Speak up, Molly Lou Melon

Gr 1--2--The very small girl with the sweet brown face and mass of black hair, Molly Lou Melon (Stand Up, Molly Lou Melon) is back with more self-confidence than ever. She enthusiastically embraces her mother's instructions to be true to herself, take responsibility, and accept people for who they are along with all their differences. So when a new class bully, Bettina Bonklehead, teases her and her friends, Molly Lou staunchly defends their friendship. When she and Bettina are both involved in a paint project gone awry, Molly Lou takes responsibility and cheerily accepts the punishment while Bettina stays quiet. When Bettina bullies the new boy, Molly doesn't hesitate to stand up to her, and tell her to stop. While the final message for the bully is a tad overly simplistic--"If you want to be a friend, it's all up to you"--readers may be encouraged by Molly Lou's upbeat approach, aware that she has learned the lesson from bully-turned-friend, Ronald Durkin, of the previous book. VERDICT While standing up to bullies is nothing new for the perpetually self-confident protagonist, the whimsical approach paired with Catrow's familiar signature ink and watercolor caricatures make this an easily digestible lesson in making good choices and speaking up.--Jessica Marie, Salem P.L., OR

Molly Lou Melon uses her voice to stand up for a new friend 19 years after she learned to stand up for herself. Molly Lou Melon, "a tiny girl with a big, deep-down heart," is true to herself, as her mother tells her to be. She accepts people for who they are, and she uses her strong voice to "speak up for anyone who might need [her] help." At school, when Bettina Bonklehead teases Molly Lou and her friend Ronald with "kissy-kissy boyfriend-girlfriend," Molly Lou defends their friendship. When Bettina teases the new boy, Molly Lou defends him and asks him to play at recess. After standing up for him ferociously, Molly Lou leads her friends in giving mean Bettina the option of being a friend too. Lovell's text places this strong protagonist at the centers of a loving family and friend group, making her a role model for readers, with her fearless standing up and speaking out. Catrow's illustrations are borderline fantastical, with birds riding in toy trains and Molly Lou wearing a backpack thrice her size. The ponytail (sometimes multiple) that sticks out beyond her Afro is a superlatively odd touch. Molly Lou has beige skin, and the very odd-looking new boy has brown skin while the other kids, no more peculiar in aspect than Catrow's typical kewpie, seem to have pale skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 63.9% of actual size.) An encouraging message in a quirky package. (Picture book. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.