Better Than You

Illustrated by Adam Gustavson
Jake's bragging is really starting to get to his neighbor Tyler. Tyler can't show Jake a basketball move, a school assignment, or a new toy without Jake saying he can do better. Tyler starts to wonder:  Is something wrong with him? Is he really such a loser? Is Jake really better than him at everything?  Or is Jake the one with the problem? With the help of his uncle Kevin, Tyler begins to understand that Jake's bragging has nothing to do with Tyler's own abilities and that puffing yourself up leaves little room for friends.

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker, presenting at schools and conferences both in the US and overseas, educating students, parents, and teachers on relational aggression.

Her books have received numerous awards and citations including Victoria Soto Legacy Award, IBPA Gold Benjamin Franklin Award, Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, NAPPA Gold Medal Award, Mom’s Choice Gold Awards, Moonbeam Children’s Books Gold Award, Comstock Read Aloud Honors and are included in the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best of the Year Selection, NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection, National Crime Prevention Council’s Circle of Respect Book Club Selection, Junior Library Guild Selection, School Library Journal’s Best Picture Books Selection, Scholastic Instructor Recommended Back-to-School Picks, and more.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with leading experts and organizations including Committee for Children, ConnectSafely.org, Sesame Workshop, and Passport to Peace Foundation.

Trudy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and their loyal hound dog, Hannah. Visit her on the web at trudyludwig.com or follow her on Twitter @TrudyLudwig.

View titles by Trudy Ludwig
ADAM GUSTAVSON has illustrated more than a dozen picture books, including the award-winning The Yankee at the Seder, also published by Tricycle Press. Adam received an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York. He lives in West Orange, New Jersey. View titles by Adam Gustavson
  • WINNER | 2012
    Parents' Choice Approved
Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2011:
"...anyone suffering the oxygen-depleting windbaggery of the neighborhood boaster will find solace here."

About

Jake's bragging is really starting to get to his neighbor Tyler. Tyler can't show Jake a basketball move, a school assignment, or a new toy without Jake saying he can do better. Tyler starts to wonder:  Is something wrong with him? Is he really such a loser? Is Jake really better than him at everything?  Or is Jake the one with the problem? With the help of his uncle Kevin, Tyler begins to understand that Jake's bragging has nothing to do with Tyler's own abilities and that puffing yourself up leaves little room for friends.

Author

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker, presenting at schools and conferences both in the US and overseas, educating students, parents, and teachers on relational aggression.

Her books have received numerous awards and citations including Victoria Soto Legacy Award, IBPA Gold Benjamin Franklin Award, Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, NAPPA Gold Medal Award, Mom’s Choice Gold Awards, Moonbeam Children’s Books Gold Award, Comstock Read Aloud Honors and are included in the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best of the Year Selection, NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection, National Crime Prevention Council’s Circle of Respect Book Club Selection, Junior Library Guild Selection, School Library Journal’s Best Picture Books Selection, Scholastic Instructor Recommended Back-to-School Picks, and more.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with leading experts and organizations including Committee for Children, ConnectSafely.org, Sesame Workshop, and Passport to Peace Foundation.

Trudy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and their loyal hound dog, Hannah. Visit her on the web at trudyludwig.com or follow her on Twitter @TrudyLudwig.

View titles by Trudy Ludwig
ADAM GUSTAVSON has illustrated more than a dozen picture books, including the award-winning The Yankee at the Seder, also published by Tricycle Press. Adam received an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York. He lives in West Orange, New Jersey. View titles by Adam Gustavson

Awards

  • WINNER | 2012
    Parents' Choice Approved

Praise

Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2011:
"...anyone suffering the oxygen-depleting windbaggery of the neighborhood boaster will find solace here."

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