Glass Full of Rumors by A.M Marcus

A Glass Full of Rumors by A.M Marcus is a charming children's tale of a young boy with a friend who teaches him the meaning of friendship, how to handle bullies and why spreading rumors is not a good thing to do.  This is a cute little tale of children learning to be respectful of others and learning how to handle those who want to spread rumors and gossip.

I bought this book to use as a tool with the children that I work with, and it has been helpful in numerous different ways.  Those who deal with bullies at school learn how to ignore them and appreciate the friendships they have.  Others learn why it is harmful to spread rumors and things you hear from other people.  The illustrations in this book show the expressions and feelings that kids feel when bullied and spreading rumors.  This helps children visualize how it feels when someone bullies them or spreads mean rumors about them. 

Marcus uses Socrates to help explain how to decide if you should repeat something you heard.  While children in the 5-12 age range may not have heard of the philosopher, they can still relate to and visualize the questions being asked.  It opens the door for them to ask questions and learn more about philosophy.  I think this would be a great addition to child-care professionals and parents alike.  It can be used in many different ways for numerous years.  I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 rating.