Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun {Author Visit}
Having the Courage to Be Who You Are
Illustrated by Kim Shaw
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Watch Lucy stay true to herself as she learns how to confront bullying with kindness!
Lucy has big hair, eats fun foods–like spaghetti in a hot dog bun–and is teased by a boy named Ralph at school because she is different.
She tries to be brave but she wishes the teasing would stop. What should I do? she asks herself over and over.
Lucy’s Papa Gino reminds her to do the right thing and treat people with kindness. So when Ralph gets stuck on the playground and needs help, will Lucy use this chance to teach Ralph a lesson? Or will she have the courage to be true to herself and make the right choice with an act of kindness?
Readers of all ages can empathize with Lucy’s brave journey as she sets out to rise above Ralph’s mean words, stay true to herself and build her self-esteem every step of the way.
The best book for teaching kindness and confronting bullying. Spaghetti in a Hotdog Bun is perhaps the most beloved book by award-winning author Maria Dismondy.
It carries the key message of love, courage and positivity supported by the many advocates of positive parenting solutions.
It will sit comfortably on your shelf alongside other books that focus on emotions, confidence and bullying, like the work of Adir Levy (What Should Danny Do?) and Jacquelyn Stagg (Kindness Starts with You).
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun is touring the country as a children’s musical with Stars Within Reach Production Company based in New York City. It has become wildly successful with schools and youth theaters nationwide.
Published Reviews
In Torgan-Randall’s picture book, a duck-obsessed girl makes a friend at summer camp after she learns how to listen to others.
Margaret, depicted as a white-skinned, brown-haired girl (rather in the Charlie Brown mold), prefers to be called Ducky. She is obsessed with ducks, and, while attending camp, she works duck facts into every conversation and activity, often talking over her peers (and even the counselor). No one else is much interested, and one boy in particular—red-haired Marvin[4]—loses patience with Margaret’s garrulous duck fixation. “YOU ARE NOT A DUCK! YOU ARE MARGARET!” he tells her. Margaret is momentarily saddened, but she cheers up for the learn-to-swim activity. There, she lends her duck-shaped float-aid to Marvin. Her duck knowledge proves useful, and, more importantly, she learns about Marvin’s own obsession: rocks. Now that their interaction is less one-sided, Margaret and Marvin become friends. Torgan-Randall narrates Margaret’s tale in straightforward, non-rhyming prose, arranging pictures and text so that dialogue appears in natural blank spaces near the speaker. The present-tense constructions and faux-handwritten font lend a sense of immediacy. Torgan-Randall’s illustrations, which are hand-drawn and then digitally refined, evoke the open, ingenuous existence of young children. The campers are ethnically diverse, and all of the characters display distinct personalities (even Bill, the duck float-aid). A pre-story checklist of questions encourages readers to think about listening, communication, and friendship.
A fun, quirky little story about thriving individuality and social integration.