Bye-Bye, Big Bad Bullybug

by Ed Emberley

Here comes Big Bad Bullybug! He's big, mean, and scary--and loves to pick on little itty bitty bugs! With the turn of each die-cut page, Bullybug grows bigger, meaner, and scarier. But it's the itty bitty bugs who get the last laugh in this exciting, new, frighteningly-fun adventure. Caldecott award-winning author-artist Ed Emberley, author of the enormously popular Go Away, Big Green Monster!, offers readers another ingeniously crafted novelty storybook that helps children face, and then chase away, their fears.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Monsters, Fiction, Humor

Hardcover

First published August 1, 2007

About the author

American artist and illustrator, best known for children's picture books.

Reviews

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's cute. But so was "Go Away, Big Green Monster", which is pretty similar to this. And I don't think parents are going to like (cleverly as it's done) the bit with the "bullybug" getting stomped by a foot. Is that the way to solve things---the bully gets smashed by a bigger bully?

Come to think of it, I don't like it much myself!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

8/8/2024 - I love children’s books that turn something scary into something funny!


8/23/2024 - Read again with Madison. We both loved how interactive the story can be (tickling, stomping, counting).

[K.C. Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children love this book!

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Go Away, Big Green Monster! retold with bugs and a bully however WITHOUT the reader resolving the problem (which is a key ingredient for littles). The big issue that I have with this and that others have pointed out is that this is NOT how we should deal with bullies! I'm not good with this, and teaching children that it's okay is not cool. Or that we can just arbitrarily squish bugs is not cool either. All around problematic.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute illustrations, disappointing story. Small bugs are bullied by big bug. Rather than have small bugs stand up for themselves or befriend bully or any other lesson in conflict resolution, bully gets smashed by giant foot. My child found the ending anticlimactic.

[Vivian · Rating 2 out of 5]

In format this is similar to Emberley's highly successful and ever popular Go Away, Big Green Monster. But in execution it is less successful. In the end the bully is eliminated, not dealt with. Ouch. (I didn't use this in story time, so don't know how children would respond).

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good transitional picture book from boardbooks to juvenile easy for younger readers.

Fun read for the grownups reading it too, esp. the side-commentary of the lightning bugs that the big bad bully bug from outerspace has come to eat and tickle and torment...
lots of playful action activities for parents to do with kids while reading, including pointing out the creatures' body parts, colors, what each part is used for, and not only get the kids moving but the parents too.

a great lapsit storytime for younger kids

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reminiscent of Go Away, Big Green Monster with die-cut pages that slowly reveal the bad guy, this one is illustrated beautifully. But, the story just doesn't really pack the same punch. The bullybug is trying to terrorize some little bugs, but they call for a human to come step on the bully. Seriously, that's how we solve our problems? And, it's not humorous. So, this one was a big miss for me.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oops. Stomping on the 'bully' is not a good solution. Nor is relying on a deus ex machina. This is not anywhere near as wonderful as Go Away, Big Green Monster!.

[Peacegal · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the cutout pages that progressively reveal the "bullybug" are a fun touch, the book concludes with the larger bug being stomped by a human shoe. Randomly stomping insects is not a good message to send--especially when one considers that the "big bad" bugs who eat other bugs are usually the most beneficial in nature (think praying mantises)!

[Miss Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book where a bully is revealed little by little in each page as he threatens the tiny bugs around him. kids loved this. toddler and up

[Jean Doolittle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fun!

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for toddler and preschool storytime

[Colorado Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cute, by the "go away green monster" guy. has bullies, bugs, can be interactive with great voices. would be great for storytime.

[Mellanie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute.

[Kylaslittlelibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

My boys loved this book and stomping on the bullybug at the end. It’s very similar to Go Away, Big Green Monster but I think the big green monster did it better.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The girls enjoyed the cutouts and the ending was great.

[Julianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been nice if the bully bug learned a lesson, or became nice instead of getting squashed by a shoe...

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

8/8/2024 - Read with Momma. It was a fun book and not scary!


8/23/2024 - Read again with Momma. I counted the monster’s teeth and eyes. Momma tickled me and made funny voices.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book with bright colors and interactive aspect.

[Emma Treganowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do a very dramatic reading of this book and make sure the kids think I am scared of this bully bug. They LOVED it

[Charity Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is cute and hilarious. My seven year old son LOVES it. It is one of those books once you finish you want to go back and read it again. It's about a bully bug that picks on itty bitty baby bugs. In the end he meets the bottom of a shoe and the itty bitty baby bugs are safe.My son loves reading the book doing voices for the bullybug and the itty bitty baby bugs. I love that this book teaches kids that it is not good picking on someone because they are smaller than you. In the end things may not turn out the way you planned. I was most drawn when you turn the page to find a sneaker squishing the bug and he quickly leaves the baby bugs alone. I love when the itty bitty bugs thank the person the sneaker belongs to for helping them out. They were greatful. I love the time I had reading this book over countless times with my son and just enjoying the time reading a fun book together. I would recommend this book to others because kids are drawn to it. It's funny and allows them to actively get involved in squishing the bug. I would use this book in the classroom to talk about how we treat others. Bullying hurts.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child I was nuts about drawing (still am) and one of my favorite authors was Ed Emberley. He has written a number of drawing books that make drawing just about anything simple. I spent hours of my childhood pouring over his books at my grandmother's dining room table.

I have bought copies of some of his books for my kids but Bye-Bye, Big Bad Bullybug! was Sean's choice. As you can imagine, I was thrilled when he picked that book out.

The book is part story and part drawing how-to. The bully bug describes to a smaller bug all the different ways he's equipped to eat the bug. In the course of his description he is drawn, shape by shape just as all Ed Emberley drawing books teach drawing from basic shapes.

Sean and I enjoyed reading the book and even drew our own bully bug for one of his Friday lunch bags.

[kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My three-year old and I love this book. I read it with baby voices for the the little bugs and a Rick Moranis' version of Darth Vader's voice (When he's trying to be intimidating) for the "Big Bad Bullybug". My husband thought that I was trying impersonate Arnold Schwarzenegger's voice.

Right, so back to the book....the age level is perfect for my three-year old. It's almost as if the author has been secretly listening to her while she's been playing.

ps - i think my grammar is a little off. sorry.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little bugs flying around are wary of a spaceship on it's way towards them. What could it be? Uh-uh...they know who it is and they are not happy to see him. He has 3 green eyes and sharp white teeth and a big read mouth and pincers and ticklers...NOOOOOO!!! It's Big Bad Bullybug!!!!

But wait! What's this? Could it be? Yes! It is! It Big Foot here to help squash the big bad bullybug. Oh, thank goodness!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ed Emberley knows how to have a good time. This book is fun, plain and simple. The sequential cut-outs (think Simms Taback, but not as elaborate) are crowd pleasers. And, of course, we were gratified (for three and four year olds this translates into giggles and lots of questions) when that bullybug got his just desserts.

[Eneida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just don't like very much the fact that it's about killing an insect, though I realize that's only a very personal issue. I tried to solve the problem by emphasizing to the kids that the bad insect was "bad", and that's why it was killed. Graphics are interesting and text is short, good for Story Times for young ones. Little bugs, bad bug and "big foot" aloud for different voices.

[Kerri Harshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nieces love this book! A wonderful way to help teach sequence of a story and imagry to young children. The text if full of descriptive adjectives. The part of the monster appears on each page as a new part of him is being described, until the monster was complete! Sure to make the children laugh!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ed Emberly has done it again. In the spirit of Go Away Big Green Monster this book uses fun cutouts to create a big bad bug that is after the itty bitty baby bugs. It is a great one to read out loud with silly voices. In the end the bully bug meets big foot and it always gets a laugh.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Along the same lines as Go Away Big Green Monster except, here, a big, bad bullybug is taunting three little bugs until a big friend comes to help them out!

Too cute! This is the book that has tipped me over into actually wanting to meet Emberley!