Additional information
by Deb Landry (Author), Melissa Pelletier (Illustrator)
Sticks Stones and Stumped is an interactive dramatic play for children 4-8, focusing on raise awareness of social behaviors through character education. The play cultivates a safe school or program climate process by practicing good citizenship, respect, fairness, responsibility, compassion, and caring. With this encouragement in mind and a researched based prevention plan, school communities can monitor, reduce and manage bullying and harassment behaviors effectively. The play can be used as a mentoring element or readers theater to build socially accountable community relationships between youth grades K-5 and grades 6-12. Older youth mentor younger children with performance of the play. Use the school districts upper grades, middle or high school students, drama students, civil rights groups, or the highest grade in the school to perform the production. Sticks Stones and Stumped is also available as in a children's book, sold separately. From the Experts Deb Landry uses animals to address the serious issue of school bullying in this beautifully crafted story. The vulnerable new student, Billy Bob Opossum becomes the target of Bull E Moose as he uses both verbal and physical bullying tactics to intimidate Billy. The issues that arise are real for both the victim and the bystanders. Should Billy tell anyone, his mother, his teacher, or his friend about the bullying or should he keep quiet and say nothing? The bystanders have a similar problem. Should they tell their teacher and be labeled "tattletales" and possibly become victims of the bully themselves or should they do nothing and hope the moose will get tired of picking on Billy and leave him alone? The illustrations are charming and help the reader to identify with the animal characters. All in all, a great book and play for young children, parents and teachers. Highly Recommended! Sandra McLeod Humphrey Children's Author and Clinical Psychologist Sticks, Stones and Stumped the Play speaks to students at all grade levels. The message is universal and long lasting. The staff and teachers at our school performed the play for students kindergarten through sixth grade and their parents in September and the students were still talking about the characters and the message of the story at the end of the year. The parents enjoyed it as much as the students. We also used the play as a readers theater for younger students and as jump off points for a discussion group for high school students in an anti-bullying workshop. This truly wonderful and fantastic program's underlying message is powerful and blends well with our school's theme of CARE-Creating a Respectful Environment program. I highly recommend that teachers and principals incorporate this book and play in their anti-bullying and safe school program. Virginia Drouin, Alfred Elementary Principal
