About The Book Fairy
A career Children’s Librarian, the Book Fairy (a.k.a. kittenpie) has worked in library systems in both New York and Toronto. She’s thrilled to have another place to share the books she loves without creeping people out the way she does at the bookstore.
Who's Afraid of the Mean Girls, Anyway?
shelf candy canada
(Jan.26.10)
Nearly every young girl, and even a number of boys, will encounter some social bullying from as young as age 3. It's a tough one - tough to teach them how to avoid being sucked into the swirl of it, tough to teach them that it's not worth the hurt feelings, tough to see your baby's feelings hurt. But this story goes a little way in showing that true friendship is worth more than the "in crowd" in the end.
Two of a Kind, by Jacqui Robbins and Matt Phelan
Everyone says Kayla and Melanie are two of a kind. But "kind" might be the wrong word. They whisper behind their hands, and giggle while they do each other's hair, and never invite anyone else to join them. Anna and Julisa are friends too, the kind of helpful, smart girls that don't get the same kind of notice, so although they welcome anyone into their circle, only a few join in their fun.
One day, after the nasty girls make fun of them, Anna is partnered with Melanie for an activity, and proves herself an interesting and useful companion, she is is taken into the twosome - sort of. They tell her what she should do to "improve" herself, and laugh about her friend, and dare her to not do whatever they are doing. It doesn't feel right and it's hurting her friend's feeling, but she isn't prepared to resist, and is torn between wanting to be "in" and missing her friend.
The last straw comes when they tell her to break a rule - she is not a rule-breaker by nature, and they are testing her. When her friend comes over to get her, she has a decision to make: follow her better instincts, or obey the mean girls, who watch her with threats in their eyes to see what she will do. (Rest assured, parents, she's a smart kid, and sees that these are not true friends, but Julisa, coming to her aid and risking the wrath of the mean girls, is. 'Nuff said.)
This message is delivered in a perfect package - it's a well-told and lightly-handled example of standing up for yourself and your friend, and illustrates one of the conundrums you can find yourself in when the pressure is on. It's not message-y, though, and is something a lot of kids will recognize. To be honest, I almost think it ought to be required reading for preschool right on up through the early grades.