In Gus Gets Badgered, children will learn how to recognize and navigate when someone is mistreating others, and with God’s help, speak up for what is right and good.
Gus, Jax, and Manny have become friends with Wesley, the new cub in town, but Wesley doesn’t always treat Gus kindly. Wesley likes to tease and pick on Gus. This makes Gus uncomfortable, and he asks his dad what he should do. With his dad’s advice, and the help of his friends, Gus is able to speak up the next time Wesley is mean to him.
Edited by counselor Julie Lowe, Gus Gets Badgered offers concrete, grace-based help for recognizing and responding to bullying and is part of the Good News for Little Hearts series that brings gospel wisdom and biblical counsel to families. Based on CCEF’s model of hope and help, each story focuses on an animal family’s real-life issues, encouraging young readers toward a growing relationship with Jesus during challenging circumstances.
“Children inevitably encounter meanness and exclusion. Gus Gets Badgered meets them in these moments. Julie Lowe wisely helps kids put words to the hurt of being teased or left out, while gently pointing them to the God who is their refuge and strength. This book doesn’t just tell children what to do; it invites them to see God’s heart, to lean on his help, and to treat others with courage and kindness. Parents and children alike will find both comfort and hope in these pages.”
Darby Strickland, CCEF Faculty; author of Something Scary Happened
“Little hearts who've endured any kind of bullying will find a tender friend in this book. They meet Gus and learn with him just how much God cares for them when they hurt—and how he helps them love and forgive, even when it's hard. Parents will also appreciate the helpful language to guide difficult conversations. Lowe’s book is a heartfelt and timely addition to the series.”
Lauren Whitman, CCEF Faculty; author of When Parents Feel Like Failures
“Gus Gets Badgered is a wise and tender resource for families navigating the hard topic of bullying. In this book, children will find both a friend and a model in Gus as he learns how to face unkindness. Author Julie Lowe offers courage and gospel hope to children, showing them that with God’s help, they can speak truth with kindness. This story plants seeds of resilience, empathy, and Christ-centered confidence in young hearts.”
Lynne Little, Education Specialist, Compass Education, LLC; coauthor of Safeguards School Curriculum
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This book along with the rest of the series was great! My grandchildren love them.
Gus Gets Badgered has become a favorite read in our house this Fall. The main character, a little Raccoon named Gus, is a good cub who is kind and generous and loves playing with his friends Jax and Manny. Then a new cub, Wesley, moves in and wins the affection of his friends but starts bullying him. He feels uncomfortable and asks his dad what he should do. His dad shares the Good News: We don’t have to get even with those who hurt us. We can pray and courageously confront them with God’s help. With the help of his friends he’s able to speak up the next time Wesley is mean to him. My boys loved reading Gus Gets Badgered and asked to read it again and again! I love the biblically based guidance for recognizing and responding to bullying. There’s even pocket bible verses at the back! I highly recommend this book for kids ages 5-8.
Gus Gets Badgered tackles the important issue of bullying, a topic that resonates with young readers today. Bullying isn’t limited to the playground or neighborhood anymore—it’s become common online, too. In this story, Gus is a gentle raccoon who faces bullying from Wesley, the new badger in town. Despite Gus’s kindness, Wesley continues to treat him poorly. Fortunately, Gus has caring parents who encourage him to speak directly to Wesley about the situation. They gently remind Gus that he is fearfully and wonderfully made, and that God will give him the strength he needs. At the end of the book, there’s a helpful section for parents with tips on supporting their child through bullying. It also includes four tear-out card featuring Scripture verses to inspire and encourage. #CoverLoverBookReview received a review copy of this book. Opinions are 100% my own.
Gus Gets Badgered’ is the latest addition to the Good News for Little Hearts Series. This is one of my favourite series for dealing with emotions and behaviour in a gospel centred and biblical manner. ✨Synopsis Gus, Jax, and Manny become friends with Wesley, the new cub in town — but Wesley often teases and picks on Gus. Feeling hurt and unsure, Gus turns to his dad for advice. With guidance and encouragement from his friends, Gus finds his voice to speak up the next time Wesley is unkind. ? Thoughts There’s a lot to love about this book! It gives a biblical response to bullying and does encourage children to wisely stand up to bullying. It also reminds children their worth in God and not the opinions of others. It was wise to show the example of Gus sharing the problem with his dad, who gives wisdom and empathy based on his own experience and ultimately points to scripture. It gives encouragement for children to pray about the situation and seek God’s strength to face it. I also liked that the friends help him stand up to the bully. Another thing I appreciated was the fact they dealt with the root causes of the bully’s behaviour and identifies jealousy as the heart issue. It doesn’t just speak to those being bullied but also the bully. At the back there is a great and helpful parent guide giving biblical wisdom on how to help your child face bullying as well as verse cards that can be cut out and carried by your child. A book about bullying can always be a double edge sword as it actually exposes children to ideas on how to bully. Gus is left out and teased for his weight which could encourage children to copy. However, if your child is facing these issues then this is a comforting book to help them realize they are not alone and to speak God’s truth into the situation.
The latest in the Good News for Little Hearts series, Gus Gets Badgered explores the topic of bullying—making it a timely read for back-to-school season. In the story, Wesley the badger teases Gus the raccoon about his “growing” belly—a term Gus’s mom uses affectionately, but one Wesley twists out of jealousy. The story gives insight into how hurtful behavior often comes from insecurity, helping kids understand that those who bully may be struggling themselves. It also shows a tender relationship between Gus and his dad, who shares about his own experiences with hurt and helps Gus navigate the right way to respond—not with retaliation, but with courage, prayer, and trust that God provides help. A special section at the end equips parents to guide kids in expressing when they feel uncomfortable and how to respond to mistreatment. I especially appreciated the clear explanation of what bullying is (and is not), reminding us that labeling every unkind action as “bullying” can be unhelpful. We love this series so much! These animal stories are relatable, full of grace, and consistently point children back to Scripture for real-life guidance. *I received a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
