I received a complimentary HuggableMelodies plush Poindexter and Picked-On Poindexter digital book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Those who follow my writing over at OurFamilyWorld know how passionate I am about preventing bullying. I’ve written numerous articles for our bullying section there to help parents understand the different types as well as how to deal with it when it happens to their kids. I’ve dealt with bullying myself as a child and as a parent. My son is only in third grade and he’s already been bullied by other children. He’s also been bullied by a teacher!

It is so sad that we, as parents, have to prepare our children for dealing with bullying such young ages. Did you know that it can start as early as in preschool? That scares me! Kids are already nervous about all the changes that take place when they start school for the first time. They shouldn’t have to worry about other kids picking on them. It’s challenging for parents to figure out how best to talk to such young children about this situation. HuggableMelodies has come up with a simple yet brilliant solution. They created Picked-On Poindexter, an iPad and Kindle Fire digital storybook app that teaches tots about dealing with issues like being picked on or standing up for others when they see it.

Poindexter is a lovable frog with a charming personality. He’s also a little different from the other frogs. He has blue feet, red knees and a “diddly” on his face (a little spot). Poindexter makes it a point to feel good about himself. After all, he knows that he’s a good frog and a good friend to have! His mom taught him that he should always respect others and he makes her proud by listening to that advice. Sadly, Bonky- the lunchroom bully- apparently missed the lesson that it’s not nice to pick on others. He laughs at Poindexter’s differences and encourages others to join it. Yet when Bonky gets a taste of his own medicine, it is Poindexter who stands up for the bully!

The message behind the story is an important one for kids of all ages. It not only teaches kids to love themselves, but also to stand up for others- even if sometimes the person you’re standing up for hasn’t been very nice in the past.

The Picked-On Poindexter digital storybook app features 26 interactive pages with songs like “Don’t Fit In” and “Diff’rent.” Kids will love singing along to these. Kids can read the story themselves or have it read to them through the “read to me” feature. The app retails for an incredibly reasonable $.99. You can also purchase a super huggable plush Poindexter for $19.99. Jacob loved the Poindexter plush. At 13″ tall, he’s bigger than I thought he’d be! Jacob was curious about why he had a blue knee and red feet. He thought it made Poindexter strange, yet unique. It was a great segue into the story and the message behind Picked-On Poindexter.

Picked-On Poindexter is the first of the HuggableMelodies storybook/plush combos. Two other stories and huggable plush characters are coming soon featuring Sandborn the dog and Drysdale the sheep- two of Poindexter’s friends from the story. Visit the HuggableMelodies store to purchase Poindexter and learn more about the company. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with news.