Gus Gets Badgered

Julie Lowe, MA, is a faculty member at CCEF and a licensed professional counselor with nearly twenty years of counseling experience. Julie is also a registered play therapist and has developed a play therapy office at CCEF to better serve families, teens, and children. Julie is the author of Child Proof and Building Bridges, as well as the minibooks Helping Your Anxious Child and Teens and Suicide. Julie and her husband, Greg, have six children and serve as foster and adoptive parents.Joe Hox was raised on a farm in southern Iowa where he doodled whenever he wasn't spading thistles or bottle-feeding calves. Everyone knew by his crooked hay rows that he would choose art over farming. Joe taught art for twelve years before becoming a full-time illustrator. He is the illustrator for the Good News for Little Hearts series, as well as Who Is Jesus? 40 Pictures to Share with Your Family, written by his wife, Kate.

“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