Stay Away from Rat Boy!

While I like the book overall, the resolution is a bit simplistic. Bullying behaviors often are not solved by simply being nice to the bully, or doing something nice for the bully. The book does show that even bullies have a soft side, and care for something in their lives. I think that is the strongest point made.

"Stay Away from Rat Boy!" is written by Laurie Lears, a teacher with many years of experience, and it shows as the story effectively portrays a classroom situation where there is a bully, a boy named Tyler who picks on his classmates until he develops a strong bond with the class pet, a white rat named Snowball. Tyler then renames himself Rat Boy, still acting tough and picking on others, until Snowball goes missing one day. Tyler aka Rat Boy becomes despondent until the day he finds out Snowball is on the loose in the school kitchen, and needs a friend to help him catch Snowball. The problem is who is going to help a bully? Simply yet effectively told, the story of Rat Boy will resonate with young kids, especially those that have faced similar situations of coping with bullies in school. The message comes across clearly - that sometimes all it takes is a little bit of compassion and understanding, and perhaps a little animal friend to sort things out. This is suitable for ages 4-8 and perfect for reading aloud in a group.