Be a Buddy, Not a Bully

Tales of Midlandia

by Michael Scotto, The Ink Circle (Illustrator)

When Harvest the farmer is bullied by mean banker Buck, Harvest must seek the help of Chief Tatupu to resolve the problem. With Chief's assistance, Harvest makes Buck realize how harmful bullying behavior can truly be. This Tales of Midlandia title is sure to both entertain and educate.

Genres: Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2012

About the author

Michael Scotto has worked as a filmmaker, a saxophone player and an engineer's assistant, but his true passion has always been writing. He is the author of the "The Tales of Midlandia" picture book series, as well as the middle-grade novels, "Latasha and the Little Red Tornado," "Latasha and the Kidd on Keys," and "Postcards from Pismo." When not writing, he enjoys cooking and photography.

In 2011, Scotto was honored as one of the "Pittsburgh 40 Under 40," which recognizes difference makers in the Western Pennsylvania region. He currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife.

Reviews

[Michael Scotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the very first picture book I wrote, and for that, it'll always hold a special place for me. It's one of the more explicitly "instructional" Tales of Midlandia stories -- all of them have some sort of character-building, social-educational aspect to them, but this one, down to the title, is pretty direct in its mission.

There's a lot I'm proud of in this book -- the contrast of Harvest's bulk with his sensitivity, for instance. If I had to pick a favorite moment, though, it's one not directly related to the plot; I'd choose the ears of corn gag. You see, my perfect picture of how to best experience these books is the image of an older sibling reading to a younger sibling. Let's say a second or third grader reading to a kindergartener. The ears of corn gag is a little 'wink' to that older sibling. Hopefully, they'll wink back.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Won a copy through Goodreads' First Reads program.

The story is great, short and to the point great for kids. The content so needs to be addresses now-a-days. Love the illustrations and the whimsical atristry!