| View Larger Image | Hot Issues, Cool Choices: Facing Bullies, Peer Pressure, Popularity, and Put-downs | Paperbackby Sandra McLeod Humphrey (Author), Brian Strassburg (Illustrator)
| List Price: | $13.95 | | Price: | $12.80 | | You Save: | $1.15 (8%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | Prometheus Books | | Page Count: | 133 Pages | | Publication Date: | November 20, 2007 | | Sales Rank: | 283,189rd |
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FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9781591025696
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Did you know that there are kids out there who don t even want to get out of bed in the morning because they know what going to school means for them?-being teased and taunted ...-being excluded and rejected ...-being afraid that you re going to be assaulted and possibly hurt...-Sometimes it can even mean that you just can t hang in there any longer, so you give up and take your own life.If you are one of the cool kids at school, this book is for you.But if you re not one of the cool kids, this book is especially for you.Emerson Elementary isn t a real school, but it could be your elementary school. And the students at Emerson aren t real kids, but the problems they face are real, and so are the choices they make.The Golden Rule is an old rule, but it's still a good rule to live by, and after reading this book, you may just possibly become a kinder, more compassionate human being, someone who treats others the way you want them to treat you.So come along and join the students at Emerson Elementary and help them make some cool choices! |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 9 reviews)
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Great Book for Tough Situations by kdea473  5 Stars
October 21, 2009
It's been quite a few years since I was in school, but I can remember seeing the bullying, teasing, and taunting that went on in the classrooms, on the playground, and on the bus. Unfortunately, times are not any easier for today's children.
This book covers many of the issues that kids face in elementary and middle school. The book is written in a very conversational tone (to speak directly to the student) and each story ends with "More to Think About" (what should the character do, why do you think the bully is acting that way, etc) and "Trading Places" (have you ever felt like this?).
This book is appropriate (and probably necessary) for students as young as third grade. The stories could be read aloud to the class with a writing assignment to follow up (or classroom discussion). This is a very valuable book.
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A Must For All Kids & Parents! by BookAddict (FL) 5 Stars
August 24, 2009
As the parent of a child who was once bullied, I can say that this book should be read by every child and parent of children from grammar school through junior high. Sandra does a masterful job of handling a subject that is too often downplayed as "part of growing up". At its worst, being bullied can psychologically damage a child. Even at its best, being the victim of a bully leads to poor academic performance, as well as anxiety and even physical illness. This book helps open the door to conversations between parents and their children and helps kids learn how to make the best choices for themselves. A must-have addition to every kids' library.
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Hot Issues, Cool Choices by Max E. Anderson (Illinois) 5 Stars
May 14, 2009
Though some of the stories in this book are a cry for help, the author tells them in a way that is compelling and a call for action.
It is clear to even the casual observer that civility in our culture is in decline. So it stands to reason that this will find its way down to our children and be reflected in their behavior.
My daughter teaches second grade in a public school in Florida, where discipline and respect are some of the most critical issues she faces in the classroom. In her view, what happens at home is what is played out in the classroom as behavioral problems. Aggression and bullying rank near the top. So a book like Hot Issues, Cool Choices, is a welcome tool for teachers and adults who are on the front lines.
This book is a Best Books Award Winner from USA Book News, and received the Mom's Choice Award from The Just for Mom Foundation. It covers the subjects of peer pressure, bullying, harassment, respect, aggression, humiliation, and more. Be sure to check out the other reviews and endorsements you can find on Amazon.com, and on my Books for Boys blog.
Since my focus is on writing action-adventure & mystery books for boys, that feature character-building issues, and since aggression and bullying are more related to boys' behavior, I highly recommend this book as a tool for you to use as you interact with the boys in your life.
Max Elliot Anderson
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A perfect read aloud to help staunch the harmful effects of bullying by The Well-Read Child  4 Stars
February 16, 2009
Let's face it, being a kid is difficult--dealing with peer pressure, the desire to fit in, the search for self-identity, etc. Sometimes kids participate in things like bullying and teasing they're really not comfortable doing, but they just don't know how to stand up to other children. Unfortunately, way too many children are on the receiving end of this teasing and bullying which can permanently damage their self esteem and sadly sometimes result in suicide or violence towards others.
Luckily, Sandra McLeod Humphrey's has created a new book to help children learn how to stand up for other children and even for themselves in an effort to staunch the harmful bullying that is seen in schools. Ms. McLeod Humphrey decided to write Hot Issues, Cool Choices: Facing Bullies, Peer Pressure, Popularity, and Put-downs when she heard the story of Tommy, a 12-year old boy, who committed suicide because he was bullied. The book is dedicated to Tommy's memory.
Through numerous interviews with teachers, students, and parents, Ms. McLeod Humphrey created a fictional elementary school, Emerson Elementary, and presents over 25 scenarios told from the point of view of children in the school. The scenarios cover a wide range of issues, from name-calling, harassment, peer pressure, rumors, and even suicidal thoughts. At the end of each scenario is a number of thought-provoking discussion questions asking students to talk about what they would do, how the children in story felt, and more.
For example, in the scenario, "No, No, a Thousand Times No!," a boy named Eric is having a Halloween party, and Jeremy, an unpopular boy asks if he can come. Eric believes that if he invites him, he will lose friends, and others will think he's just as "weird" as Jeremy. Questions children are prompted to answer include,
* "What do you think Eric should do? Why?"
* "How you feel about Jeremy?"
* "Do you think Eric will really lose all his friends if he invites Jeremy to his party?"
* "Do you think Jeremy knows how Eric and his friends feel about him?"
Finally, there's a "Trading Places," question: "How would you feel if you were Jeremy and you weren't invited to Eric's party." (p 32)
It's these "Trading Places," questions that I feel are the most powerful. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes really helps others feel empathy and perhaps enables them to be brave enough to stand up and change destructive behaviors.
The overarching message of the book is to follow "the golden rule" and to treat others the way you'd like to be treated. In the author's final note, Ms. McLeod Humphrey states, "You don't have to be 'best friends' with everyone, but you can still treat everyone with respect and courtesy" (p. 121).
In the back of the book, you can also find bullying statistics, online resources, and an afterword that includes more information about bullying and action steps bystanders can take to help prevent it.
This book makes a perfect read aloud for teachers and students and parents and children, and is chock full of discussion opportunities that can make a huge difference and perhaps even save lives.
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Real Dilemmas by Jay Young (Austin, TX USA) 5 Stars
December 24, 2008
"Hot Issues, Cool Choices" is a collection of hypothetical stories about kids at one Emerson Elementary School. The stories are meant to illustrate problems children face in dealing with peers, and each story has a different theme. Here are some of the stories:
Angelina and Me (Compassion, Respect for Others)
Musical Chairs (Exclusion, Peer Pressure)
Promises, Promises (Social Manipulation)
Short, Shorter, Shortest (Physical Aggression)
At the end of every story there are some bullet points for "More to Think About" and "Trading Places" to get readers to think about the story's implications. Musical chairs is a good story to use as an example of what's in this neat little book. Nikki has wanted be in Caitlin's group, the "popular group," for a long time, and suddenly she is. Unfortunately, Caitlin has many rules for the group members, about what to wear, how to do hair, and especially who they can sit with at lunch. One day at lunch, because Taylor didn't wear her hair "right," Caitlin tells her there's no room, and to sit somewhere else. Nikki feels sorry for Taylor and wants to join her, but knows that if she does, she will be out of the "popular group." The "More to Think About" has -What do you think Nikki should do? Why? -How do you feel about Caitlin? -How do you feel abou Caitlin's group? -Would you want to be in her group? Why or why not? And in "Trading Places" is -How do you think Taylor feels?
Humphrey gives real ethical dilemmas which are very difficult, and require thought and experience to work through. Children, parents, and educators should read this. Incidentally, I think even adults who don't currently have children or are involved in education can profit from reading this.
As the author notes, bullying is a serious problem in schools, and there are kids who don't want to even get out of bed in the morning, because they know what going to school means. Hopefully this book will have an impact.
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SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| If You Had to Choose, What Would You Do?
by Sandra McLeod Humphrey (Author), Brian Strassburg (Illustrator)
This is an interactive book about moral choices for children 6-12. There are 25 stories about moral dilemmas and the reader is asked what he or she would do in that situation. Each story is also followed by thought questions which stimulate great discussions both in the home and in the classroom. The stories are fun for the kids to read and they get them thinking and talking about important moral issues. The book has received excellent reviews and is a wonderful resource for both the home...
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| It's Up to You... What Do You Do?
by Sandra McLeod Humphrey (Author), Brian Strassburg (Illustrator)
This is an interactive book about moral choices for ages 8 and up. Thre are 25 stories about moral dilemmas and the reader is asked what he or she would do in that situation. Each story is also followed by thought questions which stimulate great discussions both in the home and in the classroom. The stories are fun for the kids to read and they get them thinking and talking about important moral issues. The book has received excellent reviews and is a wonderful resource for both the home...
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| More If You Had to Choose What Would You Do?
by Sandra McLeod Humphrey (Author), Brian Strassburg (Illustrator)
How important is winning, and does it really matter how we win? What do you think determines a person's "worth" -- how much money he or she has? Can you have lots of friends and still be lonely? When other people are telling you what to do, how do you decide what is right for you? In this sequel to her popular first book, IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?, psychologist Sandra McLeod Humphrey encourages parents and teachers to talk to children about values and to help them...
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| What Do You Stand For? For Kids: A Guide to Building Character
by Barbara A. Lewis (Author)
True stories, inspiring quotations, thought-provoking dilemmas, and activities help elementary school children build positive character traits including caring, fairness, respect, and responsibility. From the best-selling author of What Do You Stand For? For Teens. Includes updated resources. Previous Title: Being Your Best; black & white photos & illustrations, 7 1Ž4" x 9", 9 reproducible handout masters, ages 7-12.
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| 10-Minute Life Lessons for Kids: 52 Fun and Simple Games and Activities to Teach Your Child Honesty, Trust, Love, and Other Important Values
by Jamie C. Miller (Author)
52 playful and easy to understand activites to hhelp parents teach children moral lessons that they won't forget A child says, "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand." 10-Minute Life Lessons for Kids is a book about seeing and doing--a book that gives parents the ability to teach the powerful principles of honesty, trust, generosity, love, and other values. Children will discover the objectives themselves as they actively participate in fun games and activities....
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