Benjamin and Tulip

by Rosemary Wells

Benjamin is at a loss in handling Tulip's constant bullying.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).

Reviews

[Leah Coffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and mean and funny and mean. Some might say it's too violent for kids, but I say: 1) it didn't make me violent; 1a) it didn't make my niece violent either, and she asked me to reread it three times; 2) it actually teaches them that violence is wrong; and 3) watermelons. Hee.

[Alistair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Rosemary Wells hasn't won the Nobel Prize for literature is an absolute mystery to me. This is a classic and should be in every bookshop worth its salt, but alas, it isn't. And forever will be remembered for the classic line of Tulip's "You're cruising for a bruising."

[Jenna Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief summary: Two small raccoons, named Benjamin and Tulip, may both seem innocent at first sight, but Tulip is a bully. She beats Benjamin up, messes up his clothes, and gets him in trouble with his mom. Benjamin decides that he will not take her mistreatment anymore and takes action against her. He sticks up for himself and gives her a taste of her own medicine. At the end of the book, they become friends and settle their differences.
Potential Audience: This book is great for late early readers. Because the reader could understand the story directly from the illustrations, and because there are very few words on each page, this book is great for readers in the later stage of early reading. It is a fiction picture book that addresses the issue of bullying for young children.
Specific Curricular Uses: Benjamin and Tulip can be used for independent reading, and shared reading. I could read this as a read aloud if there are issues with bullying in the classroom.
Literary Elements: The literary elements that this book uses include: dialogue to explain the story and the characters, and descriptive verbs such as zipped and growled to describe the action of the characters.
Social issues: This book addresses bullying and overcoming oppression to reach liberation.
Interactions between text and image: The illustrations in the book support the text very closely and the reader would not have trouble telling the story if he or she cannot read the text.

[Neda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about bullying but interestingly enough, here we have a girl bullying a boy!
So Tulip bullies Benjamin whenever he passes her house. Benjamin's mother and aunt think she is a really nice girl and are ignorant of the fact that she bullies him.
When they send him to buy a watermelon, again Tulip causes trouble but Benjamin manages to fight for himself and at the end it seems that they befriend each other; this was actually a great way to finish the book. I really enjoyed it and the illustrations are also cute!

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the flow of the story though I find the end a bit anti-climactic but cute. I'm glad both raccoon became friends (???) at the end in an unusual way although. I felt bad for Benjamin and Tulip is so bad. Again didn't expect the ending.

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a weird lovely weird book. You should read it, or "I'm gonna beat you up."

[Erma Talamante · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about bullies and how one was handled best by a boy named Benjamin. A good story for little ones who are being bullied, and to start a conversation about bullies and bullying. Since this is a hot topic these days, this is a great older book that doesn't overemphasize the problem, but rather, gives a solution.

[Amanda Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child and recently obtained my grandma's copy. She read it to my brother and I often. To me, even as a kid, the characters clearly represented us. It was fun and my grandma used it to teach us a clear lesson about, as she put it, "being ditbags to each other."

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wickedly funny! Tulip is downright cruel to poor Benjamin. Her antics result in one delicious read.

[Breana Vining · Rating 2 out of 5]

Benjamin and Tulip do not get along at all, but they will be joined together in friendship by one thing...a watermelon!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love sharing childhood favorites with Dashiell!

[Debby]

Really cute, short, short story of Benjamin & Tulip, two little "animals" that beat on each other.
Cute pictures, very little dialogue.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watermelon-head!

[Kelsey Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Benjamin & Tulip is about two little raccoons who cannot seem to get along. Benjamin passes Tulip’s house and always gets beat up by her. Again and again Benjamin cannot seem to catch a break. One day Benjamin is walking by Tulip’s with a big watermelon when she knocks him over and the two get stuck in an unfortunate situation. The watermelon is stuck on Benjamin’s head and he is sitting right on top of Tulip. Suddenly the two stop fighting and eat the watermelon as friends. The lesson for this story is that violence is never the answer and friendship can begin with those who you would never expect. This could be used to teach anti-bullying and anti-violence in elementary schools. The illustrations are silly and goofy and will engage young readers. Adults should read this book with children so they are able to explain violence is never funny or okay.