Book Review: Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun

Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy (Illustrated by Kimberly Shaw-Peterson)

Reviewed by: Chris Singer

About the author:

Maria Dismondy has learned to tame her mane of hair since her tumultuous elementary school days. She celebrates her uniqueness and strives to make each day count. Having earned her master's in education, she has taught elementary school for several years. Maria lives in southeastern Michigan with her charming husband, Dave and daughter Ruby.

About the illustrator:

Kimberly Shaw-Peterson has been drawing and painting since she could hold a crayon. Because of her passion for unusual food and her big hair, she was born to illustrate Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun. She is a self-taught artist and comes from a very artistic family. Kimberly attributes her ability to both of her wonderful grandmothers, Gloria and Marian, who were also artists. She lives with her husband, Scott, and her daughter, Ella, in southeastern Michigan.

About the book:

How can Ralph be so mean? Lucy is one of a kind and Ralph loves to point that out. Lucy's defining moment comes when Ralph truly needs help. Because she knows what she stands for, Lucy has the courage to make a good choice. This charming story empowers children to always do the right thing and be proud of themselves, even when they are faced with someone as challenging as Ralph.

My take on the book:

I didn't have the opportunity to put a week's worth of posts together in recognition of No Name-Calling Week, but for the last few weeks, I have been saving this review of Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy for today.

Lucy is an adorable girl who truly embraces her individuality. Time and time again though, Lucy gets teased and bullied by Ralph. On the playground, Lucy has the perfect opportunity to exact her revenge when Ralph is stuck on top of the monkey bars and is afraid. Instead, Lucy remembers the words of her grandfather ("We each have a heart with feelings on the inside") and responds with kindness and respect.

This is a fantastic book! Maria does a beautiful job of using Lucy's story to show children how to address bullying through kindness instead of giving into the temptation of bullying back. Not only did Lucy resist bullying back, but showed a lot of courage in doing the right thing and treating someone who has wronged her the way she would like to be treated. As a result, readers witness not only a way to address bullying but also learn staying true to yourself takes a lot of strength and courage.

There are so many wonderful messages in this book for all children, but I was especially pleased at some of the ones directed specifically at young girls. So many young girls feel pressure to conform to what the media, society or the so-called "cool kids" think they should look like. Here, Lucy's uniqueness in her wild food choices (ketchup on toast, spaghetti in a hot dog bun) and her beautifully untamed hair is embraced and celebrated. As the father of a young daughter, I can't tell you how much I loved seeing this presented in the book. We need to teach all of the 'Lucys' out there the importance of staying true to themselves, and to embrace their special uniqueness.

Overall, this is one of the best children's books about bullying I've come across as it displays excellent and teachable strategies for children. I highly recommend this book as a resource for parents, teachers and counselors, who I imagine will use this book over and over again.