[.ca] Pinky and Rex and the Bully (ISBN 0785791329)

4 1/2* Excellent Book for Elementary School Kids:
Billy was nicknamed "Pinky" because of his love for the color; even his stuffed animals have a bit of pink somewhere on them. He's got no problem with the name until a school bully begins taunting him, calling him a girl (generally not received well by seven-year-old boys), and generally intimidating him. Pinky, wondering if he's too old for such a nickname, decides to change his name back to Billy, and give his beloved animals to his sister. Fortunately, an older neighborhood woman teaches him to accept himself as he is: "It's hard to be different, isn't it, Billy? ....But, believe me, it's worse not to be yourself. Don't change for other people, Billy. Other people will come and go in your life. Do what's right for the one person who will always be with you--yourself." Her advise, and some newfound assertion by Billy/Pinky helps him out: "Pinky walked straight up to Kevin and poked him in the chest . . . 'I'm not a sissy and I'm not a girl. And if you think so, it just shows how dumb you are.'" OK, so Pinky gets slightly physical, but, overall, this is a fine book for the bullied--and those who bully them. Forty pages long, with lovely soft color illustrations, a non preachy tone, and a nice inter-generational angle. This book really seems to know the seven- year-old's mind.