BULLY AT AMBUSH CORNER [Kindle Edition]

Karen Mueller Coombs (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Every day after school, Tink is waiting at Ambush Corner to use Rocky for a punching bag. He can't tell his parents. His father will order him to stand up for himself and to fight back. His mother, worried that Rocky will break a finger and not be able to play his viola in the upcoming music competition, will forbid him to fight. What neither parent knows is that Rocky thinks fighting is stupid and that he has decided to become a pacifist, a secret Rocky is keeping even from his best friend, Mario, who might not approve of Rocky's wish to be peaceable.

Rocky tries all sorts of plans to end the bullying without success, even recruiting his older sister, who steps in only to make the situation worse. Eventually, however, Rocky's music teacher helps him understand Tink's behavior, which gives Rocky a new idea to try, one that might end the daily bullying, gain his father's approval, and still allow him to be a pacifist.

Links to resources about bullying and a Discussion Guide are included.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 185 KB
• Publisher: BookBaby; 1 edition (November 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0062ACAUK
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,167 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

On Karen's bulletin board is a quote from Emerson: "May the work that you do be the play that you love." It's a perfect statement of the way she feels about writing─at times, it seems more like play than like work. She is an award-winning author of eight published books for children and young adults and a long-time member of SCBWI.

Although born in Wisconsin, Karen grew up in the Northern Alberta town of Grande Prairie, where the Aurora Borealis flickered and shimmered across the night sky. The winters were long and cold, so cold her nostrils stuck together when she breathed too deeply, so cold her legs turned blue if she were foolish enough to go outside without warm stockings or pants, so cold she could hear the ice on the slough snapping and popping as she lay in bed at night. Winter days were short. It was dark when she left for school in the morning and dark when she came home. No matter how cold, she ice skated and played hockey, often by moonlight. When she was older, Karen curled, her favorite winter sport. She wishes curling had been an Olympic sport when she was younger, because she would have loved to try out for the Olympic team.

In the summer, the sun rose very early and darkness didn't arrive until nearly midnight. Days seemed endless, wonderful for a child who loved to wander the countryside, either on foot or by horseback. And both the long nights of winter and the long days of summer were perfect for a child addicted to reading.

After graduating from high school in Grande Prairie, Karen attended the University of Alberta, first in Calgary and later in Edmonton. She taught first grade for a few years, then studied journalism at the University of Utah. There, a class in writing for children unearthed her passion.

Now living in Southern California, Karen continues to work at the "play that she loves."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Timeless Topic, November 20, 2011

By 

Evelyn Pinkerton "Book lover" (St. Paul, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: BULLY AT AMBUSH CORNER (Kindle Edition)

Yahoo for you! This is a timeless topic. Bullies come in all genders, ages, shapes, sizes, and situations. You've written this with humor, empathy, specificity, and strong imagery. It will resonate with any child (or adult, for some bullies grow up and continue their behavior) who has ever been bullied. Yet the book also gives insight into how personalities are shaped. This book is great for kids, parents, grandparents, librarians, and anyone else who seeks to understand this topic.

5.0 out of 5 stars Turn a Bully into a Buddy, November 10, 2011

By 

Constant Reader West - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: BULLY AT AMBUSH CORNER (Kindle Edition)

What the world needs now is advice for kids on dealing with real problems that can be solved with understanding and self-knowledge. A great story has always been the best teaching/learning tool and the subject of bullying needs all the discussion and dissection it can get. With humor and insight, Bully at Ambush Corner brings the world of everyday kids into focus. There could be a bully on any corner for today's youth. Great stories like this one give kids a scenario to think about when they confront social difficulties. A bully can be handled, even befriended, with the right moves. Thank you for a funny, empowering take on an age-old problem!