An empowering story about how friendship and imagination can help
overcome bullying.
When a classmate hurts his feelings by calling him a fairy, Brandon
turns to his imagination and his two best friends, who rally to his
side. Brandon informs his pals that he is now a zombie who will destroy
his enemies with his tears. They respond by turning into a ghost and a
vampire, ready to protect him from the mean words being thrown at him
during recess.
What starts as a bullying moment ends in a creative and empathetic
exchange between the boys. Brandon is able to smile again -- especially
when the friends come to a decision on his new nickname: the Zombie
Prince.
Luc Melanson's graphic illustrations bring humor to this sensitive story
about kindness and imagination healing the hurt left by unkind words.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language
Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or
appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.6
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or
digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or
plot.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to
what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize
aspects of a character or setting)
