Books to Read for Kids
About Bullying
By Stephen Walton
A Very Serious Topic
Finding good books to read for kids on the subject of bullying can be daunting for parents. There are many forms of bullying and we are in the process of narrowing down our selection.
Our focus is on defining bullying to children, explaining why some people bully, why they should not bully, and how they can be empowered to stand up for themselves and others.
At the bottom of this page you will also find links to other books to read for kids that will help them build courage and develop a strong self-esteem.
It's important to note, any child or even adult can be bullied regardless of a positive self-esteem however, the stronger your character the less potential of being bullied, and if so, the less anguish suffered.
Bullying is a subject that we take very seriously. We have only just begun and suggest you bookmark our site and return for our frequent updates.
We trust that the following selection of books to read for kids about bullying will
help to provide some enlightenment on such a sensitive issue.
We hope you enjoy our recommendations.
It’s Cool to Be Kind
"Commissions Earned"
The story takes place at Rock Hill Elementary school where life for Beckett Barnes cannot be better, that is, until the new boy named Porter Reed arrives at the school. All havoc breaks loose when Porter begins to bully one of the students. When Beckett courageously stands up for the victim, he himself becomes the bully’s new target and his fear triggers him to dodge and hide as the threats of retaliation escalate.
In his quest to avoid getting beaten up, Beckett turns to his parents who suggest some positive communication with the bully might help the situation. After Beckett sets up a meeting between the guidance counselor, Porter and himself, he learns that Porter was acting out because he was unhappy relocating to a new school just as the football team was entering the championship, and he was their quarterback.
The story continues to take the reader on a riveting adventure on how Beckett responds to Porters dilemma by involving the entire school, eventually leading to the development of “The Cool to Be Kind Club.”
The Kindness Club spreads State to State culminating to a Global movement encouraging children to perform acts of kindness and upload their story to the “Cool to Be Kind Movement” website.
The book is extremely well written by a master writer named Linnea
McFadden and without a doubt will captivate the reader from beginning
to end.
The story does a marvelous job conveying a lesson to the reader that how their reaction to an event affects the outcome.
Until now I have not read a book that touches on so many of the virtues we strongly promote throughout our website; Empathy, Kindness, Resilience, Respect, Gratitude, Appreciation, Compassion, Forgiveness, Self-discipline, Courage and Leadership are all woven in-between the lines throughout this extremely heartwarming story.
Linnea’s impressive credentials with a Masters in Social
Work, a specialist with autistic children, child abuse prevention, her
work with foster care and homeless shelters, certainly attest to her
understanding of both the thought process and needs of children.
The cute and descriptive illustrations by Ayanami Monreal add wonderful feeling and emotion to the story… Well done Ayanami.
Linnea personalizes the book by writing a special letter to both the reader and their parents about bullying and promoting kindness.
In addition there is an extensive reference section listing informative websites and books on bullying and kindness.
I highly recommend this book, and truly believe it belongs on the bookshelf of every classroom.
Our suggested ages 4 to 12
(click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
Actress Jane Lynch's first children's book
Marlene,Marlene, Queen of Mean
Marlene, Marlene, Queen of Mean
"Commissions Earned"
A story cleverly written in rhyme, about a little girl named Marlene who flaunts her personal power with a variety of cruel and uncaring actions to intentionally frighten and intimidate other children.
Big Freddy stands face-to-face with mean Marlene and exposes her fraudulent attempts to control others through fear.
Now, wise to her bully tactics, others are no longer afraid. When her continued attempts to control them fail, her power is diminished.
With feelings of anger and bitterness over her loss of control, Marlene eventually takes things to heart and miraculously transforms herself into a kind-hearted little girl.
Well,…. Most of the time anyway.
An extremely compelling story portraying bravery and solidarity, with a lesson that bullies must adjust their attitudes as their oppressive actions will no longer be tolerated.
A collaboration by the accomplished and award winning actress Jane Lynch, Lara Embry,PhD, and A.E. Mikesell.
The humorous and expressive illustrations confirm the extraordinary talent possessed by Tricia Tusa.
This needs to be on the bookshelf of every child from 3 to 7
(click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
The Hero in Me
"Commissions Earned"
A story
about a boy who by listening to his heart, soul and mind, discovers his
inner strength to believe in himself and stand tall against a bully.
Becoming a hero within himself he role models courage and kindness influencing his peers to follow his lead.
In his quest for fairness he manifests
empathy and compassion for the bully, helping him to deal with his
temper and adjusting his bad attitude.
This
book does a wonderful job of defining bullying to children. It
empowers both the victims and bystanders to muster the inner strength
and courage to stand up to bullies, resolve conflict and seek help when
needed.
The writer Susan
Fitzsimonds does a marvelous job of rhyming the story while illustrator
Jeff Covieo adds his spectacular touch of emotional expression.
This needs to be on the bookshelf of every child from 4 to 8
(click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
Tease Monster
(A book about teasing vs. bullying)
"Commissions Earned"
The characters in this cute story are all number ones. The main character's name is "One of a Kind" and is very unique, multi-coloured with big feet and loves to eat popsicles standing on his head.
When the other ones call him names and laugh at him it hurts his feelings. Even the ones he considers his friends seem to tease him too.
His mom says he has been bitten by the tease monster and explains
that there are mean teases and nice teases, and how mean teasing is
bullying but a nice tease can actually be a good thing.
"One of a
Kind" discovers that teasing is a part of life and he must learn to
handle the good with the bad. He recognizes that every one hears things
differently and must watch what he says. He also learns the difference
between laughing at someone and laughing with them, and eventually
learns to laugh at himself too.
An excellent book to build on
your child's relationship skills with a section at the back of the book
with ideas for parents to help their child deal with awkward
situations.
This fun and quirky tale is another winner by Julia Cook with artistic illustrations by Anita Dufalla
Our suggested ages 4 to 8 (click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
Enemy Pie
|
"Commissions Earned" |
It was the perfect summer for one little boy, that is until Jeremy Ross moves into the house down the street and becomes enemy number one.
Luckily, Dad has a sure fire way to get rid of enemies - "Enemy Pie." But one of the unexpected secret ingredients is spending an entire day with the enemy.
In this cute and humorous story, the little boy learns an effective recipe for turning an enemy into a best friend.
Written by the talented Derek Munson and illustrated by the equally talented Tara Calahan King.
Our suggested ages 4 to 8 (click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
Miss Suzy
"Commissions Earned"
The 40th anniversary edition of an old classic about a happy little squirrel named Miss Suzy that is bullied by some mean red squirrels and chased out of her home.
Making a new home in an old doll house in an attic little Suzy makes friends with some abandoned toy soldiers she finds in an old box.
When hearing of her plight the brave soldiers help her to reclaim her home.
An enchanting and heartwarming story of true friendship and what can be achieved by standing up to bullies.
An absolutely wonderful story with 211 five star reviews on Amazon.
Exquisitely written by Miriam Young with absolutely adorable illustrations by Arnold Lobel
A Real Treasure... Check it out.
Our suggested ages 3 to 8 (click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
You're Mean Lily Jean
|
"Commissions Earned" |
Two sisters Carly and Sandy always enjoy playing together until Lily Jean moves in next door. Lily takes control of the playtime and tries to shut Carly out by demanding that Carly does what she is told or is not allowed to play. After Carly gets tired of being bossed around and always being ordered to be the baby or dog, her sister Sandy finally stands up for her. |
When her attempt fails, the two sisters come up with a clever plan that turns the table on Lily.
A wonderful story of how sticking together can outwit a bully, and even turn them into a friend. The message the two sisters clearly convey to Lily Jean?.. Stop being bossy and start being nice or go play alone.
A great lesson on positive sibling relationships, and the consequences of bullying.
Emotionally written by the outstanding author: Frieda Wishinsky
With colourful and expressive illustrations by: Kady MacDonald Denton
Our suggested ages 4 to 8 (click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
One
"Commissions Earned"
Although Blue is happy being himself, once in a while he wishes he could be more sunny like yellow or outgoing like orange. Red always picks on him saying Red is hot Blue is not and this makes him feel even worse.
The other colours comfort Blue but they don't stick up for him. When Red notices this he picks on them too, putting fear into all of the colours.
When brave Number One comes along and sees what is going on he stands up to Red. Following his lead, one by one Yellow, Orange, Green, and Purple, and even Blue stand up to Red turning themselves into brave Numbers 2 through 6.
Upset with his loss of control over the others, Red gets smaller and smaller and is reduced to a small ball of colour and begins to feel bad himself.
After Blue kindly reaches out and convinces him to shed his bully tactics he is earnestly welcomed into the group as Number 7 where they all become good friends.
The story has a fun and clever way of sending a message that: to Stand Together and Count - it just starts with "One."
Skillfully written and illustrated by Kathryn Otoshi
Our suggested ages 3 to 7 (click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
The Recess Queen
"Commissions Earned"
This is an extremely fun to read book written in a sing-song style about Mean Jean the Recess Queen. If ever kids crossed her, she'd push 'em and smoosh 'em, lollapaloosh 'em, hammer 'em, slammer 'em, kits and kajammer 'em.
Mean Jean meets her match when the new kid teeny tiny Katie Sue comes to the school.
Katie talks back just as sassy and dethrones the reigning recess bully by befriending her in a very amusing way .
With Jean's rekindled attitude she no longer bullies the others and the playground becomes one great place.
Cleverly authored by Alexis O'Neill with colourful and emotional illustrations by Laura Huliska- Beith.
Our suggested ages 3 to 7 (click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
The Juice Box Bully
"Commissions Earned"
A story of a boy named Pete who was always getting picked on at school. When he moves to a new school he proactively asserts bullying behaviour as a defense mechanism thinking it will prevent classmates from picking on him first.
Pete uses some hurtful words and bad conduct and attempts to recruit another student to follow his lead.
When his efforts fail as all his classmates stand up to him, he quickly learns of the universal "Promise" that all students of the school have committed to… They must take care of each other, solve problems peacefully, and speak up against bad behaviour.
After Pete squirts his juice box over Rudy's top her immense anger builds and she wants to retaliate. Fortunately Ralph steps in and reminds Rudy how her behaviour would be no different than Petes'.
Enlightened by Ralph's genuine concern and clear logic, Pete develops a new perspective on his negative behaviour and eventually he himself wholeheartedly commits to "The Promise."
A great story with lessons on empowerment, solidarity, kindness, and empathy, as well as the all important lesson that two wrongs don't make a right.
Cleverly written in collaboration by Robert Sornson and Maria Dismondy.
Colourful and expressive illustrations by Kim Shaw.
Our suggested ages 4 to 8 (click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
Each Kindness
"Commissions Earned"
When Maya the new girl arrives at the school midterm with broken sandals and old ragged clothing that look secondhand she is not welcomed. She is callously rejected by the other students and nicknamed "Never New"
All Maya's social attempts at befriending the other students are snubbed as Chloe and her friends go out of their way to shun her by excluding her from play.
Suddenly, Maya has moved once again and is off to another school. When the teacher gives a lesson on kindness, dropping a pebble into a bowl of water to teach the ripple of kindness effect, Chloe begins to see how cruel she had been to Maya.
When realizing that she'll never have an opportunity to make it up to Maya she is filled with guilt, remorse, and emotional pain as she reflects on what she could have said and how differently she could have acted.
In this powerful and touching story children, will be overwhelmed with a sense of empathy for Maya, and will learn to understand the dimension of relational bullying that is so often misconceived and misunderstood.
Emotionally written by Jacqueline Woodson, and illustrated in beautiful and expressive water colours by E.B. Lewis
Our suggested ages 5 to 8
(click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
Stand Up for Yourself
& Your friends
"Commissions Earned"
This exceptional book from the "American Girl" series does an excellent job defining bullying and explaining why bullies act the way they do.
It has many wonderful suggestions for children to handle a bullying situation themselves, and how to stand up for others.
It deals with teasing, taunting, bossiness and other social forms meant to be cruel or hurtful.
It teaches children how to speak up with suggested words that often work
and offers excellent strategies to remain positive and melt away
negative feelings. It is laced with inspiration from other girls that
have also experienced bullying.
If the bullying persists, it clarifies "telling vs. tattling" and offers some good strategies for getting support from adults.
The message is extremely positive in promoting kindness to others while polishing up personal self-esteem.
I can't say enough about this book. It is a real gem… "A Must-Have"
The suggested age range is 8 and up, however, I personally feel it can be very beneficial as early as 5.
An outstanding job by author Patti Kelly Criswell and colourfully illustrated by Angela Martini.
(click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
My Secret Bully
"Commissions Earned"
Monica is having a hard time understanding why a long time friend Katie
has suddenly turned against her. Katie attempts to drive a wedge
between Monica and her other friends by using tactics of whispering,
excluding her from play, and says she will not come to her house if she
plays with the other girls.
She starts to wonder if there is something wrong with her and begins to
feel socially isolated.
Of course this poor treatment of Monica goes undetected by the other girls.
Her mother provides some guidance and Monica eventually stands up for
herself, she learns that real friends respect one another and work out
their problems.
Katie's behaviour is a typical strategy of
bullies. I feel the story provides the reader with an opportunity to
consider how they would connect with the different characters and how
they would react in a similar situation.
Questions & suggestions in the back of the book open the door for discussion of such a confusing and emotional subject.
In addition, they have provided some wonderful resources for parents.
A well written story by Trudy Ludwig and emotionally illustrated by Abigail Marble. Our suggested ages 5 to 12
(click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
Confessions of A Former Bully
"Commissions Earned"
A fictitious story of a 10 year old girl named Katie that is given some consequences by the school principle for bullying that leads her to writing this book in a journal style called "Confessions of A Former Bully."
In her book she describes the different types of bullying, explains to the reader why she bullied, how it made her feel, and the positive lessons she has learned from being a bully.
It is a witty and captivating book that will keep the reader involved from beginning to end. Children will get a view from both the bully and the victims perspective.
An absolutely astounding job by the author on keeping it at an interesting level for the reader by including pertinent facts on bullying, along with some wonderful positive quotes.
It is full of good practical advice with many tools for children to utilize in a bullying situation that connect on the child's level.
It is particularly enlightening to a child that is bullying and may not realize or recognize that there are alternative choices.
A fantastic book for parents, teachers, or anyone working with children. There are many excellent resources on bullying in the back pages of the book.
Our suggested age category 8 to 12
(click picture for USA orders
or the text link below for Canadian orders)
More good books to read for kids that will help them
build courage and develop a strong self-esteem.
Click on the links below
Kids Story Books that Build Positive Self-Esteem
Childrens Books about Virtues that
Develop Good Character
Remember
to "Bookmark" our site and occasionally check back for upcoming reviews
on books to read for kids about bullying
Quick Links Back
Back to: Child Book Review page..from: "Books to Read for Kids about Bullying"
"The Positive Parenting Centre" Home Page
Affiliate Disclosure
Certain links to products on our site are affiliate links, of which we may earn a small commission on the purchase you make.
If you find our site interesting and informative, we would love for you to
"Like or Share" us on Facebook
Visit our Facebook page on the link below
Subscribe to our
Periodic Newsletter
Quick Links
Develop
A Thirst For Knowledge
Submit a review of your child's favourite book
Subscribe to our
Periodic Newsletter