The Buddy Bench

by B.D. Cottleston, Charlie Thurston (Read by), Rebecca Gibel (Read by), Hazel Quintanilla (Illustrator)

Overview

On a surprisingly snowy day in Texas, a young student finds himself braving recess alone…that is, until he spots a new face sitting on the school's Buddy Bench. After a quick introduction, the two spend their recess discovering fun ways to enjoy the snow. By the end of recess, both kids leave the playground with a brand new friend. This sweet story of friendship brings the Buddy Bench's purpose to life.About Buddy Benches: The Buddy or Friendship Bench is a special place in a school playground where a child can sit if they want someone to talk to or play with. Seeing a child on The Buddy Bench is a signal to other kids to ask them to play. The wonderful trend of Buddy Benches is growing across the country as schools and parent groups promote them as a powerful tool to end loneliness and promote empathy in children.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781662022838
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	08/24/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 4.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

B.D. Cottleston is the pretend name of a real writer who wants to leave it to listeners to enjoy these stories without worrying about what they were thinking when they were written. As a life-long fan of Winnie the Pooh, this author picked this pen name to celebrate the spirit of Pooh’s greatest rhyme. As Pooh might say: "Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston pie. A fly can’t bird, but a bird can fly. Ask who B.D. is and we’ll reply: Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston pie."

Charlie Thurston is a stage and film actor, a playwright, and an audiobook narrator. He trained at Brown/Trinity Rep as well as at Cornell College, Mt. Vernon. An Earphones winner, he has narrated a wide variety of titles, including The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone, The Terranauts, and the popular I Hunt Killers trilogy.

Rebecca Gibel is an award-winning stage, television, and voice actress, who has narrated over fifty audiobooks in a wide variety of genres. She has worked across the country at theaters such as Trinity Rep, Cleveland Play House, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Intiman Theatre, and the Arden Theatre Company. She holds a BA from the College of William & Mary and an MFA in Acting from Brown University/Trinity Rep.

Hazel Quintanilla has a passion for illustration. She has spent her life mastering a wide variety of media. She has worked on over twenty series in the United States, England, and India. She lives and works in Guatemala with her husband and their three cute dogs.

Editorial Reviews

A handy classroom text to discuss inclusion and introduce the Buddy Bench concept.

From the Publisher

"...great for a back-to-school book especially when there is always a new kid in the classroom."

Youth Services Book Review

09/27/2019

PreS-Gr 2-On a rare snowy day in Texas, a young boy decides to take advantage of the chilly weather but can't find anyone willing to play outside. He decides to sit on the Buddy Bench, a space on the playground for anyone looking for someone to talk to or play with. Luckily, Shae answers his call for a friend to frolic with in the snow. Having lived in a cold climate previously, Shae is an expert on which games work well in the snow (making forts, capture the flag, pin the carrot on the snowman) and which don't (basketball, baseball). Other children join in and have a wonderful time playing outdoors as well, especially when a cafeteria tray becomes a sled. The narrator realizes that he has learned quite a bit just by sitting on the Buddy Bench that day. Whether you are looking for a new friend or want to get to know an old friend, the Buddy Bench is the place to start. The author introduces readers to the reasoning behind the Buddy Bench, how it works, and ideas for getting one in their school. VERDICT A refreshing story about friendship and the simple ways friends can be made.-Martha Rico, Yselta ISD, TX

School Library Journal

2019-06-10
When new students or shy children struggle to make friends, the Buddy Bench might be a solution.

When all but one child, the narrator, decide to stay inside for recess after a surprise Texas snowstorm, the unnamed, round-headed kid heads outside and meets Shae. She's new to the school and sitting on the playground Buddy Bench, signaling that she hopes to find a friend. Luckily, Shae's just moved from a place with lots of snow and, after giggling at the narrator's unrealistic suggestions (conveyed in labored rhyme), proves to have lots of ideas about how to enjoy a snowy recess. Soon, the two borrow trays from the lunchroom and use them to fly down the mountains of snow. When recess is over, the narrator heads back to class happy in the knowledge of a new friend and that new friends can have great new ideas. Brightly colored cartoon illustrations show children of many ethnicities (the narrator presents white, and Shae is a girl of color) and create an action-packed snow story, but it is primarily a vehicle for introducing the concept of a Buddy Bench. Final pages contain information about the project's history, what a Buddy Bench can look like, ways to use the bench, and classroom discussion questions.

A handy classroom text to discuss inclusion and introduce the Buddy Bench concept. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

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