Kid Review – Gus Gets Badgered – picture book

Flenders, Jocelyn. Gus Gets Badgered: When You Meet a Bully. Illustrated by Joe Hox. Edited by Julie Lowe.Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2025.

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In Gus Gets Badgered, children will learn how recognize and navigate when someone is mistreating others, and with God’s help, speak up for what is right and good.

Gus, Jax, and Manny have become friends with Wesley, the new cub in town, but Wesley doesn’t always treat Gus kindly. Wesley likes to tease and pick on Gus. This makes Gus uncomfortable, and he asks his dad what he should do. With his dad’s advice, and the help of his friends, Gus is able to speak up the next time Wesley is mean to him.

Edited by counselor Julie Lowe, Gus Gets Badgered offers concrete, grace-based help for recognizing and responding to bullying and is part of the Good News for Little Hearts series that brings gospel wisdom and biblical counsel to families. Based on CCEF’s model of hope and help, each story focuses on an animal family’s real-life issues, encouraging young readers toward a growing relationship with Jesus during challenging circumstances.

• A special section at the end of the book guides parents in helping their kids express when they are uncomfortable and respond when mistreatment occurs.
• Children ages four to seven will be captivated by Joe Hox’s colorful, fun illustrations that bring the animal world to life.
• Teaches children and parents about bullying and how to treat others kindly and with respect.

Purchase Gus Gets Badgered on Amazon – https://amzn.to/4aBHOYD

My Kid Review

Every child will encounter a bully at some point in their life. Gus Gets Badgered is the perfect book to help them better understand the bully. Flenders seems to understand young children and has written a story that will speak to them. I appreciated that she, through the dad in the story, directs readers/listeners to the Bible. 

She closes the book with a short section for adults on helping children with bullying. Parents and teachers will find useful tips in this section. 

Joe Hox uses a cartoon-like style to illustrate the text. His images compliment the text well and give children an idea of what a badger looks like.

Gus Get Badgered would be a great addition to the picture book section of a K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for preschoolers and primary-aged children.

I received a complimentary copy of Gud Gets Badgered. This is my honest review.

About the Editor – Julie Lowe

Julie Lowe, MA, LPC, RPT-S is a licensed professional counselor with over twenty-five years of counseling experience, as well as a registered play therapist supervisor. She has authored several books, including Child Proof, Safeguards, Building Bridges, and the minibooks Helping Your Child with a Bully, Helping Your Anxious Child, Teens and Suicide, and Safety for Kids. Julie and her husband, Greg, have five children and serve as foster and adoptive parents.

About the Illustrator – Joe Hox

Joe Hox was raised on a farm in southern Iowa where he doodled whenever he wasn’t spading thistles or feeding pigs. Everyone knew by his crooked hay rows that he would choose art over farming. Joe earned his BA in art and education from Dordt College, and his MA from the University of Nebraska. Today he lives with his wife and four children in Pella, Iowa, where he illustrates and teaches art. Joe has illustrated all the Good News for Little Hearts series books.

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