Review: Big and Small in the mirror
"Big and Small in the mirror" deals with a very serious issue, bullying. The book follows two boys Marco and Danny and shows how bullying can make both the bully and the person being bullied feel. In the story each time the boys were mean to each other later that day when they reached home and looked at themselves in the mirror they appeared smaller. I think the author used the mirror as a way to show that bullying can make others feel small and can even change how a person sees him or herself. I think the bully appeared smaller in the mirror because he really felt unhappy with himself each time he bullied others and made them feel small. At the end of the book there are questions to help kids talk with their parents or teachers about bullying. I think that this book can help kids who are being bullied speak up about what is happening. I would recommend this book.
About the book
Friends Carlo and Marco learn the effects of bullying on their self-images and that positive relationships help them grow.
A discussion page appears at the end of the story to help foster a deeper understanding of the issue of bullying, and to put the story in perspective. The author creates empathy for the victims while at the same time showing that bullies don’t feel good about themselves.
Big and Small in the Mirror is the first of a trilogy of books about bullying that happens at school. The author uses the same characters and setting as The Magic Leaf — Carlo and Marco in a small Italian town named Roseto. Each book will focus on a different aspect of bullying.
About the author
Mary Feliciani is a Canadian author, independent publisher and an elementary school teacher. She attended UTM where she studied psychology and still lives in Mississauga, Ontario. Mary’s background in psychology, work with children and passionate interest in the human condition, which stems back as far as she can remember, are all evident in her writing.
