Red - Hardcover

De Kinder, Jan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 080285446X ISBN 13: 9780802854469

Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2015

Synopsis

In this poignant story, a girl finds it funny when her classmate starts blushing on the school playground. Her friends laugh along with her, but one student takes the teasing too far. Torn between her sympathy for her classmate and her fear of the bully, the girl must make a difficult choice.

This heartfelt book will inspire readers to find the courage to take a stance against bullying and show compassion towards others.

About this title

About the Author

Jan De Kinder is a children's author and illustrator whosebooks have been translated into a number of languages. Helives in Belgium. Visit his website at www.jandekinder.be.

Reviews

K-Gr 2—Originally from Belgium, this quiet yet powerful book addresses bullying. When a little girl notices her classmate blushing, her initial amusement turns to regret as a wink, a grin, and a laugh to the others make things much worse. Though Tommy repeatedly asks to be left alone, the children, especially Paul, continue to laugh and jeer at him. "Paul stares at me. 'Got something to say?' he gives Tommy a push. I shrug my shoulders and bite my lip. I don't say anything." The little girl shares her internal struggle to stand up for her friend versus her fear of the bully, whose "tongue is as sharp as a knife. And…fist is as hard as a brick." Yet, when the teacher questions the group, her fear is ultimately overpowered by her conscience. A wordless spread of angry, guilty, and ashamed faces all awash in red depicts the little girl in full color, bravely raising her hand. To her surprise, other hands follow—"Everyone saw what happened. We all talk at once. I can breathe again. I'm not all on my own." Though the bully confronts her later, the other children rally to her side. Using a palette of primarily red, black, and cream, the appealing cartoon illustrations are rendered in pencil, charcoal, ink, aquarelle, acrylic, and collage. VERDICT The tasteful, sensitive treatment of an important topic is sure to spark class discussion.—Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools

Edition details

• Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 080285446X
• ISBN 13: 9780802854469
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32