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The Recess Queen [Hardcover]

Alexis O'neill , Laura Huliska-Beith
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 1, 2002 4 - 8 years450L (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.

Frequently Bought Together

The Recess Queen + The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up For Others + My Mouth Is a Volcano!
Price for all three: $27.86

Buy the selected items together


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.


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

Customer Reviews

Wonderful resource when having difficulties with bullies. Tandy Braid  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
I am a pre-school teacher, I enjoyed reading this book with my students. Baby Ruth  |  9 reviewers made a similar statement
The illustrations are vibrant and fun. Colleen D. Gallagher  |  3 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
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!
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars School Counselor February 2, 2003
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.
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars My 5 year old loves this one
my 5 year old likes this story. I read it first and then she reads it to me. She thinks it is funny
Published 1 month ago by Barb
5.0 out of 5 stars Supreme book for kids
Have you ever thought about the best children's book? Keep reading this review to find out why we think it's The Recess Queen! Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. Caputa's First Grade Class
5.0 out of 5 stars Very cute and creative :)
Love that the author is able to create such a positive experience and outcome from real life bullying on the playground.
Published 2 months ago by Danette Mathias
5.0 out of 5 stars Recess Queen
Recess Queen should be read to all primary classes. Let's kids know that bullies are not liked nor can they really intimidate for long.
Published 2 months ago by B. Gosse
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
I was introduced to this book by another teacher & loved it! The rhyming keeps kids interested & I love how colorful the book is. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Teacher Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, what fun
I used this book for character traits. The students could think of several people that might fit each of the characters in the story....Awesome book!
Published 4 months ago by Terrie
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read with your child
My 6 year old daughter loves the recess queen and gives the book 5 stars because, "the recess queen is really mean and then turns nice".
Published 5 months ago by musicway
4.0 out of 5 stars A Funny But True Bully Story
Teachers and parents will love this funny but true to life bully story to read to their students and children. Read more
Published 15 months ago by J. Wagner
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read for Middle Schoolers, too
I teach middle school. For years, I've used The Recess Queen as a class touchstone. I read it aloud the first week of school to an enraptured audience. Read more
Published 18 months ago by csperryess
5.0 out of 5 stars What is freindship?
This delightful book is an examination of what just exactly friendship is. Written in a fun rhyming style, it will allow parent or teacher to discuss bullying, why it starts and... Read more
Published 19 months ago by D. E. Cooper
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