Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully by Julianne Moore, Illustrated by LeUyen Pham (And a GIVEAWAY!)
Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully by Julianne Moore and illlustrated by LeUyen Pham is a cute little book. I haven’t read the other book in the series Freckleface Strawberry but I think it’s worth seeking out after reading The Dodgeball Bully.
On days that her family leaves to work early, Freckleface Strawberry (the same nickname that Julianne was given when she was a child – see video below to hear Julianne talk about this) gets to go to “Early Bird” at school. A program that lets the kids play before school starts. She loves Early Bird because she gets extra play instead of extra breakfast. She loves to play four square, jump rope, tetherball, and imaginary monsters. But he hates the days that it rains. Because rainy days means playing dodgeball in the gym!
I really got a kick out of Freckleface Strawberry’s fear of playing dodgeball. Both my husband and I hated dodgeball when we were in elementary school. Needless to say, it’s the big kids who love it and the little kids who hate it. Both of us were small. About two months ago, my friend told us to get a babysitter and join their friends in a game of dodgeball for a Friday night out. “Are you kidding me?!” I had said. “Paying a babysitter to go play dodgeball does NOT sound like a fun night out.” Needless to say, we passed. I’ve had enough dodgeball to last me a lifetime. It’s one of those games that I kind of wish would die out, so I don’t have to let my kids play it at school. I mean, come on, pegging kids as hard as you can with a flying ball? No thank you.
What makes dodgeball worse for Freckleface Strawberry is Windy Pants Patrick. You know his type. He’s three times the size of everybody else and he gets a kick out of throwing the ball as hard as he can and making kids cry. She had a plan, she’d stick to the back. Her plan worked until she found herself the last one in, which gave Patrick a perfect shot at her. She knew it was “going to hurt, hurt, HURT!” She decides to pretend to be a monster and then discovers that it didn’t really hurt after all (really?!) and roared like a monster to Patrick. When Patrick gets scared, she apoligies and the next day finds both Freckleface Strawberry and Windy Pants Patrick playing together on the monkey bars.
I must admit that the ending of the book was a bit unbelievable to me as I really didn’t think that the bully of the story and the victim would become best friends. I think maybe they could tolerate each other, but playing together? Hmm . . . I’ll be forgiving. I do like the idea of the book as a means for children who are being bullied to address and work through their problems. I
I loved the illustrations by LeUyen Pham, especially Freckleface Strawberries character. She’s just so darn cute! The illustrations give a wonderful, retro feel to the book and really enhances the text. Very memorable.
On the nickname, Freckleface Strawberry:
On reading:
I met Julianne Moore at BookExpo America (BEA)! She was really sweet and signed a copy of the book for me.
That means that I now have an extra. In a moment of selfishness, I’m keeping my signed copy but would like to give you my other one. To enter, leave a comment telling me about your dodgeball experiences. Have you played before? Do you like the game? Do you hate it? Was there a kid who ruled the game? Comments that do not answer this question, will not be eligible. Open internationally, I’ll close the contest in a week on June 16th.
Links of interest: Thank you to Promo 101 for putting together Julianne’s blog tour. For complete tour information and the complete schedule, visit her tour home page. More videos of Julianne Moore and Freckleface Strawberry: on balancing family and career, on writing, on being a redhead with freckles, on writing for children, on being a writer.
Genre: Picture book, approx ages 4-8.
Published by Bloomsbury. April 28, 2009.
Hardcover, 40 pages. ISBN: 1599903164
Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully is now available from your local independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon. Order your copy today.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Giveaways, Picture & Board Books
Tags: blog tour, E-H Title, female author, Fiction, M-P Author, Promo 101, review copy, videos
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I use to play dodgeball when I was younger and I hated to game. There was always this one kid who was the bully and he use to whip the ball at you. I would always try to make sure i got out first because it seemed that once he got mad he would whip the ball harder. Kids were afraid of him.
cindysloveofbooksarcATgmailDOTcom
on June 9th, 2009 at 9:05 amOMG, I could not stand dodge ball when I was little! I was always picked last, and wound up being hit the hardest and being the first one out. It got to a point where I’d try to get hit on purpose because I just hated playing so much! LOL
vvperesk@gmail.com
on June 9th, 2009 at 9:26 amI was just bad at all sports, Dodgeball included. I really didn’t dig elementary school sports. We didn’t play much Dodgeball though, the big game at that time was kickball. All the cool jocks would pick all their friends and cute girls first for teams, and then there was the rest of us. Pooh, not memories I care about.
on June 9th, 2009 at 9:32 amWe actually never played dodgeball. We played Medicine Ball, which is a dodgeball variation,I guess. The balls were so soft there was really no chance anyone would get hurt. I loved it!
Also, can I just say, I LOVE freckles! I think they’re adorable. I grew up wishing I was a freckled redhead.
on June 9th, 2009 at 10:20 amDodgeball is awful. I always hated it.
We got Freckleface Strawberry (the 1st one) from the library a few weeks ago. My daughter loved it and made me read it over and over. She didn’t want to give it back. I’ll have to look for this one.
on June 9th, 2009 at 11:03 amI can remember being in gym class when I was young and everytime the teacher said “let’s play dodgeball” I would get so excited. I can remember vividly the ball smacking into my shin and it hurt so bad but I kept on playing.
on June 9th, 2009 at 11:04 amWhen it would rain, I knew we were in for it. I would almost get physically ill thinking about playing dodgeball. Our Windy Pants name was Denton Hall. In grade school he was as big as a teenager (maybe he was a teenager!?) and he would just destroy us all. Didn’t matter if we were girls, he took no prisoners. Some of his victims would end up at the nurse’s office. There is no way I would have befriended him. He was a sweaty, stinky, mean ox of a kid. Why did the teachers let this kind of thing go on? I’m thinking they were sadists that enjoyed watching or something. Anyway, I just took a trip back there. I love Julianne Moore as an actor. I think it is very cool that she wrote this, and very cool you got to meet her!
on June 9th, 2009 at 11:17 amI loved dodgeball and I like to think that I was pretty good at it! Maybe not the best but I sure did like it! But I always hated the little boys who would throw the ball as hard as they could. I have great memories of that game though! I would love a chance at winning the book!
on June 9th, 2009 at 11:53 amI both fond and not so fond memories of dodgeball. I loved the team aspect of it, but was picked last many times – something that has a lasting effect on my psyche. My dad always played with us (and the neighborhood kids in our yard) and he named it “fogleball” a take on our last name. So, having my sweet dad play with us made this game something special to me.
on June 9th, 2009 at 1:15 pmWould love to win your “extra” book!
I have ok memories of dodgeball. It was one thing I was not picked last for, because everyone knew it was pretty much the only thing I was pretty good at. I can remember the sting of that ball on my shins though–it always hurt so much.
Thanks for offering your extra book to us!
Julie H.
on June 9th, 2009 at 3:04 pmThat’s so cool that you met her. I meant to, but I just had so much else going on. You can’t do everything. Thanks for the picture though…now I can imagine I was there!
I was always last picked for dodgeball and hated it. I loved the movie with Ben Stiller though.
on June 9th, 2009 at 3:17 pmI too got to meet her while at BEA and will be writing about Dodgeball Bully next week. Hope to get my seven year olds take on the book as well.
on June 9th, 2009 at 5:19 pmWe didn’t have dodgeball when I grew up (Australia)! I loved the movie Dodgeball!! Thanks for the giveaway.
on June 9th, 2009 at 5:23 pmHaha. A book that centers around dodgeball, I love it! In the district that I teach in we have dodgeball tournaments for charity. There’s something to be said about sixty teachers coming together in teams to whoop some butt!
I, of course, am deathly afraid of getting pelted. Therefore, I go to cheer on my colleagues and take pictures for the staff to see.
Anyways, I would love this book. How much fun!
on June 9th, 2009 at 5:26 pmI always loved dodgeball as a kid! My fourth graders love to play and occasionally I’ll jump in and play too. Although I’ve gotten much slower in my old age, I still get the same satisfaction from knocking a cocky kid in the leg and sending him to the sidelines.
on June 9th, 2009 at 6:00 pmI hated playing dodgeball as a kid. THe boys always tried to throw as hard as possible to leave red welts – it was a contest to them! I would usually just try to get hit right away so I could sit out. My kids school does not allow dodgeball in gym but every once in awhile a substitute has not known this and they get to play. They love it!
I’d love to win this book! THanks.
on June 9th, 2009 at 10:29 pmI am old… so, yes we played dodgeball. It was a red rubber ball. We’d pick teams (horrible experience if you’re picked last). Then, if they threw the ball and it hit you, you were out. We always played on the blacktop and I was constantly getting skinned knees. I don’t remember it fondly.
My girls played it and loved it. However, they’re popular and super athletic!
on June 10th, 2009 at 12:10 amBasically I hated all the games we played at school, including dodge ball. I was supremely unathletic (still am) and was always picked last for the team.
My son plays it at school and loves it.
on June 10th, 2009 at 5:08 amThe pitter-thunk of your heart as you see an opponent wind up to release the ball at you, the sheer terror as it soars at you, and then the ultimate thrill as you skillfully (or clumsily – I was a klutz) and luckily avoid the orb – man, that’s a game! I was fortunate though and usually played with that soft, squishy, forms to your hand ball. The kind that you can squish the air out of so it goes faster, but as it sails it puffs back up with air. Many a sweaty night at youth group and with friends in the backyard were spent playing dodgeball. Did you know most public schools have banned the game? Man, that’s a travesty!
Love children’s literature and am a great fan of the triumphant young heroine ~ would be delighted to share this book with my own little hero and heroine.
on June 10th, 2009 at 11:07 amI’m definitely getting this for my kid, 8 loves dodgeball!!
on June 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pm[...] Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully by Julianne Moore … [...]
on June 10th, 2009 at 4:25 pmThank you for this giveaway! I did play dodgeball and didn’t much like it. I was the newest cousin and had moved from overseas, my cousin Rhea made sure that I was always “it”. It took a few years before we all got along well!
gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com
on June 10th, 2009 at 6:40 pmI hated dodgeball and cannot truly believe they still play it in school. My 14-year-old son goes to a lab school (should be higher thinking??) and they play dodgeball in P.E. (what skill??) and he hates it.
on June 10th, 2009 at 9:59 pmYes, I have played dodgeball, and I love it! It’s fun “venting” out your emotions with the balls.
on June 10th, 2009 at 11:26 pmI hated dodgeball. I have no coordination at all. I was ALWAYS the first one out!!
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
on June 11th, 2009 at 8:12 amI love how some of us love it and others hate it! I told my husband about this post and the posed question and he literally groaned. He hates dodgeball too. Still more time to enter, so keep the answers coming!
on June 12th, 2009 at 7:19 pmLoved sports. Hated dodgeball. I was a small kid, too. Avoided the game like the plague. The game should be outlawed. Just my opinion. I’m all for freckles though.
on June 15th, 2009 at 10:07 pmI’ve played Dodge Ball as a kid (not by choice) and I used to hate it! I don’t know if I’ll enjoy it as an adult…guess I should try again and see if I like it now that I’m over my fear of getting hit in the face by a ball. LOL
on June 16th, 2009 at 3:01 pmOut here, dodgeball is not allowed! You can only play non-contact games during school hours.
When I was a kid though dodgeball was THE game to play but you had to have a pretty tough exterior or your feelings would get hurt pretty easily. I loved it on most days but sometimes the kids would play too rough and then I’d take it personally and then…waaaaah.
I’m sort of glad it’s not allowed here.
on June 16th, 2009 at 5:03 pmI hated dodgeball because I was so bad at it and was always picked on by the other kids — ugh! I certainly am glad that I’ll never have to play it again
on June 16th, 2009 at 8:00 pmUsing random.org, the winner of Freckleface Strawberry is . . . #19! Elizabeth! Congrats!
on June 19th, 2009 at 11:09 amI actually really liked Dodgeball. With the exception of the gymnastics unit, Dodgeball days were the least painful for me in elementary school gym. I couldn’t catch the ball and chuck it back at someone to knock them out, but I was really, really good at getting out of the ball’s way, which meant instead of being the first one out (like I am in every other sport) I was always in the middle, which is very respectable.
Sadly, my skill at getting out the ball’s way doesn’t help me in such sports as baseball, volleyball, or basketball. *sigh*
on June 20th, 2009 at 2:36 pm[...] Tuesday June 9 – Natasha Maw shares information about Freckleface Strawberry on her blog http://blog.mawbooks.com/2009/06/09/freckleface-strawberry-and-the-dodgeball-bully-by-julianne-moore... [...]
on April 19th, 2010 at 6:05 pm