Title: Big Bully Bob
Author: Cynthia Gadson
Illustrated by: Maurice Lindsey
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 978-1-64908-042-4
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book / Behavioral Education
Pages: 28
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Hollywood Book Reviews
Schoolyard bullying has always been an issue for children growing up, yet nowadays many books, school policies, and rules of behavior have saturated the topic to an acutely heightened awareness. Even the social media world has coined “cyber-bullying” as a means of conducting unwanted behavior. In author Cynthia Gadson’s book Big Bully Bob, she brings the awareness to the innocence of children the topic of bullying with this fictious character Big Bully Bob.
Looking mean and having strong muscles, Big Bully Bob is quick to menace the other kids around him by hurting them, tossing them into a garbage can, and even throwing them face-first into a mud puddle. Big Bully Bob doesn’t care about his grades at school, and would rather sit under a tree then attend class. Obviously, his behavior causes him to be ousted by the other children; leaving Big Bully Bob without any friends.
After many examples of anti-social and mean bullying, Big Bully Bob realizes he needs a friend, and by the kindness gained by reading the “Good Book,” good children are willing to give Big Bully Bob another chance. They reach out by extending their hand and bring Big Bully Bob into their group – only after, of course, he changes his name to Best Bud Bob. The book’s morals of standing firm against those who seek to bully youngsters, and the goodness and kindness of God’s teaching will prevail in the long run, is very much woven into the instances of illustrated experiences.
The artful drawings are very powerful. As many books within this genre have rather “polished” compute-aided illustrations, illustrator Maurice Lindsey’s contribution to the impact of Big Bully Bob needs to be mentioned. His work can be categorized as overly detailed with little – or rather subliminal – story-elements brought out to mesmerize the readers’ attention. Children often find subtle details within pictures very persuasive and grab their attention. From the various drawing of the eyes of the characters, to even the way background colorization is crayoned-in, these images are a fundamental element in the impact of this book’s lessons to its readers.
The ending of the book incorporates a list of questions by the author to bring out the themes and lessons of the story. By this, Big Bully Bob becomes an educational and interactive read. As bullying, or being bullied, are unacceptable in youngsters’ behavior, it is well served to read this to children entering the school years as a tool so they can deal with any bullying situation which will arise.
The combination of the rhyming text, the detailed drawings and the interactive discussion topics make Big Bully Bob a must-have book for family libraries. It is unique in its messaging along with the impactful illustrations, making this a recommended read for kids of the mid-single-digit years of age.