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Better Than You

by Trudy Ludwig (Author) Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)

Better Than You
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Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
cms Common Sense Media Review
Jake's bragging is really starting to get to his neighbor Tyler. Tyler can't show Jake a basketball move, a school assignment, or a new toy without Jake saying he can do better. Tyler starts to wonder: Is something wrong with him? Is he really such a loser? Is Jake really better than him at everything? Or is Jake the one with the problem? With the help of his uncle Kevin, Tyler begins to understand that Jake's bragging has nothing to do with Tyler's own abilities and that puffing yourself up leaves little room for friends.
cms Common Sense Media Review

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School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--Focusing on a subject not often written about for children, Ludwig's story may be helpful to youngsters dealing with braggarts. Tyler and Jake are friends, but lately Jake boasts that he can do everything better than Tyler. Tyler doesn't feel good about himself when he's around Jake and wonders why he should even try to get better at basketball or math, for instance, as Jake is always going to best him. When Tyler opens up to his uncle and explains why he's so unhappy, Uncle Kevin explains that some people are like puffer fish that make themselves look bigger than they really are; this can sometimes backfire as the larger they get, the more they push people away. That Tyler talks to an adult and then finds a friend with whom he can share and learn new skills are positive and satisfying elements to the story. Well-executed paintings are appealing and portray the characters' emotions clearly. The book offers information for adults, including a foreword, an author's note, questions for discussion, and a recommended reading list.--Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2011:
"...anyone suffering the oxygen-depleting windbaggery of the neighborhood boaster will find solace here."
Trudy Ludwig
TRUDY LUDWIG is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids cope with and thrive in their social world, including The Invisible Boy, My Secret Bully and The Power of One. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents at schools and conferences around the US for her passion and compassion in addressing peer aggression and friendship issues. An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with organizations like the Committee for Children and ConnectSafely.org, and has served as content adviser for Sesame Street Workshop. Trudy's books have won the Mom's Choice Gold Award, the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award, and the NAPPA Gold Award, and have also been recognized as NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People.

Visit her at trudyludwig.com
Follow her on Twitter at @TrudyLudwig

PATRICE BARTON earned a BFA in studio art from the University of Texas in Austin, where she lives with her husband and son. Her books include The invisible Boy and Quiet Please, Owen McPhee by Trudy Ludwig, as well as I Pledge Allegiance by Pat Mora and Libby Martinez and Remarkably You by Pat Zietlow Miller. Her work has been honored by the Society of Illustrators and the International Literacy Association (ILA) among others.

Visit her at Patrice Barton.com
Follow her on Instagram at @PatriceBarton
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781582463803
Lexile Measure
640L
Guided Reading Level
N/A
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 20, 2011
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV039230 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Bullying
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Interpersonal relations
Self-esteem
Pride and vanity
Parents Choice Awards (Spring) (2008-Up)
Approved 2012 - 2012

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