Roby Elementary
February 11, 2018
kinds of a questionable moral in this story. get revenge on the bully and then he won't bother you again?
May 16, 2023
Super cute book and a great theme
February 11, 2025
A story of two friends getting even with a bully.
November 11, 2012
This book is a well told story about a boy and his friend as they deal with encounters with a bully. The lessons in patience and walking away are stressed. Children in a older classroom setting would benift from this story as they learn that it's not fun to be picked. The end of the book has a ending that i am not sure i agree with completley. While the story ends with the bully stuck in a funny situation, they children are left thinking that this is a way to solve all bully problems. The text and vocabulary are not diffuclt to comprehend through the story. The picture indicate what the text is saying as the story moves along.
This book would be best recieved with children in first grade that may encounter situations that arise in the story. Have the children role play with one another using the book and other bully related topics. Guide them as you set up the problem and have them act out right and wrong ways to pratice handeling bullys. Children need time and pratice to work on standing up for themselves when confronted by another.
Summary for ECE2203
Arlo and Robbie are great friends and enjoy playing on their baseball team together. They set out one day for a game of catch and on the way encounter Eddie who is a bully. He teases the boys and makes them even fall down in a puddle. The boys don't fight back and try to find ways to avoid the Eddie. However they seem to keep running in to him where ever he goes. Eddie throws one of the boys baseball mitts on the roof of a building in town. After this the boys decide to come up with a plan to trick Eddie and get him back. They together make a gross mixture to put on a sandwich to bait Eddie with. Eddie finds the boys in the park and takes them sandwich as planned, when he eats it however he's shocked by the nasty taste. Eddie runs aways to get water to wash the taste out of his mouth. This story ends with the boys happy that Eddie will no longer be picking on him and they did it with out using any harm to anyone other than leaving a sour taste in Eddies mouth.
This book would be best recieved with children in first grade that may encounter situations that arise in the story. Have the children role play with one another using the book and other bully related topics. Guide them as you set up the problem and have them act out right and wrong ways to pratice handeling bullys. Children need time and pratice to work on standing up for themselves when confronted by another.
Summary for ECE2203
Arlo and Robbie are great friends and enjoy playing on their baseball team together. They set out one day for a game of catch and on the way encounter Eddie who is a bully. He teases the boys and makes them even fall down in a puddle. The boys don't fight back and try to find ways to avoid the Eddie. However they seem to keep running in to him where ever he goes. Eddie throws one of the boys baseball mitts on the roof of a building in town. After this the boys decide to come up with a plan to trick Eddie and get him back. They together make a gross mixture to put on a sandwich to bait Eddie with. Eddie finds the boys in the park and takes them sandwich as planned, when he eats it however he's shocked by the nasty taste. Eddie runs aways to get water to wash the taste out of his mouth. This story ends with the boys happy that Eddie will no longer be picking on him and they did it with out using any harm to anyone other than leaving a sour taste in Eddies mouth.
March 15, 2011
"Bully Trouble" is a good book to introduce bullying to students and show how it can hurt others feelings. I do believe the book's message could come across the wrong way to a student, showing them to do something themselves if they are being bullied. I believe the appropriate approach if a child is being bullied is to fist notify their parents or a teacher at school. Although, the bullying was harmless in the book it could be worse to a child in the school or the outside world. This book is an easy read for a third grader, and could be used to introduce the topic of bullying with a read aloud.
October 6, 2012
My kids thought this was great; its one of those stories where the good guy wins so we were all cheering in the end. Arlo and Robby were courageous little fellows to put their heads together and take on the bully. The boys let big Eddie know that his bullying was unacceptable and most importantly this story tells the tale of two friends standing up for one another. Although big Eddie was just like your typical bully, most real life bullying situations do not unfold this smoothly. Parents who are looking for more realistic examples may want to explore additional resources.
April 29, 2013
While the book was well written and entertaining. I cannot give it more stars than one because of the ending.
As I read the book to my school age child we discussed bullying and were enjoying our read. When we reached the end of the book and saw what happens to the bully she got upset and told me that the children in the book must not have listened to their teachers/parents because what they did was just as wrong as what the bully did. She said that she felt like the boys who were victims from the beginning had now become the bullies and I agree.
As I read the book to my school age child we discussed bullying and were enjoying our read. When we reached the end of the book and saw what happens to the bully she got upset and told me that the children in the book must not have listened to their teachers/parents because what they did was just as wrong as what the bully did. She said that she felt like the boys who were victims from the beginning had now become the bullies and I agree.
April 9, 2011
This book is a good introduction book for 2nd or 3rd graders because it is longer but not too long. I would use this book to tackle a bullying problem that may be happening in the class. Reading this book could show students how it hurts to be bullied and what people feel when they are bullied. However make sure to discuss that when you are bullied you're not supposed to react back rather get help from an adult.
January 21, 2010
Two young boys manage to teach a bully a lesson. We love Joanna Cole's books, especially the Magic School Bus series. This is not one of our favorites, but it has a short narrative and colorful illustrations, so it's good for young children who are learning to read.
October 13, 2012
that this book could show you what bullying means
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews