We hear much about bullying now, and sometimes it is difficult to find interesting material on the subject.Levy presents a cute story to encourage discussion about the subject.   When I first read this book, I thought she was telling kids HOW to be a bully, but I soon learned differently.

Thomas the Toad sets out to impress others in his new town.  He finds out that he is not impressing anyone with his new clothes or his pushy attitude, so he tries to become the worst bully in town. Nobody buys into that either because he just doesn’t look mean enough. When he sees Gomer he tries to pick on him because he looks little and weak.  Thomas soon finds out that there’s always a bigger bully around, and that being a good friend is a better way to impress others. This is a simple little story, but it has great artwork and a good moral for younger readers.  I recommend it for early readers or for a read-aloud.