Official Review: Bubbles and Streams Wash Me Clean

[Cecilia_L]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Bubbles and Streams Wash Me Clean" by Rebecca L. Morales.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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It's important to educate young children about being kind to others. In Bubbles and Streams, Wash Me Clean, author Rebecca L. Morales teaches young readers basic anti-bullying values, as told from the perspective of the bully.

Bart is a bully. Because he picks on them, none of the other children want to play with him, and they run the opposite direction when he comes to the park. Stan is so involved in reading his book that at first, he doesn't see Bart approaching. When Bart charges toward Stan, his foot hits a rock, and he tumbles to the ground, allowing Stan to flee. As Bart sees the last child escape, he asks himself why he is so mean. He decides he needs to wash himself clean in order to change. When his childish attempts fail, he meets Peter Pratt, who appears to be a leprechaun. Using several amusing examples, Peter teaches Bart about liking himself first and then being kind to others.

This character-building book is easy to understand and an effective way to teach young readers about unacceptable bullying behavior. The rhyming text is fun to read aloud, and the colorful illustrations will appeal to young children. Additionally, the illustrations complement the story and have a professional appearance that I've seen lacking in other children's eBooks.

What I appreciated most about the book was that it was told from the bully's perspective. There is a definite point in the story when Bart realizes that he doesn't have any friends because of how he treats others. Though Peter's solution may be somewhat simplified, it's a good first step for young children. I loved the final line from the book, which supports the book's message. "And as it turned out, Peter was right. Bart changed over time, not overnight."

As much as I enjoyed the book, there was an issue with the formatting. I read the Kindle version (on a Kindle), but it wasn't correctly formatted. The book's pages and illustrations were only slightly larger than half the screen size which caused the text to appear really small. To fully appreciate the reading experience, it was necessary to enlarge each page and then resume the original page size before going on to the next page. I found the process tedious, so I'm sure that young readers would soon become impatient with the inconvenience.

Despite the formatting issues, the book appears to have been professionally edited, as I didn't note a single grammatical error. I'm pleased to rate this character-building book 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to young children, as well as their parents, grandparents, and teachers.

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Bubbles and Streams Wash Me Clean
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Like Cecilia_L's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kfwilson6]

What a wonderful concept and an interesting character perspective. Learning to like oneself is important for young children so they will have a healthy level of self-esteem as they grow older. Wonderful review.

[Dael Reader]

This sounds like it could be a good one for kids. Especially since you mentioned that the story is from the bully's perspective. This could be helpful for both would-be bullies, and for kids who are bullied, who might need to realize that the bullies are often acting out of their own troubles.

[Cecilia_L]

What a wonderful concept and an interesting character perspective. Learning to like oneself is important for young children so they will have a healthy level of self-esteem as they grow older. Wonderful review.

I think so, too.
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment.

[Cecilia_L]

This sounds like it could be a good one for kids. Especially since you mentioned that the story is from the bully's perspective. This could be helpful for both would-be bullies, and for kids who are bullied, who might need to realize that the bullies are often acting out of their own troubles.

I agree. Thank you for your comment.

[Georgia Lyonhyde]

I really like the concept of this book and as a mother of two young boys, I really appreciated the feedback.

I like that it is told from the bully's point of view as it sounds like it can be used as a learning resource to prevent children acting mean in the first place. I also like the idea of the rhyming text as I know my boys enjoy this and it helps cement stories in their minds for them to retell later.

I'm sold. I want to acquire a copy of this book in traditional paperback format.

[Cecilia_L]

I really like the concept of this book and as a mother of two young boys, I really appreciated the feedback.

I like that it is told from the bully's point of view as it sounds like it can be used as a learning resource to prevent children acting mean in the first place. I also like the idea of the rhyming text as I know my boys enjoy this and it helps cement stories in their minds for them to retell later.

I'm sold. I want to acquire a copy of this book in traditional paperback format.

Thanks for your comment. I hope you and your boys enjoy the book.

[420waystoreachthesun]

I really love your review. I suddenly have this fascination for children's books. I don't know why. WIll give this a try.

[Debjani Ghosh]

It's a brilliant premise which the author has been able to execute beautifully. I am sure children will definitely like this book. Thanks for the review!

[Ruba Abu Ali]

And here it goes to the top of my reading list! I loved that Bart changed over time, not overnight. This conveys a realistic feel to it. Thank you for the most captivating review, Cecilia!

[Cecilia_L]

I really love your review. I suddenly have this fascination for children's books. I don't know why. WIll give this a try.

I have a fondness for children's books, too. Thanks for your comment, and I hope you enjoy the book.

[Cecilia_L]

It's a brilliant premise which the author has been able to execute beautifully. I am sure children will definitely like this book. Thanks for the review!

I agree. Thanks for stopping by and for your comment.

[Cecilia_L]

And here it goes to the top of my reading list! I loved that Bart changed over time, not overnight. This conveys a realistic feel to it. Thank you for the most captivating review, Cecilia!

Thank you, Ruba.

[Chrixza17]

I loved the concept of this story Bubbles and Streams wash me clean i think i saw bart in me when i was a child i used to be the bully and it sad when you dont have friends

[kandscreeley]

I love the concept of this book. We need more stories on anti-bullying. And I love the characters. Sorry about the kindle issue. Still, sounds like a good book. Thanks.