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June Kelley Pierce, now retired after a teaching career, has a master's degree in both education and special education. A native of northern New York State, she has lived in the Hudson Valley for more than thirty years. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Reviewed by Kristie Ingerto for Readers' Favorite
"Buford the Bully," written by June Kelley Pierce, is an excellent book to use with children to teach them about bullying and the consequences of being a bully. Buford is an unhappy bullfrog who is bigger than the rest of the frogs and he is lonesome. Buford becomes jealous and feels even more lonely one day watching two frogs playing together. Buford becomes a bully and orders the frogs to bring him his meals. The frogs are exhausted and scared; yet what can they do? This continues until others join them and as a group they stand up to Buford.
This book would be a great way to introduce a bullying curriculum/program to young children. Buford does not feel good about himself and the only way he knows how to handle his feelings is to bully others; this can easily be applied to children (and adults even!) and lead to great conversations and discussions about self-esteem, feelings, how to make friends and keep friends along with the issue of bullying. The ending does not give a clear picture as to what becomes of Buford; however, it gives an excellent opportunity to discuss with children possible scenarios of how Buford is living now and what his life is like. Using a frog is a friendly, non-threatening way to approach the topic of bullying which is a huge issue in today's society; therefore, this book should have a place on every elementary school counselor's bookshelf.
