Grades 4-7,
Blubber
by Judy Blume
When overweight Linda gives an oral report on whales, the cruel Wendy, starts calling her “Blubber.” The name-calling escalates into more intense bullying and humiliation. The novel's narrator, Jill, is a full participant from the start. Fifth grader Jill has fun picking on Linda until the tables are turned and she becomes the victim of name-calling. Over time she comes to question everyone’s behavior, including her own. Finally, she challenges Wendy's power and learns that there are consequences, as well as rewards, to taking a stand.

Grades K-3,
The Brand New Kid
by Katherine Couric

When the teacher asks her students to welcome the ultrablond, blue-eyed, pink-lipped, loud-voiced, accent-sporting Lazlo S. Gasky, they all mock him instead: “Too different and strange to fit in...” Lazlo grows unhappier by the minute, as he is ostracized and taunted by his classmates. One day, however, when Ellie sees his sad-looking mother walking forlornly toward her car, things begin to look up for Lazlo. At that moment Ellie begins to wonder what it must be like to be a new kid, feeling so “different and strange,” and she decides to take steps to get to know him, even at the risk of facing her friends’ ridicule. (“At school the next day the kids stopped her and said, / ‘You were walking with Lazlo, are you sick in the head?’ / Ellie paused and replied, ‘Now I know him, you see, / Lazlo isn’t that different from you and from me.”

Grades 3-6,
Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain
by Trevor Romain

A serious yet humorous guide to dealing with bullies. The advice throughout is clear, unequivocal, and helpful: "Tell your friends if you're being bullied. A bully is less likely to approach you if you're surrounded by your buddies." The advice for dealing with life-threatening situations is brief: "Run!" Fictional books abound on the topic. This deals extensively with the subject and provides excellent coping skills both for the victims of intimidation and abuse and for parents trying to help. This book has an attractive format with cartoon characters and lots of white space on the page.

Grades K-3,
Chinese Eyes
by Marjorie Ann Waybill
When Becky, a first-grader born in Korea, is called “Chinese Eyes” at school, she is hurt and confused. Returning home, Mom explains that her eyes, while different, are beautiful all the same - and that they work just as well as anyone else's eyes. A sensitively told and illustrated story about differences and dealing with hurtful remarks.

Grades K-3,
The Colors of Us
by Karen Katz
Little Lena, a seven-year-old girl, invites readers to share in the many colors of her friends, as well as the beautiful shades of colors she finds to paint their portraits. With color illustrations throughout. Seven-year-old Lena and her mother observe the variations in the color of their friends' skin, viewed in terms of foods and things found in nature. This is a great book for kids to see the beauty in the different skin colors and their own. We purchased it and since then have purchased them for gifts for our friends!

Grades 5-8,
Crash
by Jerry Spinelli

“Crash” Coogan, celebrated school jock, has been bullying Penn Ward— small, poor, Quaker, and vegetarian—since the first grade. Crash begins to question his brutality, materialism, and winner takes all attitude when his beloved grandfather is disabled by a stroke. Crash takes a second look at Penn, finally accepts his friendship, and begins to grow into a mature and empathetic young man. This powerful story is told from the bully’s point of view.

Grades K-3,
Enemy Pie
by Derek Muson

When Jeremy Ross moves in and becomes number one on the narrator’s enemy list. Fortunately, his father has a secret recipe for a pie that is guaranteed to help get rid of enemies. While Dad works on mixing the ingredients and baking the pie, he explains his son’s role in the plan: “you need to spend a day with your enemy. Even worse, you have to be nice to him.” He decides that after a while Jeremy is not so bad. Sharing the pie in the end. This is a clever tale with an effective message about how to handle relationships and conflict.

Grades 5-8,
The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein

To say that this particular apple tree is a “giving tree” is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein’s popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. While the message of this book is unclear Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation.

Grades 3-8,
Heart of the Hide
by Lou Petrucci

On the outside, Nicky is just a little different from the average kid who loves baseball. Several surgeries on his cleft palate have left noticeable bumps and scars on his lip. He desperately wants to look like the other kids, but the doctors’ empty words and promises set bad examples about lying. Nicky knows where his glove is at all times, until one day when he secretly places his prized possession in an unusual place. When his family and closest friends ask him about the glove's whereabouts, a long string of lies follows. Most are harmless little fibs, but one falsehood leads to a catastrophe that changes Nicky’s life forever.

Grades 1-4,
I Met a Bully on a Hill
by Martha Brooks and Maureen Hunter

The story of 8-year old J.J. who, along with her two closest friends, attempts to deal with 9-year old Raymond, the school bully, who extorts money from J.J. each time she uses “his hill,” her most direct route to school. Finally, they decide to seek revenge. However, they discover they themselves become the bullies. Inspired by J.J.’s compassion, the confrontation is resolved peacefully. The three friends agree to stick together and to get help from adults to solve the problem of the “Bully on the Hill.”

Grades K-3,
I’m Like You, You're Like Me:
A Child’s Book About Understanding
and Celebrating Each Other
by Cindy Gainer
Deals with differences and similarities among people. The bold, brightbordered illustrations feature cartoonlike children of various ethnic backgrounds. References are made to common concepts such as acceptance of differences, the importance of understanding through listening, thinking about the feelings of others, and accomplishing tasks through cooperation.

Grades 1-5,
Just Kidding
by Trudy Ludwig

Addresses the topic of teasing. D.J. is tired of Vince’s mean-spirited comments at school. Vince knows which buttons to push, using the I was just kidding defense when he goes too far. Unsure how to handle the situation, D.J. talks with his father and his teacher and learns a few strategies to help him deal with putdowns. This story will help youngsters to distinguish between good-natured teasing and the destructive variety, empowering them by providing options they can use when faced with bullying.

Grades K-3,
King Of The Playground
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Kevin yearns to play on the playground equipment in his neighborhood, but a bully named Sam won’t let him. He proclaims himself “King of the Playground” and threatens Kevin with bodily harm if Kevin dare use any of the play equipment. Kevin wisely takes his problem to his father. Kevin's father makes gentle suggestions to the boy about what he thinks might work with Sam; he tells him that “words are stronger than fists.” By using his analytical and reasoning skills, Kevin in time befriends Sam and the boys as well as other children enjoy the playground in peace.

Grades 6-9,
Lizzie at Last
by Claudia Mills

Lonely Lizzie Archer, class nerd, contemplates seventh grade with horror. Her aunt takes Lizzie to The Gap for some “normal” clothes, maybe this year will be different. As soon as school starts, popular girl Marcia Faitak eyes her with interest: “Who dressed you?” Even Ethan Winfield, the unrequited love of Lizzie’s life, looks impressed. Is it the clothes? Or her new attitude? But wearing blue jeans and wanting to fit in aren't enough to alter Lizzie’s intelligence. When Lizzie suddenly makes mistakes to fit in, No one is more disappointed than Lizzie herself.

Grades 1-5,
Marcy and Her Friends
by Nec Iankowitz

A collection of short stories intended to assist parents and teachers in their efforts to help first through fifth graders deal with the vicissitudes of daily life. This series was specifically designed to help our children build self-esteem, since this is an important ingredient in developing personal strength and courage to say 'yes' to healthy choices in life, and 'no' to unhealthy ones.

Grades K-3,
Marianthe’s Story:
Painted Words and Spoken Memories
by Aliki

Marianthe’s arrives to a foreign America and the girl’s first days of school; Mari struggles with English until she realizes that art translates to all languages. She takes an artistic leap, as she paints her characters, her life, with a range of extraordinarily changeable palette from the dusty grays of troubled past times to the chipper hues of a contemporary classroom. In an America comprised of immigrants, many youngsters facing the same sea of changes as Mari will likely find her a companion, and those with a Mari in their lives may gain a newfound respect for the strength it takes to make the journey.

Grades 2-7,
My Secret Bully
by Trudy Ludwig
Monica is bullied, not by the class thug, but by her close friend Katie. This book explores relational bullying, a phenomenon that is often ignored. In her tightly knit group of friends, Monica is the victim of Katie’s hurtful words and gossip. But Monica’s mother gives her advice that helps her cope successfully.

Grades K-3,
Nobody Knew What to Do:
A Story About Bullying
by Beck Ray McCain

Straightforward and simple, this story tells how one child found the courage to tell a teacher about Ray, who was being picked on and bullied by other kids in school. Faced with the fact that "nobody knows what to do" while Ray is bullied, the children sympathetic to him feel fear and confusion and can only hope that Ray will "fit in some day." Finally, after Ray misses a day of school and the bullies plot mean acts for his return, our narrator goes to a teacher. The children then invite Ray to play with them, and, with adult help, together they stand up to the bullies.

Grades K-2
Mr. Peabody’s Apples
by Madonna
Set several decades back, it begins with Mr. Peabody congratulating his Little League team at the end of a game. On his way home, he grabs an apple from the fruit market, and Tommy Tittlebottom notices that Peabody doesn't pay. One child tells another, and soon everyone thinks Mr. Peabody is a thief, not realizing that he's made prior arrangements. An apologetic Tommy visits Peabody, who asks him to meet him on the baseball field with a pillow. Mr. Peabody cuts open the pillow and lets the feathers fly all over the field and town. He then tells the child to clean up all of the feathers. The child thinks it an impossible task, Mr. Peabody agrees that it is also impossible to fully take back the hurtful words and that when people think of me they will always remember the rumors that you started.

Grades K-3,
The Recess Queen
by Alexis O’Neill
Mean Jean is the reigning Recess Queen, pushing and smooshing, hammering and slammering the other kids whenever they cross her. And then one day a puny new girl shows up on the playground and catches Mean Jean completely off-guard. Not only is little Katie Sue not the least bit intimidated by the bully, she actually asks her to jump rope with her. In no time flat, Jean and Katie Sue are best buddies, and the playground is safe for all again.

Grades K-3,
Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor
and His Wheelchair
by Jamee Riggio Heelan

A glimpse into the life of a young boy with cerebral palsy. Taylor describes his condition, aspects of his daily activities at home and at school, and his desire for independence. While he has been trained to use a walker, he prefers a wheelchair as it enables him to go faster and not tire as quickly. At times, Taylor's frustrations come through, as when the illustrator shows him in his wheelchair facing a rather high set of stairs. However, in the end, the message is that he enjoys the same activities as other children

Grades K-4,
Say Something
by Peggy Moss
This book focuses on the role of the bystander, a girl who sees taunting of a victim of bullying. (“I walk on the other side of the hall. I don't say those things”). The girl feels sad for them, but she turns away--until one day, when she is alone, the bullies make her cry, and her friends do nothing. The dramatic climax is quiet: the girl reaches out to a child who always sits alone on the bus, and the children have fun together. Back pages include topics for discussion, practical and proactive advice for kids who are being targeted, and some good Web sites.

Grades 3-8,
Shredderman: Secret Identity
by Wendelin Van Draanen

Grade 3-6-A new series featuring a puny but brainy fifth grader named Nolan Byrd, whose dorky ways earn him the nickname of “Nerd” from Bubba Bixby, a seemingly unstoppable bully who cheats, lies, steals, and terrorizes little kids. Tired of Bubba’s relentless tormenting, Nolan anonymously launches shredderman.com, an online forum that chronicles the bully’s transgressions. Readers will be impressed with the protagonist’s ingenious problem-solving abilities and his adept use of technology to expose Bubba.

Grades 1-5,
Simon’s Hook; A Story About
Teases and Put-downs
by Karen Gedig Burnett
All children experience the taunts and teasing of other children. Simon’s Hook offers an intriguing, entertaining, and proven technique that kids can employ when feeling hurt or confused as a result of teasing by friends, peers or siblings. The book helps children to recognize they have choices and through the use of a fishing analogy, and how to "swim free" of feeling helpless, trapped, stuck, or powerless and able only to hit back or run away.

Grades K-3,
Sorry
by Trudy Ludwig

Jack’s friend Charlie is a kid who thinks he can do almost anything and get away with it as long as he says he’s sorry. He's even got Jack following his lead. When Charlie, accompanied by Jack, ruins a girl's science project, Jack learns that sometimes saying “I’m sorry” is not enough. Helping children understand the value and seriousness of an apology. It explains how some apologies heal while other hurt. The book also includes discussion questions and Apology Dos and Don’ts.

Grades K-3,
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon
by Patty Lovell

Molly Lou Melon may be tiny, clumsy, buck-toothed, and with a voice “like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor,” but she doesn't mind. Her grandmother has utmost confidence in her, and tells her at every turn to believe in herself. But Molly Lou’s self-assurance is put to the test when she moves to a new town, away from her friends and beloved grandmother. During her first week of school, Ronald Durkin taunts Molly Lou Melon in the dull-witted but sharp-edged manner of career bullies, calling her “shrimpo” and “bucky-toothed beaver.” Our heroine barely flinches as she systematically sets out to prove herself, and Ronald Durkin ends up feeling pretty foolish.

Grades 7-11,
Stitches
by Glen Huser

This dramatic novel set in a Canadian town, deals with bullying, spousal abuse, disabilities, and death. Travis's difficult life is examined over a period of three years, beginning in seventh grade. The only real constant in his life is a smart, disfigured and disabled girl. Picked on unmercifully for no apparent reason by three bullies, Travis finds some balance through artistic expression (designing puppets and performing as a puppeteer), and his encouraging teachers. What begins as taunts of “girlie,” “fruit fly,” and “fag face” escalates as the bullies remove his pants and cover him with shoe polish. Sometimes, the differences can be a pay-off, if you are lucky.

Grades K-3,
Stop Picking On Me (A First Look At Series)
by Pat Thomas
This book explores the dynamics in relationships among children of preschool through early school age, andencourage kids to understand personal and social problems as a first step toward solving them. Written by an experienced psychotherapist and counselor, these books promote positive interaction among children, parents, and teachers. The language in each book is simple and direct - easy for younger children to understand. Full-color illustrations on every page. This approachable picture book explores the difficult issue of bullying among children. It helps kids accept the normal fears and worries that accompany bullying, and suggests ways to resolve this upsetting experience.

Grades K-3,
We Can Get Along: A Child's Book of Choices
by Lauren Murphy

The empowering theme here is that individuals choose how to behave. Everyone can share, respect others, think before speaking, work out problems, and enjoy many types of friends. Children of all races are shown in a variety of ordinary activities, with exuberant backgrounds and borders of interesting items. This expression of the Golden Rule in sensible, easily understood language could be used in any setting, with a group or one-onone, to address individual behavior or peacemaking techniques in general.

Grades K-3,
Words Are Not For Hurting
by Elizabeth Verdick

This cheerful, instructive title highlights the power of words. The focus is on children taking personal responsibility for what they say, as well as thinking before speaking. Communication skills that promote friendship and other key social skills are encouraged. Bright, colorful illustrations convey the messages well via body language and facial expression. Examples expose the negative impact caused by the use of hurtful words and the effective use of the simple, powerful phrase, “I’m sorry.”