Johnny Big Ears, the Feel-Good Friend by John Paul Padilla

Johnny Big Ears is just like every other five-year-old child, but when he starts his first day of kindergarten, children begin to tease him because of his enormously large ears. Follow Johnny as he faces the challenges that being different presents. How will Johnny react to being teased? Find out why Johnny turns out to be the winner in this endearing, thoughtful book that addresses typical childhood bullying and offers children advice on how to deal with teasing.

My Review:
It's exciting to experience a children's book about a child being different and bullied with the emphasis on the child feeling special rather than rejected. The premise is a good one. However, there are some problems.

Children do not learn to spell words in kindergarten. The target audience is ages 6-8, and the story may be a stretch for that group. There are eight pages of text with no illustrations. Johnny looks closer to a ten-year-old than a five--year-old. When teased by boys who follow him, Johnny reacts in a manner way too mature for a five-year-old. Most adults are not so wise.

Another good point is the naming of the characters. Mrs. Wrinkles, is the teacher. I would have liked to see a smile on her face. Charlie Freckles is a boy who becomes Johnny's friend. More good points are the themes: that everyone has differences in appearance that make them unique, and fighting and name calling are not the only solutions to bullying.