Bye Bye Pesky Fly by Lysa Mullady and Janet McDonnell
Published: Magination Press, 2018
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Pig is having a calm and peaceful morning when a Pesky Fly ruins his cool vibe. How should Pig handle the situation? He debates yelling, hiding and even murder before he finds the right solution.
Published by an imprint of the American Psychological Association, Bye Bye Pesky Fly is a message story. The back of the book has a lengthy essay on how to use the book to teach children frustration tolerance. Pig goes through all of the major steps, including a page where he sits down and identifies what he’s really feeling.
Elementary school counselor Lysa Mullady wrote the story to empower kids to work through their frustrations without relying on parents to resolve conflict. Not only does Pig need to solve his problem by going to the Pesky Fly directly, but the fly also has to consider his options before the unlikely pair can meet in the middle. While the educational copy can get authoritative, the charming illustrations by Janet McDonnell won me over.
As the fly is apparently sentient, the page where Pig contemplates swatting it while holding a fly swatter is particularly amusing. Use this book as an adorable tool for children who need help with their social skills, but seriously, kids…
Swat the dirty fly.