Customer Reviews
A book every child should have! 
2008-10-03
Simon gets teased because his sister got gum stuck in his hair...then proceeded to cut the gum out of his hair. This happens to lots of children. That day at the park his friends call him lawn mower head. Simon leaves the park really upset that he was teased.
On his way home he stops to talk to Grandma Rose. He tells her about his day and how upset he is that he was called lawn mower head. She asks him why he bites? He doesn't understand what she is talking about, so she brings out a fishing pole with a piece of paper attached to the hook. She explains that when people tease you it's like throwing out a hook to see if you'll bite.
Grandma Rose then proceeds to give great examples of how you should react to teasing. I think this is a book that could really help children that are being teased.
Not just a Fad curriculum 2008-09-16
I first saw this book when I visited a school that made it a key part of a school-wide program on teasing. Normally, these "fad" book-based curriculum programs are a turn-off for me, but Simon's Hook takes a look at the motivations for teasing, and offers good, usable advice to kids and adults on how to deal with it.
Don't Take The Bait 2008-05-23
This is a book that every child should read or have read to them before going into school to get a good perspective of how not to take the bait. My copy is ragged from reading it with my 3 children.Another book that parents should have in their library way before school starts is Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullying. This is an invaluable resource and tool for parents from a proactive and intervention standpoint.The tips, strategies... if used will prevent your child from being a victim or a bully. A must-read for parents.
review 
2008-03-11
The clients I work with enjoy this book. This book provides techniques to deal with bullies, which is useful for all children.
Great Book for Kids and Adults!!! 2007-03-14
Yes, adults, too. There are some pretty mean adults around, and you can use these same technics!! This book writes it in a way that kids will get it, that they shouldn't react to teases and put-downs. Excellent book. A+
Great for kids! 2006-01-11
Simon is having a bad day; a bad hair day. First his sister gives him a strange hair cut, then his friends tease him. Simon doesn't know what to do. Lucky for him he runs into Grandma Rose. After listening to his sorrowful story she helps him learn an important life lesson; how to handle teases and put-downs. By comparing teases to fishing hooks she tells him a tale of how fish learned not to bite. With fanciful characters such as Harmony Hippy Fish, Freddie Fang, Max the Mouse Fish and more, Simon learns that he, too, can swim free from the teasing hooks that people toss his way.
Grandma Rose to the Rescue 2004-05-22
When Simon is teased by his friends, Grandma rose compares teasing to fishing hooks and shows Simon how he doesn't have to get caught up in the mean game his friends are playing. Simon's Hook is an excellent way to teach children to be more resilient.
The cover (not yet shown today) has a red background and Simon is sitting on a hook under water as if it was a swing. Fish swim about and all the characters are fanciful and smiling.
The basic story includes a "bad hair day." When Simon's sister can't find her gum, she finds that it is in Simon's hair. Unfortunately she has to cut off a lot of his hair to get the gum out. This story will be very familiar to children. I remember this happening to me when I fell asleep while chewing gum.
Simon is doing quite well while wearing a hat, but when he falls and his hat falls off, all the children start to call him lawn mower head. As he runs home he accidentally runs into Grandma Rose. Simon tells her what happened and tells her about the teasing.
"But why do you bite? "
"Bite?" cried Simon.
"I didn't bite anyone!"
After going into her garage, Grandma Rose returns with a fishing line. A piece of paper is attached to the end of the hook and a cat is trying to bat at the paper. By waving the paper around for the cat, Grandma Rose shows how the cat bats at the paper. Then, she dangles the paper in front of Simon. Then Simon catches the paper too.
"You're not a free fish anymore."
"But what else can I do?"
Then over a glass of lemonade and a few cookies, Grandma Rose tells Simon a fish story. The next two pages are filled with fish thinking, saying things or biting at pieces of paper with put downs and teases written on them.
I had to laugh because some of the fish are quite adorable (the "peace" fish named Harmony Hippy Fish is a hoot) and the entire story is rather cute. At the end of the book all the fish are drawn in one picture and their names are listed next to them. The shark is of course called: "tiny." They also have some witty comments that one could consider to be a snappy retort. At the bottom of the ocean we see an Instead of Biting do this sign. It lists five ways to avoid getting caught by teasing.
There are pages and pages of fishes saying various things that are quite amusing. Even I was laughing out loud at a few of the fish stories.
When Simon returns to the park he has a new attitude and his friends enjoy his new witty remarks. He no longer takes them seriously and can enjoy the attention.
Karen Gredig Burnett writes highly creative books and Laurie Barrows knows how to draw the characters Karen is talking about. So, together they create a magic all of their own.
If your child is struggling with teasing, this book will empower them and show them that they can laugh at difficulty and embrace change. I might even start using a few of the witty comments in this book when my husband teases me. This book is definitely not just for younger kids. It can also empower adults and teenagers.
Also look for:
Katie's Rose
If the World were Blind
The Magical, Marvelous Megan G. Beamer
~The Rebecca Review
daughter and mom both loved it 2003-12-18
I loved this book, and bought it immediately after it was recommended at a
parenting workshop. My 6-year-old daughter asked for it to be read to her over
and over and quickly caught on to the techniques. She took it to school,
and her teacher read it to all the kids (interestingly, her friend who
bullies her, didn't seem to like the book that much!!!) It helped me -
my older sisters used to tease me endlessly, and my husband can still bring
me to tears with his teasing. The book actually teaches you techniques so
you can feel powerFUL, not powerLESS, when teased or put down.
It doesn't really try to explain why other kids tease or bully, or lament
that they do. It just deals with the only thing you can really control,
your own reactions to it.
Teacher -- it's great 2003-10-18
I use this book every year to start out the school year. I teach fifth grade, but the kids need these skills so much by the time they get to fifth grade. I made a poster using the strategies presented in this book and post it in my room all year. I remind my kids frequently of what Simon says we need to do. It helps. GREAT BOOK!
Useful Book for Children 2001-06-15
My five-year-old is having a bit of difficulty with two children at his daycare. I have purchased several adult books on how to help a child deal with bullies/teasing, but hadn't been successful in finding a good children's book. Then I found "Simon's Hook". Through funny pictures and dialogue, the book has given my son five sensible practical approaches on how to deal with difficult peers. I highly recommend this book.
