The Rainbow Club by Annette Aubrey

Aubrey, A. (2007). The Rainbow Club. California: QEB Publishing.

Another theme I was going for this week was a picture book about bullying. I teacher third graders and they can be mean sometimes.  It is never a HUGE problem, but it can get in the way of their learning.  I was on a search to find one I could read to them and revisit "social skills."  

The Rainbow Club is not my favorite book ever, but I think it will help get the point across to them.  They love picture books!  I would put this book in a smaller age range.  I would say Kindergarten-1st grade.

The book starts with two children, Tommy and Chloe, who decide to wear only green the next day on their field trip.  When they show up the next day they are only nice to the other kids that are wearing green. They tell everyone they are in the "green club."  They are mean to all the students wearing blue and any other color.  The students wearing other colors are upset and embarrassed. 

The other students find anything they can to make themselves "green."  From the pictures, you can tell they put leaves in their hair and they find green ribbons.  Finally, one of the other students steps out and tells everyone that it is not what they are wearing, but what is on the inside.  She tells them that they it is all nonsense and that they should all be nice to each other.  The "green club" realizes this is true and they decide to come up with a new name.  They come up with The Rainbow Club.  All students can be in the Rainbow Club because they can wear any color.

The book has great illustrations by Patrice Barton.  They are colorful and inviting for students to look at.  The pictures match the words on every page as the story was told. 

I give this book three stars!!!