MANNY MCMOOSE AND HIS CHUBBY CABOOSE An Inspirational Poetic Tale....is just that, an inspirational tale presented entirely in couplet rhyming verse. Children, teens, teachers, parents, grandparents and administrators will love this creative poem that features stunning, multicolored illustrations. MANNY MCMOOSE AND HIS CHUBBY CABOOSE is a unique and entertaining blend of fiction and non-fiction that is somewhat auto-biographical in nature. Manny McMoose is a kind and lovable kid who is relentlessly tortured for his weight. He becomes depressed and is rescued by a special education teacher who sees the need to intervene on McMoose's behalf. Manny is befriended by the school's disabled students after he spends time volunteering and mentoring them during their school day. His depression slowly lifts and for the first time he stands up to his nemesis, "Billy the Bully," after Billy resorts to targeting a disabled friend who is blind. Moose eventually sets a goal to lose weight, get healthy and start a school wide initiative for volunteerism. Author, Kevin McMahon, a semi-retired school psychologist and psycho-therapist, was an overweight kid who was teased and bullied. Even more significantly, he observed a horrifying bullying incident in high school. As a bystander, Kevin stood by and did nothing to help the victimized teen. He has never gotten over his guilt for not standing up for the victim that day. As with McMoose, Kevin was inspired to become physically fit and went on to make "All State Honors" in Connecticut as a high school fullback. He was then selected "Athlete of the Year" and co-captain of the Fitch High School (Groton/Mystic, CT) football and baseball teams. Upon graduation from Southern Conn. St. Univ., Kevin became a canoe and wilderness guide for intellectually disabled and emotionally disturbed children in the Florida Everglades and throughout the Adirondacks and New England. Kevin has written this tale to inspire children and adults to embrace positive change for themselves, their friends, family, school and community. MANNY MCMOOSE AND HIS CHUBBY CABOOSE is a humorous, sometimes sad, brutally honest, thought- provoking and reality based poem that addresses bullying, obesity, healthy conflict resolution, self-esteem, goal setting, the dynamics of dysfunctional families, empathy and the healing powers of altruism. It is well known by our United States government and America's teachers, bullying often leads to depression, absenteeism, poor academic performance and tragically, suicide. Childhood obesity frequently leads to depression, musculoskeletal maladies, hypertension, diabetes and bullying. McMoose's story exposes and addresses, not only obesity, but also the three major components of bullying: the bullies, the victims and the bystanders. Kevin McMahon, through his characters, demonstrates how kids can convert active thought into physical action to resolve their roles in this intense, complex and debilitating act of torture. MANNY MCMOOSE AND HIS CHUBBY CABOOSE utilizes a rich vocabulary and is peppered with many metaphors and similes. Teachers can take advantage of "Manny McMoose" and his altruistic friends as a magnet for their students' connection to text, especially in reference to common core standards in the language arts domain. The story of Manny McMoose exposes intense and unregulated emotions that trigger students to be forthright and to reveal their own life experiences. Connection to the text will be strong, emotionally cathartic and will invariably spark healthy dialogue regarding social, emotional, behavioral and familial profiles. MCMOOSE AND HIS CHUBBY CABOOSE: Read aloud, 7-8 years... Read alone, 8 years - adult.