BetterNot! And the Tale of Bratsville Review & $50 Cash Giveaway

While our children are pressured to race to the top in their academic performance, we should not overlook the importance of teaching them morals and manners. As a parent, I believe it is crucial for my kids to become good persons regardless of how smart or successful they could get. Award-winning writer Gene Del Vecchio recently published BetterNot! And the Tale of Bratsville, the first book in his BetterNot! series, which aims to provide a fun way for young kids to learn a seemingly boring subject - morals and manners. Let's take a closer look at this picture book!

Does your child have a bad habit that you've tried in vain to help him break? Have you ever pulled your hair and wished you could have your kiddo listen to you through magic? Then you might like to meet BetterNot, a mysterious creature who will rise from his magical, bubbling purple swamp when parents need help with teaching their misbehaving children a good lesson.

Bratsville is a town filled with naughty children who are rather persistent in one kind of bad behavior or another, such as lying, stealing, bullying, nose-picking, etc. After their parents failed to make them change through rewarding good behavior and giving time-outs, BetterNot came to their aid. He used magic tricks to let the problem kids experience the worst consequences of their very own bad habit or behavior. The kids finally learned their lessons and made positive changes.

Although it is a bit unrealistic to expect a little brats to turn into an angel overnight, BetterNot! And the Tale of Bratsville no doubt encourages young readers to think before they act, to be more respectful and considerate, and to treat others the way they want to be treated. It delivers the message through a seamless combination of colorful, playful illustrations, carefully composed rhymes that are easy to read and remember, and witty metaphors that both kids and adults can entertain. I also like that the author touches upon the possible causes of children's misbehavior, such as too much violence in movies or negative influence of certain video games and toys.

The book is written for children ages 4 to 8. It's a short and rewarding read for both kids (whether they are ill-mannered or well-behaved) and their parents. I look forward to reading the next installment in the BetterNot! series!

Get your copy of the book at Amazon!

Be sure to check out the reader reviews while you are there.
Download the sample pages here.

About the Author and Illustrator

Gene Del Vecchio’s previous works include two young adult novels, The Pearl of Anton and The Sword of Anton. The first received a starred review from Booklist, the second received the Young Adults’ Choices Award from the International Reading Association. He lives in Valencia, California with his wife, Linda.

Roderick Fong, an illustrator of several books, lives in South Pasadena, California with his wife Alice.

The Giveaway

The author has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers $50 PayPal cash! The winner could use it to get a copy of BetterNot! And the Tale of Bratsville, along with some back to school essentials! Please complete the entries below and good luck!

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Disclosure: I received a free book to facilitate my honest review. All views and opinions expressed are my own and may differ from yours. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for prize fulfillment.