Jungle Bullies

Bullies. It’s a tough topic for kids, parents, and teachers. Everyone is negatively affected, including the bully. It’s hard to know what to tell a child who is being bullied. And it’s also hard to find the right time to talk to the child who is being bullied. Right after an incident, emotions are running high, and parental advice may not really be heard, much less accepted. As parents, we know it’s best to begin conversations about tough topics before the inevitable incident occurs, but the when and how to bring it up sometimes eludes us. And that’s where a good book can be helpful, especially with little children.

Jungle Bullies, authored by Steven Kroll and illustrated by Vincent Nguyen is a book that can build an opportunity for a lesson. And it’s so well written that even without a follow-up conversation, the message may gently get into a little one’s mind. The story addresses the problem of bigger animals bullying smaller ones. The story line follows a succession of animals that, after being bullied, turn right around and bully someone smaller or weaker than themselves. Elephant begins by going to the pond for his bath, but he finds Hippo already in the pond. Elephant insists that Hippo get out of the water and move on. As hippo heads down a path, he finds Lion asleep in his path, and Hippo makes lion move out of the way. Lion heads off to the tall grass, but he finds Leopard in Lion’s favorite napping spot. After Lion insists that Leopard move, Leopard decides to go up to a branch of the tree. Leopard then finds little Monkey relaxing on that branch in the cool breeze, and, of course, Leopard makes Monkey leave. Monkey wisely heads home and tells Mama Monkey about Leopard wanting the branch all to himself, and Mama tells little Monkey that “you have to stand up to bullies” and that little Monkey needs to go back and tell Leopard that they need to share the branch. Little Monkey is too scared to go alone so Mama goes with him to lend moral support.

This is point at which Jungle Bullies becomes a special book because Mama tells little Monkey specifically what to do and say. Little Monkey takes a deep breath and says to Leopard, “Don’t you tell me what to do. This tree’s big enough for two. Share it with me as a friend, and don’t be mean to me again.” The abstract concept of standing up to bullies is made concrete with a specific action and specific words. The adult reader has the opportunity to read the lines with a calm, firm voice that addresses the problem without the “bullied” party becoming the “bullier.” The story continues with each animal who has been bullied going back to his bullier with the support of Mama Monkey, little Monkey, Leopard, Lion, and Hippo, and repeating the mantra, “Don’t you tell me…Don’t be mean to me again” In the end, all of the animals end up sharing a romp in the pond.

Illustrator Vincent Nguyen supports the simple, strong language with child friendly art work. There is no guessing as to what the animal is, where the animal is, or what the animal is feeling. Very subtle body language of the animals supports the text. Nguyen has a BFA from New Your City’s School of Visual Arts, has illustrated other children’s books, and has worked as an artist for several animated feature films including Robots and Ice Age 2. The personification he lends to non-human characters in feature films, he also brings to the animals in Jungle Bullies.

Granted, Jungle Bullies is only a story, and real life is seldom clear cut, but sharing this story with a very young child opens the door for conversation about concrete options and actions. Through sharing a story, the adult reader builds an opportunity for proactive discussion before mean words, and maybe fists, take over.

Jungle Bullies is located in the juvenile department of the Three Rivers Public Library with call number PICTURE BOOK KROLL.

Reviewed by Jen :) ( )