 Just about 1 year ago, we packed our things in a virtual tour bus and hit the digital road to spread the word that book #2 in The Blob Series was about to hit the shelves! As we anticipate the celebration of the anniversary of A. Blob on Bus's release, we thought it would be the perfect time to crack open the photo album and revisit the blog tour fun that helped launch this picture book into the world. This picture book and its partner book in The Blob Series, This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos, use vibrant illustrations and clever rhyme to help children learn about bullying, empathy, and standing up for what is right from an early age. If you haven't picked up a copy for yourself, visit our shop to round out your bookshelf. Mom Read It- Book Review Hi, all! Happy to be a stop on this fun book tour about a bully, a blob (one and the same), and a bus...The artwork reminds me of Nick Jr.-like characters; a realistic cartoony feel. Characters are diverse, with large, expressive eyes. Blob’s eyes are just as expressive, on eye stalks at the top of his head, letting readers know that there’s more than just what’s on the surface. The A. Blob books are a nice addition to your anti-bullying bookshelf, adding a thoughtful look at a bully’s internal motivation while encouraging kids to stand up for themselves and others. Display and read with Kathryn Otoshi’s books, particularly One. ...Read More Library Lady's Kid Lit- Author Interview Thank you L. A. Kefalos for joining us today. It is always fun to get to know the author behind a book. Where did the inspiration for this story come from? Well, A. Blob on a Bus is the second book of a three-part series. It all started with This is A. Blob, which is about a playground bully. Sadly, it was inspired by the news I was reading of children committing suicide as a result of being bullied at school. I wanted to write a picture book because I thought it was important to start a discussion with kids at an early age. A discussion about the effect their actions, both good and bad, have on others. Because it was a picture book, I knew that it needed to be a series to allow me to tell A. Blob’s story. I am hoping those who read the books will be less likely to pick on others and more likely to have their schoolmate’s back. Obviously, I don’t think my book can accomplish this completely on its own. It is just one line in an enormous conversation. But I think my books are a great vehicle to start the conversation. ...Read More Dream Reader Kids- Book Giveaway (deadline passed) Going back to school can be a big transition, with lots of changes. Thanks to books like A. Blob on a Bus, there can be open communication between adults and children. This book uses a purple blob, to tackle the topic of bullying. There is also a huge bonus included with this book, especially for teachers. On the @laughing_leopard_press website, there are discussion guides, for different age levels and even a craft idea. In this story, Alexandra takes a stand against the bully. “It reaches for a long black strand when brave Alexandra takes a stand.”
*** Check in tomorrow for a sweet surprise in celebration of the 1 year anniversary of A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos!!
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 The A. Blob on a Tour Blog Tour has officially pulled into the station and come to an end. If you missed one of the stops, don't worry--we'll make sure you reach your destination! Each of the stops on the tour to celebrate the launch of A. Blob on a Bus, the second book in L..A. Kefalos's picture book series, is linked below. If you would like to pick up your own copy of A. Blob on a Bus or the first book in The Blob Series, This is A. Blob, head over to the Laughing Leopard store! Each book comes with a FREE Material Discussion Guide for teachers, parents, and leaders that is filled with lesson plans, discussion questions, and connection crafts designed to help children end bullying and become upstanders.
 Making an impact. It’s something we all strive towards, especially when talking about bullying. Research states that 1 in 5 children experience bullying and making an impact on this statistic is something towards which teachers, parents, and leaders have been working for many years. Along with equipping students with tools to deal with conflict and emotion from a young age so that they do not become bullies, educators have striven to also provide tools to those adjacent to the bullying--the bystanders. While studies show that 20% of children are bullied, it also reveals that nearly 71% of children witness bullying. The encouraging news is that 57% of the time, that bullying ends within 10 seconds of peer intervention. This means that a large population exists which can be leveraged as a force for good.  But what happens when standing up to bullying (often referred to as being an upstander) goes wrong? Like fighting fire with fire, things can quickly go from bad to worse. While standing up to bullies is vital, doing so through the use of violence, mocking, or returning the bullying will only cause more trouble. So, as we teach children to be upstanders, it is just as important to teach them how to be upstanders. In the picture book A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos, we once again meet A. Blob, the purple bully introduced in the 3-book series inaugural book, This is A. Blob. In this new tale, A. Blob is back to its bullying ways and, for a while, it seems like the children will never be able to ride the school bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl decides to take a stand. A. Blob on a Bus introduces the idea of being an upstander to young readers and opens the door for conversations on what to do when they see bullying occur. The companion craft below is designed to help leaders begin discussions about why it is important to stand up to bullying along with how to do this in a positive way. The kids will love making their own "A. Blobs" and you will love the learning happening along the way! *** MAKING AN IMPACTA companion craft for A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos
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The school bus before and after A. Blob's arrival. Which bus would you rather be on?
-Images from A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos, illustrated by Jeffrey Burns
-Images from A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos, illustrated by Jeffrey Burns
Using examples from the book, remind children that the way we treat one another has an impact on them and the situation. We have the power to change and so it is important to stand up against bullying, even when we aren’t the ones being bullied. We must be upstanders, not bystanders!
However, there are helpful ways to be upstanders, and not-so-helpful ways. When we react to bullying with more bullying, the problem only becomes worse. Show the students how when we hit the mixture, it becomes hard and resistant. However, when we treat it gently, it is soft and pliable. Discuss positive ways to stand up against bullying.
 | Using the funnel, fill up the balloons with the cornstarch mixture. As the kids play with their “A.Blob” balls, tell your students to remember that the way they treat one another has an impact. They have the power to affect change! The “blob” also acts as a great stress ball! |
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If you use this craft in your classroom or home, we’d love to see! Tag us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and use the hashtag #ABlobCraft.
 | A. Blob is back, and this time it's on a bus! As the slimy bully pokes and pesters the children of Lincoln Elementary School, it seems like they will never be able to ride the bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl takes stand. Can one act of bravery change everything--including A. Blob? Find out in this second installment of The Blob Series! |
Welcome to day 2 of the A. Blob on a Tour blog tour, celebrating the release of A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos! Today the bus stops at the Mom Read It blog! In addition to being a mom and blogger, Rosemary is also a children's librarian who shares her thoughts on a wide range of kid lit, covering everything from YA to picture books.
Rosemary also loves comics and writes about comic books, pop culture, and books for adults on her second blog On Wednesdays, We Wear Capes. Keep up with her on her blogs or over on Twitter at @roesolo.
A big THANK YOU to Rosemary for joining the tour and helping us to share the message of A. Blob on a Bus! To read Rosemary's blog tour blog, head over to Mom Read It!
Rosemary also loves comics and writes about comic books, pop culture, and books for adults on her second blog On Wednesdays, We Wear Capes. Keep up with her on her blogs or over on Twitter at @roesolo.
A big THANK YOU to Rosemary for joining the tour and helping us to share the message of A. Blob on a Bus! To read Rosemary's blog tour blog, head over to Mom Read It!
Don't miss the bus! The A. Blob on a Bus Blog Tour continues Friday on the Library Lady's Kid Lit Blog! Head over there to check it out, or check in here where we will be posting links to all the stops along the tour!
 | A. Blob is back, and this time it's on a bus! As the slimy bully pokes and pesters the children of Lincoln Elementary School, it seems like they will never be able to ride the bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl takes stand. Can one act of bravery change everything--including A. Blob? Find out in this second installment of The Blob Series! |
About Laughing Leopard Press
Hello! We are Laughing Leopard Press, an independent book publisher from Akron, Ohio. At Laughing Leopard Press, we’re interested in publishing works that contribute to our understanding of this wonderful world. Through this blog, we hope to add to that understanding with commentary on life, literature, and a few things in between. We hope you enjoy the blog and take some time to talk with us in the comments or on our social media sites. Happy reading!
For some more great reading, check out our latest release, This is A. Blob by L. A Kefalos. This is A. Blob is a picture book that deals with the sticky issue of bullying through an unlikely character that is a bit sticky itself! As readers follow the antics of A. Blob, they learn to put themselves in the shoes of another and discover there may be more to this bully than meets the eye…
This is A. Blob by L. A Kefalos. $14.95
$1.00 is donated to charity for each book sold on this site--half to St. Jude's and the other half to PetFix Northeast Ohio.
$1.00 is donated to charity for each book sold on this site--half to St. Jude's and the other half to PetFix Northeast Ohio.
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