Want to be a member of HRE USA? JOIN TODAY

A network dedicated to building a culture of human rights

Books – Bullying

Fiction

Eddie Longpants
About appreciating difference. A sweetly humorous portrayal of loving kindness, of adults coming decisively to the defense of children, and of a teacher willing to accommodate differences. This is a strikingly fresh and gentle book about bullying.

  • Author: Mireille Levert. 
  • Publisher: House of Anansi Press 
  • Grade Level: elementary


 Just Kidding
About teasing among boys. D.J.’s friend Vince has a habit of teasing D.J. and then saying, “Just kidding!” as if it will make everything okay. D.J. is afraid to protest, but with the help of his father, brother, and an understanding teacher, D.J. progresses from feeling helpless to taking positive action. 

  • Author: Trudy Ludwig
  • Publisher: Barnes & Noble,
  • Grade Level: elementary
  • Subject Area: social studies


The Misfits
Hilarious and poignant novel that focuses on the quietest of a bunch of friends who’ve been the target of cruel name-calling for years. Overweight Bobby Goodspeed evolves from nerd to hero when he starts speaking his mind.

  • Author: James Howe
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2003
  • Grade Level: middle –high school


Oliver Button is a Sissy
A picture book about a boy who stands up to bullies, not by fighting, but by staying true to himself.

  • Author: Tomie dePaola
  • Illustrator: Henry Cole
  • Source: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1979
  • Grade Level: elementary
  • Subject Area: social studies

 

Non-fiction

 Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain
Reassures kids that they’re not alone and it’s not their fault that they are bullied. Explains some people are bullies and describes realistic ways to become “bully-proof,” to stop bullies from hurting others, and to get help in dangerous situations.  

  • Author: Trevor Romain 
  • Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
  • Grade Level: elementary – middle school


The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence
A deadly triad: bullies who terrorize; bullied kids who are afraid to tell, bystanders who watch, participate, or look away; and adults who dismiss the incidents as normal part of childhood. Explains kinds of bullying and the differences between boy and girl bullies. Suggests abilities that protect children from succumbing to bullying, steps to take if a child is a bully, ideas to help the bullied child heal and effectively discipline the bully, and means to evaluate a school’s anti-bullying policy.  

  • Author: Barbara Coloroso 
  • Publisher: Harper Collins
  • Grade Level: Adults, parents, educators


Bullying under Attack: True Stories Written by Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders
Created as a result of “Teen Ink’s” mission to publish teenagers’ writing about what matters to them most. From thousands of submissions they’ve selected the most compelling prose and poetry about bullying.

  • Author: Trevor Romain 
  • Publisher: A Teen Ink Book
  • Grade Level: middle – high school


Bystander Power
With full-color cartoons and humorous, kid-friendly text, teaches kids how to safely stand up against bullying, support kids who are targeted, and spread the word that bullying is not cool—it’s cruel. The power to end bullying starts with one person: you.

  • Authors: Phyllis Kaufman Goodstein, and Elizabeth Verdick
  • Grade Level:  middle – high school


Goodbye Bully Machine
A must-read for anyone who cares deeply about creating a bully-free environment, and a great book for children of all ages to see how they can help stop bullying in its tracks.

  • Authors: Debbie Fox and Allan L. Beane 
  • Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
  • Grade Level: elementary – adult, educators


How to Bully Proof Your Classroom
Strategies to create a classroom in which bullying and meanness diminish and kindness flourishes. Includes five lesson plans for teaching students about preventing bullying. 

  • Authors: Caltha Crowe
  • Publisher: Northeast Foundation for Children Responsive Classroom
  • Grade Level: adult, educators


The New Bully-Free Classroom
This 3rd edition of a classic takes a closer look at what bullying is and places renewed emphasis on the role (and power) of bystanders, including a new chapter focusing on empowering bystanders to be allies to targets of bullying.

  • Author: Allan Beane 
  • Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing, 1999
  • Grade Level: Elementary – middle school


Words Wound: Delete Cyberbullying and Make Kindness Go Viral
Provides strategies for kids who are being bullied online – such as save a screenshot of hostile Facebook posts as evidence – as well as for those who have taken part in bullying others. Gives teens the tools they need to keep themselves and others safe.

  • Authors: Justin W. Patchin and Sameer Hinduja 
  • Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
  • Grade Level: Middle – high school
We are grateful for the generous support of our members, individual donors, and The Puffin Foundation Ltd
The core values of HRE USA and its partner organizations include transparency and critical thinking skills. We believe that human rights--and human rights education--belong to everyone, and that the full realization of human rights means that access to human rights education materials must never be conditioned upon the subscription to any particular religious faith, ideology, political affiliation, or membership in any particular organization and that any organizational connections should be openly acknowledged.