BEA 2011: Scieszka, Willems, Hopkins Try to Stomp Out Bullying in New Book
RSSBy Rocco Staino
Jon Scieszka and Mo Willems are just some of the 70 authors who have contributed their personal stories to the upcoming anthology, Dear Bully (Harper, 2011), which was inspired by the popular Facebook page, Young Adult Authors Against Bullying. As a result, HarperTeen asked Hall and Jones to edit an anthology of author stories from various points of views: the victim, mother, friend, sister, and even the bully himself. Some of the stories are light-hearted, while others are raw and emotional. "All of them drive home the point that bullying is something that almost everyone has experienced," says Hall. "And while that's a sad fact, we want to show that it's not a rite of passage. It doesn't make you stronger, wiser, or better. But it's something that can be overcome, something that can be changed, something that's relatable, and something that one should never be ashamed of." At last week's BookExpo America (BEA) in New York City, three contributors to the anthology—Ellen Hopkins, Lisa McMann, and MaryRose Wood—joined Hall to discuss their individual roles in the book. Hopkins, author of the semiautobiographical "Crank" series, discussed being the mother of a son who was bullied and her decision to homeschool him, while McMann talked about her childhood experiences being bullied by a neighborhood boy. Wood says she hopes the book will resonate with kids and that they'll find solace in the fact that some of their favorite authors have survived and thrived despite being bullied. "I also hope the grownups who read it will realize that they, too, have a responsibility to insist on kindness, to teach and model the ethical resolution of conflict, and to not stand by when someone is being hurt and needs help," Wood adds. Hall says she has a self-interest in the project: to help her eight-year-old daughter, Piper. "I have a daughter, and I know what girls are capable of," says Hall. "I can't have my heart broken again-or worse, watch as hers is broken. I just hope that a girl just like me will emerge from the shadows and stand by my daughter's side so that she will never, ever have to go through heartbreak alone." Hall was inspired to launch Young Adult Authors Against Bullying when she noticed the similarities between Prince's real-life story and the plots in her books, Sisters of Misery (Kensington, 2008) and The Lost Sister (Kensington, 2009). Along with her sister, Jocelyn Kelley, they created the Facebook page as a safe haven where teens could connect with authors online. "I wanted to create a healing, nurturing, and sharing environment to help facilitate change," says Hall. "I wanted to do something for Phoebe-for all kids that were bullied to the point of no return." The book, due out in August, has a companion website, which offers additional author submissions, classroom discussion guides, and helpful links. A portion of the book's proceeds will go to Stomp Out Bullying, a national anti-bullying and cyberbullying program for kids and teens. This will be a great inspiration to bullied children. In our book , "When
Your Child Is Being Bullied: Real Solutions" we speak to the need for
children feel protected and stopping the torment. This book will
encourage kids to speak out and hopefully our book will help parents and
educators find real solutions.
See solutionsforbullying.com for free resources. Thank you for doing this. It kills me every time I see something online about poor children who are bullied relentlessly and nothing is being done until it's too late. It's time for a change. * = Required information
Deeply affected by the bullying and subsequent suicide of 15-year-old Massachusetts student Phoebe Prince in January 2010, young adult authors Carrie Jones and Megan Kelley Hall launched the Facebook page to help others who might be victims-and it has since galvanized thousands of writers, educators, and students to connect and search for ways to end bullying.
From left: Hopkins, McMann, Hall, and Wood
discuss the book at BEA.
Reader Comments (2)
Posted by marie newman on May 31, 2011 12:52:46PM
Posted by Aurora on June 2, 2011 06:35:40PM
