Though this book is intended for a very young audience and has an encouraging message of empathy and openness, the narrative simplicity diminishes the emotional complexity of the kinds of upsetting young people often face. Addy is moved to help and even befriend her bully after her mother tells her the old truism that bullies often are acting out of their own insecurities. That certainly can be true, but as most school kids can attest bullying–and bullies themselves–are a much more variegated topic than this one example allows for. Still, a scene of Addy trying to reconcile her mother’s warmth with the cruelty of some kids is touching, and the diverse cast of kids and reminder of everyone’s humanity are a welcome plus.
The digital illustrations burst with color and engaging faces, though they’re often static; their visual simplicity may be useful for the practical matter of helping young not-quite readers understand the text. That text is not appealingly laid out, and a lack of paragraph breaks makes dialogue read awkwardly. Ultimately a straightforward tale, Billy the Bully puts a likably sunny face on familiar advice and is sure to drive conversation about a persistent problem.
Takeaway: Young readers will enjoy this simple story and illustrations about bullying and friendship.
Great for fans of: Patty Lovell’s Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon, Tracy Ludwig’s My Secret Bully.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B-
Illustrations: B
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
