$ 16.95
Order from the powerHouse Arena ShopChildren / Anti-Bullying / 6-9 years
Hardcover
7-3/4 x 10 inches
32 pages
Available January 2015
The clever tactics of Mister Cool, who faces down the mean kids at school with confidence, show elementary-school age kids how to deflect bullying with humor and create friendships through kindness.
Confidence? Mister Cool has it, and explains that it comes from understanding your own unique assets. His secret is being able to rely on that confidence when bullies get in his face.
In this clever story, Mister Cool shows off his tactics for turning bullies into pals: make ‘em laugh, be twice as nice, and use creativity to distract them (especially good against bullies with short attention spans). In the end, Mister Cool reveals that it’s having the confidence to be yourself even in the face of meanness that saves the day.
This great read tackles a topic often in the news today–bullying–from a kid’s point of view. Mister Cool provides ideas for pushing back against aggressive kids without being preachy or overly earnest. His tactics for turning around tricky situations offer lessons any kid can adapt to his or her own experiences. Lively prose and edgy, vibrant illustrations make it fun to read while letting the lesson be subtle.
Birdy Jones is video producer at Mother Nature Network (MNN). She studied writing and sketch comedy at The Second City in Chicago, and while attending the Illinois Institute of Art, she taught art to underserved kids. Inspired by these experiences and the example of her nephew, diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, whose good humor in the face of adversity never fails, she created Mr. Cool. Birdy is an active member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Birdy co-authored and self-published a Harry Potter--themed parody, The Unofficial Harry Potter InsultsHandbook: 101 Comebacks for the Slytherin in Your Life, which has sold almost 5,000 copies. She lives in Atlanta, GA.
Tara D. Lynch is an illustrator and founder of HOTBOX, a mobile art gallery that showcases work from Chicago’s contemporary and public art scene. Tara graduated from the Illinois Institute of Art, and has worked in advertising and graphic design, where her clients included Nike, AT&T, and Kellogg. She lives in Chicago.
