Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Multicultural Children's Book Day: Lulu and the Very Big Meanies by Mac McGooshie

Multicultural Children’s Book Day: Read Your World
January 27, 2015

Our mission is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries.

 Children’s reading and play advocates Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book and Mia Wenjen from Pragmatic Mom teamed up in late 2013 to create an ambitious (and much needed) national event. This dynamic duo is hosting yet another Multicultural Children’s Book Day as a way of celebrating diversity in children’s books.

Once again, we have joined the campaign to advocate multiculturalism and diversity in children's literature. We had the wonderful opportunity to review, Lulu and the Very Big Meanies. Please be sure to visit the host, cohosts, and sponsor websites to find even more exceptional and diverse books for all ages.
 
 


Title: Lulu and the Very Big Meanies

Author: Mac McGooshie

Illustrator: Alexis Hogwood

Publisher: Muslim Writers Publishing

Age: 7-10

Topic: Bullies, Moving, Making good choices, Muslim life

Summary: Lulu can't cut a break this week! First she finds out that she's moving to a new Muslim school and a new town for the next school year, and it's not even her fault.
Then Veronica B. and Veronica C., the most miserable bullies in the world, hand-pick Lulu for their evil plans.
Add to that a very sick kitty and the something buzzing in the woods out back, well, Lulu is just not having a great time of it.
Even with the help of her old friends and her family, can she possibly survive the Week of the Very Big Meanies?

Resources:
Lulu's personal dictionary at the back of the book explains the Arabic terms used throughout the story.

This is a great book to open up the discussion of bullies, how to stand up to them, good and bad ways to stand up to bullies.

Why I like this book:

Lulu is funny, sassy, caring and intelligent.

Lulu has a lot going on in her life. There are mysterious sounds going on in the woods behind her house, her parents dropped the M word on her (they are moving to another city and school) AND she is being bullied by the Veries at two. Lulu does her best to persuade her parents that it is a BAD idea to move to a new city and send her to ha new school. That is, until she visits the new school.

Lulu is smart. It shows in that she is two grades ahead of kids her own age. Maybe that’s why the Veries, Veronica C and Veronica B, like to pick on her. One day, the two girls play a particularly mean trick on Lulu which destroys her favorite backpack and school contents. With the help of her friend, and twin brothers, Lulu decides to fight back. But not in the most honest way. Just as her plan is underway, she has a change of heart.

Oh, and the mysterious noise and movement in the woods? You will never guess what Lulu and her father finds lurking back there! :D

Dealing with school bullies, moving to unfamiliar territory, leaving behind friends and having to make new friends is something all children can relate to. The author uses humor and a likeable character to discuss these issues.

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MCCBD’s  2015 Sponsors include Platinum Sponsors: Wisdom Tales Press, Daybreak Press Global BookshopGold Sponsors:  Satya House,  MulticulturalKids.com,   Author Stephen Hodges and the Magic PoofSilver SponsorsJunior Library Guild,  Capstone PublishingLee and Low Books,  The Omnibus PublishingBronze Sponsors:Double Dutch DollsBliss Group BooksSnuggle with Picture Books Publishing,  Rainbow Books,   Author FeliciaCapers,   Chronicle Books   Muslim Writers Publishing ,East West Discovery Press.

Don't forget our hashtag for this event is #ReadYourWorld

We are hosting a Twitter party! Join us for Multicultural Children's Book Day Twitter Party onJan 27th 9:00pm EST. Use hashtag: #ReadYourWorld to win 10 book packages. Use this info to share with your readers and to tweet it out!
 
If you have not done so, check out the MCCBD blog! Thanks to support from the Children's Book Council we are posting author interviews like crazy and are thrilled with the response. You can find the MCCBD blog here: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/blog/

Platinum Sponsor Wisdom Tales Press is hosting a book giveaway on their website that anyone can enter. Winner will receive 6 Wisdom Tales Books of their choice. Here's a tweet: Book #giveaway at Wisdom Tales Press! Winner will receive 6 Wisdom Tales Books of their choice. #ReadYourWorld http://ow.ly/Hr0MC
 

2 comments:

Growing Book by Book said...

So many important themes in this book. Thank you for sharing on the MCCBD linky.

Jump into A Book said...

Thanks for a wonderful review and for celebrating Multicultural Children's Book Day with us.