Marlene, Marlene, Queen of Mean

Lynch, Jane; Embry PH.D., Lara; Mikesell, A. E.

ISBN 10: 037597329X ISBN 13: 9780375973291

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, 2014

Synopsis

Glee actress Jane Lynch takes a look at bullying head-on in her first picture book.
Marlene is the self-appointed queen of the playground, the sidewalk, and the school. She is small but mighty . . . intimidating! Known for her cruel ways, the little Queen of Mean has kids cowering in fear—until big Freddy stands up to her and says what everyone has been too fearful to say. In Seussian rhyme, actress Jane Lynch, clinical psychologist Lara Embry, and former children’s book editor A. E. Mikesell gently and comically depict the undoing of a bully and her efforts to reform. Tricia Tusa’s charming illustrations make the story an even more accessible conversation starter for all ages.

About this title

About the Author:

JANE LYNCH is an actress, singer, playwright, and author. She can currently be seen in the TV show Glee on FOX for which she is an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for portraying the iconic bully, Sue Sylvester. LARA EMBRY, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and writer. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her family. A. E. Mikesell teaches writing in the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Prior to teaching she was an editor of children's books. She lives in New York City with her family. This is the first picture book for all.

TRICIA TUSA is the illustrator (and author!) of many marvelous books for children, including The New York Times bestseller The Sandwich Swap, by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah.
From the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal:

PreS-Gr 2—In this debut into the world of children's picture books, actress and comedian Lynch takes on school bullying. Marlene is intimidating. With her menacing stares, cruel pranks, and habit of pinching and kicking, she has become "queen of the scene." All the kids are afraid of her, until one day, astute Big Freddy asks, "Why?" He tells the playground of kids, "We cringe and we cower and give her our power because we all think that she's in charge!" When he tells Marlene that she is "just a bully," it is all that is needed to break her meanness into "123 pieces." When readers meet a reformed Marlene, she is learning to make friends, and though she's not intimidating anymore, she is still true to her nature and prone to the occasional prank. Tusa's signature watercolor pastel hues and cartoonlike pencil outlines offer a comic lightness and softness to a serious subject. Though the intended audience might not be familiar with Lynch's role as the bully Sue Sylvester on the television show Glee, this is an above-average celebrity picture book whose rhythm and rhyme scheme make for a fantastic read-aloud. It can also serve to open a discussion about bullying. Though similar in message, plot, and rhyme to Alexis O'Neill's The Recess Queen (Scholastic, 2002), libraries and classrooms cannot have too many books that explore the different ways children can be mean and what the bullied can do to stand up for themselves and others.—Danielle Jones, Multnomah County Library, OR

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 037597329X
• ISBN 13: 9780375973291
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Tusa Tricia