cover image Matthew and the Bullies

Matthew and the Bullies

Sarah Ferguson, illus. by Ian Cunliffe, Sterling, $7.95 (24p) ISBN 978-1-4027-7391-4

In one of four titles in the new Helping Hands series from the duchess of York, Matthew feels sick every morning before school because two boys pick on him. With the help of a school friend, he gathers the courage to tell his mother; the results, while heartening, are nothing short of miraculous (when the teacher confronts the bullies, "they felt embarrassed for being mean to someone who had never harmed them"). An appended section written by a child psychologist offers tips for parents. Available simultaneously: Emily's First Day of School; Ashley Learns About Strangers; and Michael and His New Baby Brother. Ages 5–7. (May)