Book Reviews
The Recess Queen and King of the Playground
Reading level: Kindergarten–Grade 3
Teachers who wish to include younger students in discussions of bullying will be pleased to learn about what we like to call the "his and hers" of playground bullying books. The Recess Queen, by Alexis O'Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith, and King of the Playground, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and Nola Langner Malone, are a nicely matched set, even if their authors weren't doing any intentional matchmaking when they penned their picture books.
The Recess Queen
In The Recess Queen, Queen Jean (aka Mean Jean) pushes and smooshes, lollapalooshes, hammers, slammers, and kitz and kajammers the other kids on the playground. No one swings until Jean swings. No one kicks until Jean kicks. And no one bounces until Jean bounces.
Until, that is, a new girl comes to school. "A teeny kid. A tiny kid. A kid you might scare with a jump and a 'Boo!'" But Katie Sue has no idea she's supposed to cower under Queen Jean's glower. Instead, she has the audacity to swing, kick, and bounce first, and then to ask Jean to jump rope with her! Flabbergasted, friendless Jean "in-your-faces" Katie Sue, but ultimately joins her in jump roping and friendship.
King of the Playground
Meanwhile, over in King of the Playground, Kevin is being intimidated by self-proclaimed king of the swings, Sammy. If Kevin tries to play on any of the playground equipment, Sammy claims he will tie Kevin up so tight he'll never get loose. Or he'll dig a hole so deep Kevin will never escape.
The threats escalate, but each time, Kevin's dad has a calm, even response for his son. "And what would you be doing while Sammy was digging?" Kevin realizes that he would be kicking the dirt back in the hole. "Right," says his dad. "That's one thing you could do," thus further opening Kevin's mind to the realm of possible solutions to any problem.
By the time Sammy has warned Kevin that he'll nail all the doors and windows shut if he tries to play on the monkey bars, Kevin has the hang of it (pun intended). "And while Sammy was nailing one door shut, we could walk out the other," he tells his dad with a smile. In the denouement, we find Kevin stepping into the sandbox with Sammy, weathering his threats with aplomb until the two boys finally find a way to play together without losing face or resorting to ropes and holes.
Social and Emotional Lessons in The Recess Queen and King of the Playground
Katie Sue and Kevin are likeable yet unlikely playground heroes, which is exactly why they make such perfect STEPS TO RESPECT role models. Using humor and deadpan responses to some pretty scary intimidation tactics, they defuse the situations and even befriend their would-be enemies.
This is not an impossible idyll. Many children who bully others simply don't have the skills to befriend them. Given a safe chance, they may just find a way to come around. Teachers can use the two examples of these stellar books to teach friendship-making skills and skills for dealing with bullying.
Emilie Coulter
Book Reviewer
Committee for Children
