The Recess Queen [Hardcover]

Alexis O'neill (Author), Laura Huliska-Beith (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2002 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Lexile Measure: 450L (What's this?)

A fresh & original twist on the common issue of bullying. Kids will relate, & parents & teachers will appreciate the story's deft handling of conflict resolution (which happens w/o adult intervention)

Mean Jean was Recess Queen
and nobody said any different.
Nobody swung until Mean Jean swung.
Nobody kicked until Mean Jean kicked.
Nobody bounced until Mean Jean bounced.
If kids ever crossed her, she'd push 'em and smoosh 'em
lollapaloosh 'em, hammer 'em, slammer 'em
kitz and kajammer 'em.
Until a new kid came to school!
With her irrepressible spirit, the new girl dethrones the reigning recess bully by becoming her friend in this infectious playground romp.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Oh, would that all bullying problems could be solved so easily! Mean Jean is the reigning Recess Queen, pushing and smooshing, hammering and slammering the other kids whenever they cross her. And then one day a puny new girl shows up on the playground and catches Mean Jean completely off-guard. Not only is little Katie Sue not the least bit intimidated by the bully, she actually asks her to jump rope with her. In no time flat, Jean and Katie Sue are best buddies, and the playground is safe for all again.

Sure, it's simplistic, but there's a strong element of truth in this energetic rhyming story by Alexis O'Neill (Loud Emily). Bullies are people, too, and sometimes nothing is quite so effective as ingenuous disarmament. Big, bold, funny acrylic and collage illustrations by Laura Huliska-Beith (The Book of Bad Ideas) bounce right along with the text. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

A schoolyard bully is enlightened by the new kid in class in this lively story about the power of kindness and friendship. "Mean Jean was Recess Queen/ and nobody said any different," the tale begins. Each day at recess, Mean Jean blasts through the playground and her cowering classmates so that she can kick, swing and bounce before anyone else. No one dare cross her path: "She'd push 'em and smoosh 'em, lollapaloosh 'em." But when tiny Katie Sue, a new student, arrives, all bets are off. Unaware of the playground hierarchy, the new girl enthusiastically kicks, swings and bounces before the Recess Queen gets the chance. Her role usurped, Mean Jean moves toward a meltdown, until Katie Sue makes her an offer she finds difficult to refuse: an invitation to play together. O'Neill's (Loud Emily) text brims with fun-to-say phrases that fit a rollicking rhythm, and her assessment of recess dynamics feels authentic. Huliska-Beith's (The Book of Bad Ideas) memorable Jean busts out of the pages, all sneer, bluster and freckles. Swirling perspectives in the gouache-and-collage artwork provide a sense of movement and largesse. And humorous details, such as steam coming from Mean Jean's ears, or her bouncing another child like a ball, playfully convey the underlying drama of the situation. Ages 3-7.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1st edition (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439206375
• ISBN-13: 978-0439206372
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alexis O'Neill is the author of picture books that deal with friendship in various shapes and sizes. Among those books, THE RECESS QUEEN (Scholastic) has been nominated for eleven state readers' choice awards and has won in two states. This book about a playground bully has also been translated into Chinese (how do you say, "lollapaloosh" in Chinese?), Korean (how do you say, "kitz and kajammer" in Korean?) and French (oo-la-la!).

In addition to earning starred reviews, her first picture book, LOUD EMILY (Simon & Schuster) was included on the list of "Yankee Magazine 100 Classic New England Children's Books." This honor was especially meaningful to her as she was born in Boston & raised in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Now that she lives in California, she is excited that her book, ESTELA'S SWAP (Lee & Low), about an intergenerational friendship at a California swap meet, has struck a chord with dedicated readers.

Alexis has also written for a variety of magazines including Cricket, Spider, Cobblestone, Calliope, Faces, and Writer's Digest. She teaches at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program and organizes SCBWI events for writers & illustrators in Central/Coastal California. She has a B.S. from Skidmore College, an M.S and Ph.D. from Syracuse University and was sent to the University of London on a Rotary International Fellowship. Among her adventures, she was named Miss Kitchen of Swiftcurrent Inn at Glacier National Park, won a spot in the last Girl Scout Roundup in Idaho, and has led multiple theater trips to Ireland. She loves photography, swimming, theater, the Erie Canal, American history, cats and her husband, David.

An expert presenter, Alexis l-o-v-e-s meeting kids all over the country through school visits, showing them how to read and write with their whole body.

She promises that if you learn the Mike & Conrad True-Blue Friendship Handshake from THE WORST BEST FRIEND when you come to meet her, you qualify for the "Peace Begins on the Playground" Club. High-five!

www.alexisoneill.com
www.childrensauthorsnetwork.com
www.SchoolVisitExperts.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Elementary Principal's favorite book to read to his students! December 6, 2008

By Joel Katte

Format:Hardcover

I have read hundreds, if not thousands, of children's books to my students and to my own children. Of all the books I have ever read aloud to children, this one is hands down my favorite! It reads like jazz tugging on heart strings. Powerful insights into playground bullying, school violence, and poor self-esteem are weaved through character education lessons for traits like integrity, citizenship, equality, and courage (to list only a few) that resonate with children and adults of all ages. If this one is not in your possession, consider yourself lucky that you stumbled upon it and will be adding it to your collection with your next mouse click. I give it my highest possible rating!

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars School Counselor February 2, 2003

By Tandy Braid

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Wonderful resource when having difficulties with bullies. We will be using this one on our unit on bullies. Sometimes using your humor to disarm a bully is just what is needed.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hoppity, skippity, jumpity, ringity, zingity, YESSSSSS! March 10, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I recently read this book to a first grade class. The children loved the fabulous illustrations and the fun rhyming language in the story. Of the 4 books I read the girls seemed to all prefer The Recess Queen. I am going to look up other books by both the author and illustrator. They both have great style.