October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time for communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention. Below is a selection of inspirational, compassionate and hopeful books from Scholastic that deal with themes of bullying.
When Sophie’s Feelings are Really, Really Hurt by Molly Bang (Ages 4–8): Sophie’s feelings get hurt when her classmates laugh at her painting of a favorite tree. Sophie is proud of the painting, but her picture is different from the other kids’ art. As her face gets hot, and tears begin to flow, Sophie starts to wonder about her own talents and way of seeing things. The students soon learn there are many different ways to interpret the worldand each other. This simple story tackles the common issue of hurt feelings as it gently helps all readers become more caring.
Little Rhino: My New Team by Ryan Howard & Krystal Howard, illustrated by Erwin Madrid (Ages 7–10): From Major League Baseball superstar Ryan Howard and his wife, Krystle Howard, a former elementary schoolteacher, this exciting new series is a fun read for sports and book fans alike.
One afternoon, after a long day of second grade, Little Rhino comes home to find out that Grandpa James has signed him up for a baseball league. Little Rhino will finally be a part of a team. But Little Rhino will quickly learn that it is not always so easy to be a good teammate, especially when there’s a bully wearing the same uniform as you.
The Survival Guide to Bullying: Written by a Teen by Aija Mayrock (Ages 10 and Up): Aija Mayrock began writing The Survival Guide to Bullying when she was only 16, envisioning the book as her gift to the next generation of bullied kids. Initially self-published as an ebook, The Survival Guide to Bullying touches on a variety of hard issues from cyber-bullying to dealing with extreme anxiety. Aija’s words are comforting as well as inspiring—she sadly knows about bullying from her own painful personal experiences in middle and high school. Aija faced merciless insults and isolation at the hands of her peers but came out of “The Dark Tunnel” a stronger person, ready to help those around her in similarly bad situations.
Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman (Ages 12 and up): Critically-acclaimed political columnist and award-winning author Sarah Darer Littman skillfully tackles cyberbullying in Backlash, a gripping, ripped-from-the-headlines novel where online life collides with real life and as the truth comes together the backlash is even more devastating than anyone could have imagined. Told from four alternating perspective, Backlash is a cautionary tale thatexplores the consequences cyberbullying can have on siblings, friends and community.
Faceless by Alyssa Sheinmel (Ages 12 and up): When Maisie Winters wakes up, she’s in the hospital. She was in a terrible accident. Slowly, she realizes her face was destroyed—and where her nose, cheeks, and chin used to be, now lies nothing. Maisie’s lucky enough to qualify for a rare medical treatment—a face transplant.
Before, she was just a normal girl—a track star, a good student who loved her boyfriend, her best friend and argued with her parents from time to time. Suddenly all that has changed and soon Maisie quickly discovers how much her looks shaped her relationship to the world. She has to redefine her own identity, and figure out what it means live again.
