Big Bad Bruce

Big bully-bear Bruce; cantankerous, spit-fire Roxy witch-a match made in heaven. Perfect book for changing reading voice (which delights children!) with each character. Captivating, attention-keeping illustrations. Will be a favorite, I promise.

Everything Bill Peet does is terrific. His books have such wonderful illustrations, the animals are endearing and the stories send a good message. I haven't met a Bill Peet book I didn't like!

Most of us wish that bullies would pick on someone their own size or someone bigger. Bruce is a bully of a bear who makes the mistake of picking on a small but fiesty witch. Bill Peet's special humor in his delightful illustrations and text help teach a valuable lesson about not being a bully. In Peet's delightful style, the message is clear to take responsibility for our own behavior or we will wish we had.

i remember when i was really little, my dad reading me this book. it was even better since his name is bruce too! we have a fair pile of bills books here, but big bad bruce will always be the one i love the most. i drew the picture from the front cover onto a birthday card for dad...he was delighted. definatly an awesome book...wish our authors for children these days were as talented!

Our library rates this as a 4th grade reading level. It does have several words that are not part of my everyday conversation (eg raucous, lummox), but they are what make the book ideal for this age group to read and learn words in their context. This would also be a perfect book to read aloud and then discuss in the classroom or at home. The topic of bullying is always timely among the 7 to 10 yr old crowd.However, my 3 year old boys love this book and even more so, I love to read it aloud to them. The flow of the words and the story line are perfect for reading aloud with lots of expression. We've checked out several of Bill Peet's books and while I love the them all, I think this is among the best for reading aloud. The clear, colorful, playful pictures also keep Bruce and the witch from being too scary for the younger crowd. And I even take the opportunity to reinforce concepts such as mean, bully, and sharing.

We read this book a long time ago, but the rhythm of the wording and the beautiful art (with crayon coloring) is great for kids. There's always a moral with Bill Peet and kids and grownups need to be reminded of these timeless truths - braggy people lose, humble people win. All this for only $7 or $8 - we'll probably get all the Peet classics.