Alley Oops
Grade 1-4–J.J.'s dad insists that they sit down for a talk. Apparently, the youngster has been bullying an overweight boy named Patrick, calling him Pig-Pen and Porky. Patrick's father has asked Mr. Jax to speak to his son because Patrick is having nightmares and is afraid to come to school. J.J. says he is just having fun. Mr. Jax then relates a story of his own: he was also a bully and had fun at another boy's expense. He recently met that same boy–he had become a police officer and took Mr. Jax to task for his childhood bullying. Learning of the long-lasting effects of his words, Mr. Jax felt sorry. The discussion has an impact, and J.J. and Patrick strike up a friendship. The resolution is a bit facile, and one wonders about the reasons behind J.J.'s bullying. Was it a learned behavior, since his father admits to doing something similar? Wouldn't the man have recognized the problem earlier, as he himself had been a bully? Also, the message in Mr. Jax's story is a bit forced. The watercolor cartoons are lively and have contemporary details. Despite its weaknesses, the book may be useful to help initiate discussion on this important topic.–Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MDCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.