Bullies and Bullying

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." How many times has this refrain echoed through playgrounds and school hallways as children tried to protect themselves from the cruel taunts and teasing of bullies? Do we believe it? Do they believe it? Bobby Goodspeed, from James Howe's The Misfits says, "Anybody who believes that has never been called a name." Bullying has long been considered a natural, but unfortunate, part of growing up. However, renewed attention has been focused on it since the school shootings at Columbine where bullying was seen as a precipitating factor in the violence.

In The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander (HarperCollins, 2003), Barbara Coloroso states that there are three kinds of bullying, all of which may be harmful and destructive. Verbal bullying (name calling, verbal abuse, taunting, racist slurs) is the most common and can have the longest lasting impact. Physical bullying (slapping, kicking, tripping, locker-slamming, damaging property) is the most visible. Relational bullying, including cliques, (ignoring, gossiping, isolating, or intentionally excluding an individual) is most prevalent in the middle school years. The National Association of School Psychologists and the U.S. Department of Justice estimate that 160,000 students miss school every day because they are fearful of being bullied. The National Mental Health and Education Center states: "Bullying is the most common form of violence in our society; between 15% and 30% of students are bullies or victims."

Bullying is a learned behavior. Discussing the cycle (the bully, the bullied, and the bystander) offers an opportunity to influence this behavior and change the climate and social norm. Teachers can use books to open discussion and increase an awareness of bullying and its impact. Through the shared experience of literature, children can express feelings and explore solutions for dealing with this problem. In Ann M. Martin's Here Today, Ellie, a victim of physical bullying, says, "Every part of us hurt, especially our souls." Perhaps reading words such as these will provide children with the empathy, insight, and understanding needed to reject bullies and bullying.

Fiction

BATEMAN, Teresa. The Bully Blockers Club. illus. by Jackie Urbanovic. Albert Whitman. 2004. PLB $15.95. ISBN 0-8075-0918-3.

Gr 1-4–Lotty Raccoon is teased and taunted by Grant Grizzly. She tries to ignore him and uses other unsuccessful tactics to stop him. The animal children band together alerting others to Grant's intimidating behavior and form the Bully Blockers Club. The brightly colored illustrations are playful and accessible, and the ending includes a discussion about bullying and safety that can be extended for classroom use.

BEST,Cari. Shrinking Violet. illus. by Giselle Potter. Farrar. 2001. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-36882-1.

K-Gr 3–Violet is painfully shy and avoids any attention. Unfortunately, she is the target of obnoxious Irwin, who loves to tease her. During a school play, Violet is able to help Irwin (and get back at him too), providing the self-confidence she needs to ignore him. Whimsical, lively, and full of humorous detail, Potter's watercolor illustrations are a perfect complement to Violet's story. Video version available from Weston Woods.

CLEMENTS,Andrew. Jake Drake, Bully Buster. illus. by Amanda Harvey. S & S. 2001. RTE $14. ISBN 0-689-83917-0; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-689-83880-8.

Gr 2-5–Fourth-grade Jake relates his transformation from "bully-magnet" to "bully-buster" in a humorous and appealing transitional reader. Forced to work on a school project with Link Baxter, he learns to see the boy behind the bad behavior and finds a way to diffuse conflict and forge reluctant respect. "Because back behind those mean eyes and that bully-face, there's another face."

ESTES, Eleanor. The Hundred Dresses. illus. by Louis Slobodkin. Harcourt. 2004. Tr $16. ISBN 0-15-205170-8; pap. $6. ISBN 0-15-205260-7.

Gr 3-5–Wanda Petronski is the target of Peggy's game of teasing and name-calling because her name is "funny," she comes to school with mud on her shoes, and she wears the same dress every day. Maddie says nothing to stop the teasing and realizes too late that she is also to blame. "She had stood by silently, and that was just as bad as what Peggy had done." A reissued classic with sensitive, evocative illustrations.

HOWE, James. Pinky and Rex and the Bully. illus. by Melissa Sweet. S & S. 1996. Tr $15. ISBN 0-689-80021-5; pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-689-80834-8.

Gr 2-4–Pinky is the target of Kevin because his favorite color is pink and his best friend is a girl. With the help of an elderly neighbor, Pinky finds the confidence and courage to stand up to the third grader. His decision to remain true to himself sends a positive message to children who are dealing with insecurity in the face of teasing. Gentle ink-and-watercolor illustrations complement the text.

McCAIN, Becky Ray. Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story about Bullying. illus by. Todd Leonardo. Albert Whitman. 2001. PLB $15.95. ISBN 0-8075-5711-0.

Gr 1-4–Narrated by a bystander, this short text chronicles the feelings of helplessness and powerlessness felt by classmates as they witness Ray being bullied. They finally seek help from adults "so we could all figure out what to do," demonstrating that asking for help is not tattling. Realistic illustrations depicting a multicultural classroom extend the text.

MOSS, Marissa. Amelia Takes Command. illus. by author. Pleasant Co. 1999. Tr $12.95. ISBN 1-56247-789-7.

Gr 3-5–Amelia's handwritten journal records her fifth-grade year when she is the target of the class bully. "I try to feel like a stone when Hilary talks to me, but inside I feel like I'm crumbling." A week at Space Camp provides the child with confidence, and readers will cheer as she vanquishes her former foe. This popular series entry follows the familiar composition notebook format and is full of lively childlike doodling, captioned drawings, and small ink-and-watercolor illustrations.

O'NEILL, Alexis. The Recess Queen. illus. by Laura Huliska-Beith. Scholastic. 2002. RTE $16.95. ISBN 0-439-20637-5.

PreS-Gr 2–Mean Jean is the recess queen until meek Katie Sue, a new student who recognizes that Jean is lonely, invites her to play. The energetic and rollicking text, matched with animated and brightly colored acrylic and collage illustrations, provides a great read-aloud about schoolyard power games solved by friendship while also offering an opportunity to discuss the reasons why kids bully others. Video and audio versions available from Spoken Arts Media.

VAN DRAANEN,Wendelin. Shredderman: Secret Identity. Illus. by Brian Biggs. Knopf. 2004. Tr $12.95. ISBN 0-375-82351-4; PLB $14.99. ISBN 0-375-92351-9.

Gr 3-6–Fifth-grader Nolan Bryd is small, a math wiz, and a dorky power walker. In other words, he's a perfect target for Alvin "Bubba" Bixby, who dubs him "Bryd-the-Nerd." To counter Bubba's taunts, Nolan anonymously launches "shredderman.com," an online forum to expose Bubba and to use brains over brawn to defeat his nemesis. Black-and-white cartoon illustrations add to the amusing text.

YEP,Laurence. Cockroach Cooties. Hyperion. 2001. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-0487-4; PLB $16.49. ISBN 0-7868-2419-0; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-7868-1338-5.

Gr 3-5–Teddy is a realist: "There are two kinds of people in this world–the bullies and the victims." When he and his younger brother Bobby incur Arnie's wrath, Bobby uses ingenuity and psychology to outwit the bully, and in doing so, initiates a cautious friendship as the brothers discover the reasons behind Arnie's actions.

Nonfiction

JOHNSTON,Marianne. Dealing with Bullying. Rosen. 1996. PLB $18.75. ISBN 0-8239-2374-6; pap. $6.95. ISBN 1-56838-266-9.

Gr 1-4–Short chapters opposite full-page photographs effectively explain what bullying is and help children understand the reasons for it. Self-esteem, how to deal with bullies, how to stop being one, and how to help someone else who is a target are all discussed. Brief but useful.

ROMAIN, Trevor. Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain. Free Spirit. 1997. pap. $9.95. ISBN 1-57542-023-6.

Gr 3-7–An attractive format featuring cartoon illustrations and plenty of white space is paired with a humorous text, making this book especially accessible to children. The author defines what bullies are (he calls them "self-esteem vampires"), discusses ways that they behave, and suggests what children can do if they are victimized. Included is a message to teachers and parents.

Fiction

BLUME, Judy. Blubber. S & S. 1982. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-02-711010-9.

Gr 5-7–When Linda becomes the target of cruel name-calling because of her weight, Jill goes along with the cruelty to stay in the good graces of the fifth-grade class ringleader. As the harassment escalates, Jill takes a stand against Wendy with unforeseen consequences: she becomes an outcast, ostracized and teased. A perceptive look at peer pressure and school cliques. Audio version available from Listening Library.

COLE, Brock. The Goats. illus. by author. Farrar. 1990. pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-374-42575-2.

Gr 6-9–Howie and Laura are shy and awkward, social outcasts and misfits at summer camp who become the victims of a cruel prank. They are labeled the "goats," stripped, and left alone on an isolated island. The painful humiliation turns into determination as they leave the island and vow to never be victims again. During their sojourn, they develop self-esteem, self-respect, inner strength, and friendship.

HOWE, James. The Misfits. S & S. 2001. RTE $16. ISBN 0-689-83955-3; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-689-83956-1.

Gr 5-8–Skeezie Tookis, Addie Carle, Joe Bunch, and Bobby Goodspeed ironically call themselves the Gang of Five. All targets of cruel name-calling, they are tired of the abuse. During the Paintbrush Falls Middle School elections, they start a political party called the "No-Name Party" with the platform slogan: "End name-calling once and for all!" With humor and pathos, the book celebrates everyone's need to be an individual without being called a name. Audio version available from Full Cast Audio.

KOSS, Amy. The Girls. Dial. 2000. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-8037-2494-2; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-230033-0.

Gr 5-8–When Maya moves to a suburb of Los Angeles, she is invited to join a clique ruled by intimidating, yet popular, Candace. Through the narration of five girls, the agonizing and destructive nature of middle school cliques and peer pressure powerfully unfolds. This is an authentic portrayal of relational bullying that is so common among girls and will undoubtedly strike a chord with middle school readers. Audio version available from Full Cast Audio.

MARTIN, Ann M. Here Today. Scholastic. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-439-57944-9.

Gr 5-8–Eleanor Roosevelt Dingman has been the target of teasing and bullying on the school bus for years. However, what happens in sixth grade is different: the ruling girls decide to single out Ellie and her friend Holly for humiliating harassment and physical abuse. A memorable character, Ellie demonstrates poignant strength as she struggles to overcome the bullying. Audio version available from Listening Library.

POLLET, Alison. Nobody Was Here: 7th Grade in the Life of Me, Penelope. Orchard. 2004. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-439-58394-2.

Gr 5-7–Penelope Schwartzbaum goes along with the snobby group of girls at Elston Prep, signing "The Pledge" and agreeing not to associate with any new students, even though she knows it's wrong. Because she is a follower, she sees herself as a "nobody." It takes the cruel hazing of another student before she can stand up to the clique and become somebody who can act on her own convictions.

PRUE, Sally. The Devil's Toenail. Scholastic. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-439-48634-3.

Gr 6-9–Stevie Saunders, still suffering from a horrific incident in which he was set on fire, tries to reinvent himself by joining a gang of cool guys at his new school, but he can't go through with the gang's initiation. On a family trip, he finds a fossil with seemingly magical power, and his story becomes a mixture of psychological thriller and fantasy as he battles his inner demons to overcome his past. Audio version available from BBC Audio Books America.

SPINELLI, Jerry. Crash. Knopf. 2001. Tr $16. ISBN 0-679-87957-9; PLB $17.99. ISBN 0-679-97957-3; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-679-88550-1.

Gr 5-8–Named "Crash" ever since he could remember, John Coogan lives up to his name–he is the ultra-jock and obnoxious bully. When his beloved grandfather suffers a stroke, he begins to re-examine himself and the years spent bullying his neighbor, Penn Webb. Crash allows himself to change, illustrating a bully's point of view along the way. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

WILHELM, Doug. The Revealers. Farrar. 2003. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-36255-6; pap. $6.95. ISBN 0-374-46243-7.

Gr 5-7–Three seventh-graders, tired of being bullied, band together to create "The Revealer," an e-mail newsletter that provides a forum for kids to talk about their experiences. The newsletter becomes a form of catharsis for the students, and the raised awareness causes a drop in bullying.

Fiction

ADOFF, Jaime. Names Will Never Hurt Me. Dutton. 2004. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-525-47175-8.

Gr 8 Up–Four teens write about a single day on the one-year anniversary of a school shooting. Suspense and tension mount as they relate their sense of isolation and fear of being terrorized. Written in free verse, the voices include Tisha, who is biracial; Ryan, the popular football star; overweight Floater, and Kurt, a "freak."

ATKINS, Catherine. Alt Ed. Putnam. 2003. Tr $17.99. ISBN 0-399-23854-9; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-240235-4.

Gr 8-10–Reminiscent of the film The Breakfast Club (1985) in which teens from different social cliques are thrown together for detention, six teenagers are put in an alternative-education class instead of being expelled. What ensues is a series of encounters and epiphanies as the bullies and the bullied talk, begin to understand one another, and learn about themselves. Believable characters, authentic dialogue, and realistic events will strike a chord with teen readers. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

BRUGMAN, Alyssa. Walking Naked. Delacorte Press. 2004. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-385-73115-9; PLB $17.99. ISBN 0-385-90141-0.

Gr 8 Up–When Megan Tuw, one of the founders of the most popular clique in school, is put in detention with social outcast Perdita Wiguiggan, a tentative friendship grows between the two girls and Megan must ultimately choose between the safety of the clique and her new friend. A powerful ending forces readers to examine the cruelty of bullying.

CORMIER, Robert. The Chocolate War. Knopf. 1974. Tr $19.95. ISBN 0-394-82805-4; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-440-94459-7.

Gr 8 Up–Still as powerful and disturbing as it was when published in 1974, this classic of a lone student confronting the system relates the story of a high school freshman who refuses to participate in the annual chocolate sale. In doing so, he invokes the rage of a corrupt and bullying school authority, challenges the ruthless school gang, and pays a terrible price for his nonconformity. Audio version available from Listening Library.

GALLO, Donald R., ed. On the Fringe. Dial. 2001. RTE $17.99. ISBN 0-8037-2656-2.

Gr 8 Up–This collection of thought-provoking short stories was prompted by the Columbine shootings. Gallo invited 11 authors, including M.E. Kerr, Nancy Werlin, Jack Gantos, and Chris Crutcher, to write stories examining the kind of bullying and torment that might make teens react so violently. Each story is told by an "outcast," and the book is dedicated to "every kid who has ever been called a hurtful name, and to every kid who has tried to feel superior by putting down someone else."

GARDNER,Graham. Inventing Elliot. Dial. 2004. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-8037-2964-2.

Gr 8-10–Elliot Sutton arrives at Holminister High determined that he will no longer be a target of bullying. He invents a "new Elliot"–one who is cool and impenetrable. Ironically, he is asked to join the Guardians, a group of upperclassmen who rule the school through intimidation and violence, and he struggles to extricate himself from the Guardians while not becoming a target himself.

HENEGHAN, James. Hit Squad. Orca. 2003. pap. $7.95. ISBN 1-55143-269-2.

Gr 7-10–Birgit Neilson, tired of harassment and mindless violence at Grandview High, forms a group called the Hit Squad to combat bullies and give them a warning. Geared to reluctant teen readers, this faced-paced, short novel may be a bit heavy-handed, but it provides plenty of discussion opportunities.

KOJA, Kathe. Buddha Boy. Farrar. 2003. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-30998-1; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-14-240209-5.

Gr 8-10–Michael Martin (a.k.a. Jinsen, or Buddha Boy) is considered a freak and an outcast by bully McManus and his crew at Edward Rucher High School. When Justin, the narrator and a fellow student, is paired with Jinsen for a class project, he is forced to question the status quo, the importance of belief and friendship, and his own ability to stand up to those who torment others just because they are different. Audio version available from Full Cast Audio.

MAYFIELD, Sue. Drowning Anna. Hyperion. 2001. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-0870-5; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-7868-0957-4.

Gr 9 Up–Anna Goldsmith is befriended and then ostracized by the popular Haley. What follows is a powerful, painful, and chilling look at the destruction of a teenage girl through relentless cruelty. Anna's diary entries and her friend Melanie's narrative provide the perspectives of both the victim and the bystander.

MYERS, Walter Dean. Shooter. HarperCollins. 2004. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-06-029519-8; PLB $16.89. ISBN 0-06-029520-1; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-06-447290-6.

Gr 9 Up–Seniors Cameron Porter and Carla Evans are being interviewed because their friend, Len Gray, was the shooter in a school shooting and suicide. Fictionalized documents, including newspaper clips; reports from the county psychologist, sheriff and FBI; and Len's diary provide the narrative. Readers will make connections with Columbine as they learn from his journal that Len craved revenge on the jocks that routinely bullied him. Audio version available from Recorded Books.

BOTT, C.J. The Bully in the Book and in the Classroom. Scarecrow. 2004. pap. $30. ISBN 0-8108-5048-6.

This is an essential resource for teachers and librarians working with children and young adults. The author discusses the role of teachers in creating an environment in which bullying is not tolerated. A comprehensive bibliography is divided by grade levels (K-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-12) and includes activities and discussion topics for selected books, quotes for reader responses, and an extensive list of additional titles.

"Focus on Anger Management and Violence in Society," compiled by Jennifer Ralston. School Library Journal, October 2003, pp. 97-100

Anger unchecked can lead to violence, and bullying is one way of taking anger out on others. Several books in this annotated bibliography deal with bullying, whether in the form of verbal harassment or physical violence.