Erin Frankel

One of the interesting things about my job as a children's librarian is that I end up reading a lot of different picture books about a lot of different emotions. But grief is by far the hardest emotion to read for. It can dredge up my own unresolved personal feelings so I have to be wary of what I pick up. This book was difficult for me because it matches the emotion I'm currently feeling. Having just lost a very special friend of mine recently (My cat, Milo, who I was my companion for over 10 years) I knew that this book would be difficult to get through and that's the point I want to make. This book is really really good, but only if you are ready to have your grief on display in front of you. Don't read it if the grief is still fresh. You may not be ready for a book like this. Read it if you need to cry, if you want to remember.… (mehr)

With Bullying being in the news regularly and dealing with issues in a school, I think this book would be a great tool to help in dealing with the problem.

Thomas feels like a Nobody because of the way Kyle treats him. He calls him names, tells him no one likes him, that he is a Nobody and physically hurts him. Thomas begins to believe that what Kyle says is true. He wants his friends to stick up for him and he does not understand why everyone worries about Kyle's feelings. Once Thonas starts thinking differently about what Kyle is saying, Nobody is like me, that is correct, he realizes that he is an individual with his own talents and interests. Friends and teachers start sticking up for Thomas and Kyle starts to change the way he treats him.

I love the examples, points of view and questions at the back of the book that would assist with a discussion about bullying. It is not easy to stop a bully, but this book would be able to help and empower the victims as well as the bystanders.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)