Dolly Parton's Billy the Kid makes it big by Dolly Parton. Illus. by MacKenzie Haley

Country music icon Dolly Parton uses her own life experiences as well as her real-life dog Billy the Kid as inspiration for this story about making friends, not making fun. The term 'making fun of' is not used as much in Australia as 'teasing' but the context of this relatable tale makes it clear. Billy the Kid loves music so he heads off to Nashville in the hopes of finding some band mates. His first encounter is with an unkind trio of dogs ("You're clearly not a true muttropolitan like us") but eventually he finds his crew. When the bully dogs tease one of his bandmates Billy the Kid and the rest of the band teach them a lesson and re-educate them. "You weren't havin' fun. You were makin' fun...And makin' fun ain't funny", they assert. Billy and his mates show that having a laugh at someone else's expense is not funny and that sticking by and standing up for your friends is just as rewarding as winning a trophy.

Dolly Parton makes an appearance in the illustrations when she comes onstage singing "Let's celebrate our differences instead of makin' fun" and also included at the end of the story are song lyrics from Makin' Fun Ain't Funny, as written by Dolly herself.The song and video with lyrics are available on streaming services and YouTube. There is a nice simple message carried through the book and lots of dog puns to keep things fun. The dogs are all different sizes, shapes and colours providing the diversity that is a true reflection of human society. A great choice for educators and parents who are Dolly Parton fans and little ones who are auditory learners but also for those children who need some help learning that making fun of and having fun with others are very different.

Themes: Bullying, Music, Friendship.

Nicole Nelson