Ben Tyler hates to fight and Boyd Bradshaw knows it. When Boyd makes Ben eat mud at the bus stop, Ben's father decides that it's time for him to learn to defend himself. The thought of learning to fight makes Ben's stomach hurt, but he's willing to try anything to stop Boyd's bullying.

When Ben discovers that he won't have to smash boards or throw people across the room, he decides that his Kajukenbo lessons might not be so bad. But even with his new self-defense skills, Ben doesn't believe he can stand up to Boyd until the day the bully kicks Ben's dog. Not only does Ben overcome his fears, he discovers a new kind of strength, one that was inside him all along.

Written for children ages 9 and up, A Bundle of Sticks is an honest, funny and sometimes painful look at how one boy overcomes his fears and stands up to the schoolyard bully.

Winner of The Mark Twain Award, The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award and The Washington State Governor's Award<

THE HORN BOOK MAGAZINE REVIEW: Eleven year old Ben Tyler dislikes fighting, even when attacked; so he is fair game for the class bully Boyd Bradshaw - a situation that leaves Ben in a state of continual humiliation. Ben’s father wants him to learn how to fight; his mother strongly objects. Yet after Ben suffers abusive behavior from Boyd, his mother reverses her earlier stance and enrolls him in a school for learning “kajukenbo,” a style of self-defense. Ben eventually acquires the patience, skills and endurance necessary to overcome his fears as well as his enemies. The climactic confrontation with his adversary is inevitable, but the conclusion is not simply a pat resolution, for the emphasis is placed on Ben's newly acquired inner strength rather than his ability to defeat Boyd.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: Pat Mauser has concocted a credible story around kajukenbo as Ben progresses to a purple belt. . . readers will be pulling for Ben to whip the detestable Boyd as Mauser leads them and Ben carefully into a showdown.

BOOKLIST REVIEW: Mauser’s “boy vs. bully” theme is familiar but enhanced by the Eastern philosophies that offer interesting perspectives on the problem.

Also Available: Martial Arts Training Diary for Kids

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