The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill

Bibliography: O'Neill, Alexis. 2002. The Recess Queen. ill. Laura Huliska-Beith. New York: Scholastic Press.

Plot Summary: O'Neill approaches the all to familiar tale of the school bully in The Recess Queen. Mean Jean was the recess queen and no one did anything, said anything, or played anything until Jean gave the OK. If a child ever crossed her, she would bully them until she got her way. This all changed when Katie Sue came to school. Even though Katie Sue was small and the new kid on the block, she did not allow Mean Jean to intimidate her.

Critical Analysis: The Recess Queen is a great story of how one person can stand up to a bully and make a difference. Mean Jean was the recess queen and no one was allowed to play anything until she gave the OK. However, this changed when Katie Sue came to school. Even though she was small and the new kid in school, she did not let Jean push her around. In fact, Katie Sue did the unthinkable...she asked Mean Jean to play with her. O'Neill does a wonderful job tackling a tough subject. The author's writing is simple, fun, and flows easily.

The illustrations provided by Laura Huliska-Beith are a great addition to the story. She brings the words to life. Vibrant colors and great facial expressions are used throughout the book. She also includes children of all size, color, and style. The combination of writing and illustrations make this a fun read aloud for children of all ages. Include this one in your next lesson on bullying.

Reviews
Children's Literature: "Told entirely in rhyme, young children will surely enjoy the heart-warming and encouraging story just as much as they enjoy the colorful acrylic and collage illustrations."

School Library Journal: "Both the text and the art are smart, sassy, and energetic. Rendered in collage and acrylics in vibrant shades of fuchsia, lime green, and azure blue, the illustrations showcase Mean Jean as an over-the-top cartoon character who is frenetic and effervescent. The text effectively dips, swirls, and slants around the action of the art, further marrying the two."