If you read my previous post, 30 Anti-Bullying Books for Kids, then you have already heard the story of Rebecca Ann Sedwick’s death, so I apologize for the repeat, but it’s important that you hear of this tragedy.
Last month in Lakeland, FL, 12-year-old Rebecca Ann Sedwick, committed suicide after being cyberbullied for over a year by a group of 15 girls. As tragic and horrifying as that story is, even more tragic is that this isn’t the first time a child has committed suicide as a result of being bullied.
According to Pacer.org, one out of every 3 students is bullied and that is a startling statistic. October is National Bullying Prevention Month, which makes this the perfect time to open dialogue with your children about the harsh realities of bullying. If you are looking for some guidance when it comes to broaching this subject, then hopefully the books below will help. Together with the previous list, 30 Anti-Bullying Books for Kids, below are 15 Anti-Bullying Books for Parents, Teachers and Educators. Don’t wait to talk to your kids about bullying.
Visit The Pacer Center’s Anti-Bullying site for more information and resources. The Pacer Center also has a website just for kids, Kids Against Bullying, where your child can pledge to be a kid against bullying, get more information on bullying and share their own stories. For more information on CyberBullying, visit the CyberBully Hotline website or call 1-800-420-1479.
Thank you to the teachers and educators who chimed in with their book picks.
15 Anti-Bullying Books for Parents, Teachers and Educators
Little Girls Can Be Mean: Four Steps to Bully-Proof Girls in the Early Grades by Michelle Anthony, Ph.D. and Reyna Lindert, Ph.D. – The authors are developmental psychologists and also mothers who felt that even very young girls were being affected by social issues among friends (and they are right). They approach anti-bullying with the perspective of the adolescent girl in mind and offer a 4-step plan to help parents support their children.
Queen Bees & Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World by Rosalind Wiseman – The updated version of this bestseller now tackles more social media issues, as well as, real life experiences from parents and daughters.
Bullying Hurts: Teaching Kindness Through Read Alouds and Guided Conversations by Lester L. Laminack and Reba M. Wadsworth – Different than the typical anti-bullying guide, the authors feel that using the read-aloud method enables teachers to create a classroom culture where bullying will not be welcome. They also coordinate their read-aloud experiences to the Common Core reading standards.
Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy by Emily Bazelon – Bazelon, Senior Editor for Slate Magazine, writes an in depth analysis of the current state of bullying in this country, including real-life accounts from bully victims and analysis of schools with effective anti-bullying programs in place.
Bully: An Action Plan for Teachers, Parents, and Communities to Combat the Bullying Crisis by Lee Hirsch and Cynthia Lowen – This book is a companion to the documentary film of the same name. While the book follows up with filmmakers and families from the documentary, it also contains helpful resources for parents and teachers.
The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School – How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle by Barbara Coloroso – This updated versions includes a section on the very real threat of cyberbullying, as well as, steps to take if your child is a bully, how to help your child heal if they were a victim of bullying and evaluating your school’s antibullying policy.
Bully Nation: Why America’s Approach to Childhood Aggression is Bad for Everyone by Susan Eva Porter, Ph.D. – Porter argues that since the tragedy at Columbine, we have collectively changed our approach to dealing with bullying, but not for the better. The author is an expert in child development that offers a way to reframe the way we look at childhood aggression and bullying.
Bullyproof Your Child for Life: Protect Your Child from Teasing, Taunting and Bullying for Good by Joel Haber – The author, also known as “The Bully Coach,” offers a bullyproofing prescription and concrete advice for how parents can break the bullying cycle.
Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher, and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear by Carrie Goldman – Goldman is an accomplished blogger, but she is also a mother who’s daughter was bullied in first grade. This experience was what drove her to write the book. Broken into 3 parts- Her own story, a breakdown of “Kids at High Risk for Peer Victimization” and “Where Do We Go From Here? Prevention, Intervention and Reconciliation.” An excellent book for an overwhelmed parent or educator who is just beginning to delve into the issue.
The New Bully-Free Classroom: Proven Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Teachers K-8 by Allan L. Beane, PH.D. – This is an updated version, which includes more emphasis on bystanders to bullying and cyberbullying. Examples and scenarios are also updated. Included with the digital content are a PowerPoint presentation and all forms, surveys, handouts, and letters to parents located throughout the book.
Break the Bully Cycle: Intervention Techniques & Activities to Create a Responsible School Community by SiriNam S. Khalsa, NBCT – This is a comprehensive tool kit written for counselors and teachers to face the problem of bullying head-on. Included in the book are sample conversations between bullies and victims, student worksheets and games, surveys, tips for parents and more.
Bully Busters: A Teacher’s Manual for Helping Bullies, Victims and Bystanders by Arthur M. Horne, Christi L. Bartolomucci, Dawn Newman-Carlson – , This book contains 7 modules for using in the classroom to increase awareness around bullying and encourage prevention. Each module contains suggested activities to do with students.
A Teacher’s Guide to Stick Up for Yourself!: A 10-Part Course in Self-Esteem and Assertiveness for Kids by Gershen Kaufman Ph.D., Lev Raphael Ph.D, Pamela Espeland – The Companion to Stick Up For Yourself!, this teacher’s guide includes curriculum for 10 sessions, as well as, handouts for your students.
The Anti-Bullying and Teasing Book for Preschool Classrooms by Barbara Sprung and Merle Froschl – An approach to anti-bullying geared towards teachers of our youngest children. The book is filled with tips and techniques for teachers to use to help guide young children as they began to navigate the social world. Included are suggestions for how to teach children to act when they are bystanders to bullying.
Bullies, Targets & Witnesses: Helping Children Break the Pain Chain by SuEllen Fried and Paula Fried, Ph.D. – This book offers anti-bullying strategies for students, parents, teachers and schools. Extra focus is paid to the role of witnesses of bullying.
Do you have a book that you found helpful on the subject of bullying? Share it with us in the comments.
This post may contain affiliate links.
Bullying is a big problem in the world. If it is not dealt with at an early age it can be a big problem with kids. It’s better for parents to have information on how parents can have information on what are the warning signs of bullying and how to also deal it with it.