This week is Anti-Bullying Week. Bullying can happen to anyone, at any age and anywhere.
We have compiled a range of fiction books that explore themes and topics such as bullying, anxiety, friendship and acceptance to aid discussion and help celebrate kindness throughout the week. There are also some non-fiction books, links to resources and helpline numbers if you need someone to talk to.
Picture Books
Willy the Wimp by Anthony Browne
Willy wouldn’t hurt a fly — he even apologises when someone hits him. The suburban gorillas call him Willy the Wimp. Then, one day, Willy answers a bodybuilding advertisement — with hilarious results!
Little Rabbit Foo Foo by Michael Rosen
He’s wild, he’s wicked, he’s Little Rabbit Foo Foo! The bully-boy bunny likes nothing better than to ride through the forest bopping everyone on the head. Wriggly worms, tigers, no one is safe. But here comes the Good Fairy — and she’s not amused.
Gizmo, Sprinkles and Wild are fed up. Every time they build something with their blocks, Rex wrecks it! Whether it’s an out-of-this-world rocket, a magical heart or the biggest, strongest, most awesomerific castle ever, Rex sends it crashing down with a ‘rawr!’ (and sometimes a sheepish ‘rawry!’). Isn’t there any way to make playtime fun for everyone?
Tyrannosaurus Drip by Julia Donaldson
Everyone knows that tyrannosauruses are big and scary, so when a placid duckbill dinosaur’s egg ends up in the wrong nest confusion is sure to ensue. When the baby dinosaur hatches out, he’s so out of place that his grisly big sisters call him Tyrannosaurus Drip.
Junior novels
Bad Girls by Jacqueline Wilson
Mandy White is being bullied at school. Life is miserable until she meets Tanya. Four years older and ten times cooler, orange-haired Tanya is an unlikely friend.
Monster Eyeballs by Jacqueline Wilson
When Kate is bullied by a boy named Mark, it gets so bad she doesn’t want to go to school. She can’t believe it when Mark is invited to her brother’s party. As Mark keeps picking on her, Kate sees her chance to get her own back.
How to fly with broken wings by Jane Elson
Set in World War Two and dealing with bullying and Asperger’s, it’s by Jane Elson, who wrote the brilliant A room full of chocolate. A heart-warming tale about a boy who just wants to make friends, and the girl who shows him how.
A heart-warming/heart-breaking story about Joe, an autistic boy left alone in his tower block flat whilst his mum holidays in Spain. It incorporates major life themes such as bullying, friendship and racism into a truly remarkable book. A marvellous, inspiring and funny read. Great for avid readers of 9 and above.
Nick is stuffed in his locker. Again. It’s not so bad. Lockers are roomier than you’d think — especially when you’re the shortest kid on the planet, which is exactly why Bully-Boy Roy stuffed him in there in the first place. The school counsellor says Roy has issues. The only issue Nick can see is that Roy is a mutant troll. Nick’s friends Molly and Karl think the troll needs to be defeated. Together, they are the Odd Squad!
The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams
David Walliams’s beautiful first novel will touch the hearts (and funny bones) of children and adults alike. As one Amazon reviewer puts it, “this story helps to remind us all that we are not all the same, and we must show tolerance for others.”
YA
We are all made of molecules by Susin Nielsen-Fernlund
Ashley and Stewart have nothing in common except their newly blended family. Times are tough for both of them until genius Stewart rescues fashion icon Ashley from her heel of a boyfriend, and in so doing, cements a bond between them. The book deals with issues such as bullying, sexuality and bereavement in a sensitive manner. It’s a heart-warming read and deserves to do well.
The funny, sweet and incredibly moving story of Auggie Pullman. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, this shy, bright ten-year-old has been home-schooled by his parents for his whole life, in an attempt to protect him from the stares and cruelty of the outside world. Now, for the first time, Auggie is being sent to a real school — and he’s dreading it. The thing is, Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all? Wonder is a book you’ll read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.
Hollow Pike by Juno Dawson (formerly James Dawson)
Lis London is hoping for a fresh start when she arrives in the sleepy village of Hollow Pike — but nothing here is as it seems. Lis has a recurring nightmare where someone is trying to kill her. Exploring themes of bullying, and obsession this thriller is a real page-turner.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
In this, his first novel, William Golding gave the traditional adventure story an ironic, devastating twist. A plane crashes on an uninhabited island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. Before long the well-behaved party of schoolboys has turned into a tribe of faceless, murderous savages.
Non-fiction
Bullies, Cyberbullies and Frenemies by Michele Elliott
Are there practical things you can do to stop being bullied — at home, at school and online? What are frenemies and how can you deal with them? How can you learn to make friends and respect yourself? This guide will tell you what bullying is, where it happens, and what you can do about it.
Teen Issues: Bullying by Lori Hile
Imagine walking around with a knot in your stomach, each day, every day. That’s how many victims of bullying feel. Others suffer more — and take their own lives. This book shows how to understand and deal with the bullying that occurs every day in streets, schools, and the digital world, exploding some myths along the way.
Hot Topics: Cyber Bullying by Nick Hunter
Accessible yet sophisticated book that explains the growing problem of cyber bullying and offers good advice on how to deal with it.
Links
- ChildLine is the UK’s free, confidential helpline for children and young people. They offer advice and support, by phone and online, 24 hours a day. Call 0800 1111. They have a designated page for bullying issues.
- Bullying UK offers advice and support for young people whenever they need it.
- Anti-Bullying Alliance are a group of organisations and individuals working together to stop bullying.