So I just learned about this site, We Give Books, where you can read books online, for free, and support literacy programs. Where has this site been all my life?! Obviously I signed up, and read my first book within 5 minutes. It seems that they are all children's books, which is fine with me. They are easy, cute and reading them makes a difference. Why WOULDN'T I do this?

"Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon" was cute, beautifully illustrated, and short. It's for kids aged 4-7, so the cause and effect type storytelling would probably be perfect for someone in the target audience.

Plus this has a couple great messages: Love yourself and don't let the critics get you down, and bullies never win against someone who refuses to be intimidated. A couple messages that everyone, of all ages, can do with remembering.

All in all, a lovely little story.

Picture Book Favorites

This one was surprisingly fun to read to my kid. It has a nice message, and the prose flow nicely. I also thought the art was fantastic. Vibrant colors with an impressive amount of detail as well as fun character and world designs. I will definitely be on the look out for more books written by Patty Lovell and books illustrated by David Catrow. I highly recommend it.

the only MLM I ever wanna associate myself with

Molly Lou Melon is a spunky, fumble-fingered little first-grader with buck teeth and a voice that sounds like "a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor." She believes her grandma when she tells her things like "Walk as proudly as you can and the world will look up to you" and "Sing out clear and strong and the world will cry tears of joy." Molly Lou Melon's belief in herself is tested when the bully at her new school starts to pick on her.

David Catrow's wonderful and wacky illustrations fit the story and Molly Lou Melon's personality perfectly. My favorite is the close-up view of Molly Lou Melon smiling big so the world will smile right alongside her. Molly Lou Melon certainly never does anything by halves!

There are so many interesting and fun details in this book - in both the story and the illustrations. I noticed something new every time I read it. For example, Molly Lou Melon is never called "Molly Lou" or "Molly." She is ALWAYS "Molly Lou Melon."

My favorite part of the entire book, though, is the very last page. I don't want to spoil it for you, so you'll have to read this book to see what I'm talking about!

This is a great story about a girl who is different. Everyone begins t see how special she is at the end. This is a wonderful way to explain how even if people are different, everyone is special in their own way.

Molly Lou Melon is one of my all-time favorite heroines -- she's spunky and witty, doesn't let obstacles determine her actions, and creatively turns bullies into friends. For children and adults who've felt new, lonely, depressed, overwhelmed, taken advantage of... and in any other way like the odds are stacked against them... take a page from Molly Lou Melon's book!

What a great book. Molly Lou Melon is absolutely adorable (thanks toDavid Catrow the extrodinary illustrator). The author has put value on the relationship of a grandmother and her granddaughter and dealing with a bully. I thought every page of this book was wonderful.

* Book Summary
Molly Lou Melon is a little girl who has many insecurities about her physical appearance her grandmother helps her feel better about those insecurities and when she moves to a new school and gets picked on she knows exactly how to deal with the bullies.

*awards
Blue Ribbon from Imaginary Library
* Grade Level/ Interest level
1st-3rd
* Appropriate Classroom Use
I would use this book when discussing bullying

*Student Who Might Benefit From Reading
All students

* Small Group Use
I would ask students to write about an insecurity and how they can feel better about

* Whole Class Use
I would share this book with the class and explain how bullying is not okay.

*Related Book In Genre
I like Myself

*Multimedia Connections
N/a

Molly Lou Melon is the cutest little eensy-weensy girl you've ever seen. She needs a ladder to climb up onto her bed. Her self-confidence, however, is bigger than Andre the Giant. No matter what ugly things that stereotypically-red-headed class bully Ronald Durkin says to her, she just grins her giant grinning grin and goes right ahead doing whatever it is she's doing, from creating the most beautiful paper snowflake ever to scoring a touchdown even though she's wearing a football helmet that comes all the way down to her navel.

You gotta love Molly Lou Melon. Gotta. Love. Her.

This is a read-aloud MUST for the first week of school.

-grades 1-3
-Molly Lou Melon is a young girl who is a little different than other children her age. She doesn't mind her differences and always took her grandmother's advice to heart. After starting at a new school, the school bully begins to pick on little Molly, but Molly remembers everything her grandmother has told her and stays true to herself. Molly is a courageous young girl that embraces her differences and uses it to stand up to the bully.
-This book places emphasis on embracing who you are. Young children are able to see that being different is a good thing and if you stay true to yourself others will like you for who you truly are.
- can be used during a class lesson on kindness, or showing that it is okay to be different.

What a great message!

Even though Molly Lou Melon is small, has buck teeth, and has a voice like a horn, but Molly Lou's grandma tells her she is special and she finds a way to build her self-esteem. Then, Molly Lou moves, away from grandma, but she knows in her heart that grandma is right.

A great read-aloud book for self-esteem and bullying.