Bullying Books for your Class

So here I have compiled a list of great classroom resources to teach about bullying.  These books have been recommended by many other teachers as good tools to use to introduce concepts about bullying.

Don't Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin

Illustrated by Glin Dibley

This book is great to get children thinking about how their actions affect others.  It really gets all students to put themselves in other people's shoes and to realize that laughing at others can be hurtful.  Great conversation starter!

The Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornson and Maria Dismondy

Illustrated by Kim Shaw

This is a great book to explain the idea of a "bystander."  It gets the concept across and shows how a bystander can make a difference to those who are being bullied.  It is meant to empower students to take a stand when they see bullying behavior in their peers.

My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig

Illustrated by Abigail Marble

This book is an excellent bullying book for older elementary students.  It is a bit longer, but definitely easy for students to relate to and it shows that even "friends" can be bullies.

Confessions of a Former Bully by Trudy Ludwig

Illustrated by Beth Adams

 
This book is also a great bullying book for older children and is actually a sequel to the previous Trudy Ludwig story!  It shows a bullies inner thoughts and her journey to turning her life around so she is no longer a bully.

Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig

Illustrated by Adam Gustavson

This is yet another Trudy Ludwig bullying gem.  Ludwig is really able to portray bullying behaviors in tweens (ages 8-12) and how to stop them or how to cope with them.  It shows the dilemma of whether to "tattle" or not.  This is a great teaching tool for older elementary students.

Bully B.E.A.N.S. by Julia Cook

Illustrated by Anita DuFalla

This is a good book to support bystanders and can be used in young elementary to older elementary classrooms.  The only criticism of this book is that it is a bit long and may require a larger chunk of time to teach!

Simon's Hook: A Story About Teases and Put-Downs by Karen Gedig Burnett

Illustrated by Laurie Barrows

This story is truly unique in its approach to resisting bullying behavior.  It uses a life analogy to "getting caught up" in a hook to getting caught up in bullying and mean behavior.  It is great for students who want to learn how to resist bullies and teasing and teaches them how to stand up for themselves and to be strong in thes situations.

Sorry by Trudy Ludwig 

Illustrated by Maurie J. Manning

This is another story by Trudy Ludwig that demonstrates an important misconception: that sorry makes it all better.  This book shows how simply saying sorry doesn't cut it as an apology.  True remorse and a change in behavior should be the true test for bullies to change their ways.

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell

Illustrated by David Catrow

This is such a wonderful and inspiring books for children to recognize the importance of standing tall no matter what.  It stresses individuality and empowers chlidren to be who they are, even in the face of bullying and teasing.

Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy

Illustrated by Kimberly Shaw-Peterson

This book is great for children who are struggling with what "the cool kids" are doing.  The subtitle is "having the courage to be who you are" which is exactly what it tries to teach.  The idea of recognizing the beauty in our differences makes this book a homerun!

Jungle Bullies by Steven Kroll

Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen

This book is excellent for young elementary students Pre-K-1.  It shows bullying through animals and the illustrations are great.  This book shows young students how to react in bullying situations.

The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill

Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith

This book is not only great because it has fun language and illustrations, but because it gives bullies a sort of human element.  Very cute story!

Please feel free to add some other books that I may have left out about bullying!