Book Reviews

Hey, Mallethead!
Reid Creager with illustrations by Diana Corley
Jazzie Beans Publishing
January 15, 2026
ISBN-13: 979-8994153000

Reviewed by Edith G. Tolchin (edietolchin.com/book-reviews); EGT@edietolchin.com

“Different can be good! Very good!”

Kids can be cruel. Monty looked different than the other first graders, so to try to avoid being bullied themselves, the kids called him “Mallethead.”

His parents did their best to console Monty, but a newfound pet, Woody, helped turn things around. While building a doghouse for Woody, neighborhood bullies noticed Monty’s uniqueness and strengths. And he could win the strength tester game at the county fair!

Soon the former bullies realized Monty’s kindness and abilities. “They liked that he was different.” He could paint, pound nails and do projects with his friends. This united the local kids in a positive way. 

A colorful, beautifully illustrated work for early readers, Hey, Mallethead, by Reid Creager, will help children embrace their distinctiveness while learning how differences can be advantageous and kind of cool. The message that everyone has value can be learned.

Edith G. Tolchin has been a journalist, editor, author, and book reviewer since 1998. She has written five books, most recently Fanny on Fire and Secrets of Successful Women Inventors. She has done over 150 interviews and 60 book reviews. Contact her at edietolchin.com.