Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Chldren's Picture Book
Publisher: Mascot Publishing
Release date: October 2021
Content Rating: G. Suitable for all ages.
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Like most kids, Michael and his friends are so excited for their first day at a new school. They have a lot of questions about what to expect, but most of all, they wonder if they’ll get to join the football team. That would be the perfect way to start the year! However, Michael soon finds out that it’s not as easy as he thinks. The team is filled with bullies, and to join, he has to become one of them. In order to be cool enough to get a spot on the football team, Michael has to start changing his behavior—for the worse! Suddenly, terrible things start happening to him. Finally, he begins to wonder: Was it all worth it?
Cool Kids Offer Families a Great Teaching Opportunity. Geared toward younger elementary students, Cool Kids offers families the perfect opportunity to help a child understand the emotions and social dynamics involved in bullying. As Michael ventures through the first few weeks of life at his new school, he learns a lot about both sides of bullying. The author quickly shares Michael's story through the pages of her book--but opens the door for many conversations for families. Whether your child is bullied--or bullying--this book will open conversations on both sides.
The Illustrations Offer Insights that Words Cannot. The illustrations in Cool Kids give even young readers and listeners the ability to understand the emotions involved as Michael learns about himself and others as he seeks to "fit in" during his first few weeks at his new school. From sadness and anger--to a visualization of the ugliness held by a bully--the author creates a very visual story for little readers to understand.
Would I Recommend Cool Kids by Arlene Freeman? I enjoyed watching Michael learn some lessons about kindness and behavior--and I think it is a good book to help children and families launch a conversation about the effects of bullying. It wraps everything up into a bit of an unrealistic happy ending--but even the conclusion allows readers to discuss different outcomes and possible next steps when dealing with bullying situations. I would recommend it for families dealing with early bullying situations and emotions.
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Freeman’s first career was a third-grade schoolteacher in the Passaic School System. Teaching children is her true passion, and she incorporated this passion in her community involvement. Her second career as a real estate broker and appraiser enabled her to open her own real estate company, Prime Realty, with a partner. After thirty-five years, they sold to Coldwell Banker. She loves dogs, playing piano, telling stories, singing, dancing, and sharing wonderful examples of life’s lessons with her grandchildren. Arlene lives in Woodland Park, New Jersey. She has two sons, Dr. Ted Freeman of Long Branch, New Jersey, and Dr. Eric Freeman of Westfield, New Jersey, as well as three grandchildren: Michael, Max, and Quinn. This is her first book and maybe her third career.
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