Books about Bullies for Kids Ages 5-8
Books about Bullies can be a great tool for classrooms and children at home to learn appropriate behaviour among peers. Bullying is an issue that unfortunately doesn’t seem to go away. And bullies occur everywhere at every age and stage. In every school too. So equipping your child with tools to battle bullying is important. These Books About Bullies can help.
Bullying is a hot topic in today’s world. It seems to be an unfortunate reality that when we put a group of kids together, some are going to pick on others. As parents, we need to teach our children how to respond to bullies—and to help ensure that they aren’t the bullies. Books About Bullies can be a great way to start this discussion, and this discussion can start as soon as they start school. Here are some books for kids ages 5-8 that discuss bullying and how to deal with it.
Nonfiction Books about Bullies and Bullying
Say Something by Peggy Moss is a book about a girl who notices other children who are being left out or teased. She does nothing about this, until one day she is the one being left out and teased. She realizes that saying not isn’t the right answer. This book features soft, water colour images and strong emotions that children can identify with. At the end of the book are two pages to foster more discussion about the topic and to give children ideas for making a difference. The book also lists some resources about bullying.
How Do I Feel About Bullies and Gangs by Julie Johnson talks about what is bullying, who is bullied, who bullies and why, and what can be done. Four children—Samuel, Amy, Jonathan and Neetu—take kids through the book, offering situations and tips. This book is a bit word-heavy so parents should use discretion in reading it with their children. It’s a great way to build a library of Books About Bullies.
Bullying by Jillian Powell is another book that looks at what is bullying and who does it. This book uses short sentences and lots of pictures to convey ideas and definitions. It talks about the fact that bullies often bully because they have been hurt or bullied, how kids who are bullied feel, and what kids who are bullied can do. At the end of the book, there is a note to parents and a suggestion for more books to read. Add this to your list of must haves for any Books About Bullies collection.
Fiction Books about Bullying
You’re Mean, Lily Jean is a cute story about two sisters who enjoy playing together—until a new girl moves in next door. Lily Jean bosses the sisters around, telling them what to play until finally, they’ve had enough.
Lucy And The Bully is about a little girl who is good at drawing and making things—until a new kid comes along who rips her books and breaks her things. Lucy learns how to face the bully.
Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Bullies by Howard Binkow is about a boy who tries several techniques for dealing with a bully before finally telling his teacher—who helps him feel okay and safe. This book includes tips and lessons.
Casey Caterpillar Feels Left Out by Ruby’s Studio is a cute book about a little caterpillar who can’t go flying with her bumblebee and ladybug friends. While this book isn’t specifically about bullying, it does talk about how we can unintentionally make our friends feel bad, and makes kids think about empathy and including others in their games. Empathy is a great tool to help kids cope. Consider adding this one to any group of Books About Bullies.
Leave Me Alone: A Tale of What Happens When You Stand Up to a Bully is a story about a little boy who is feeling sad because he feels he has to face a bully alone. One day, his friends help him face the bully. With large illustrations and rhyming verse, this is a beautiful book about bullies and friendship. Lovely addition to your list of Books About Bullies.
More Tools:
Kids can also check out the We Do Listen Foundation website. The site – https://wedolisten.org/, is about “enabling children to feel good about themselves” and offers games, songs, animated books, and more anti-bullying resources.
Bonnie Way is a mom with three daughters (ages 6, 4 and1). She is trying to coach her oldest through the ups and downs of Kindergarten friendships and ensure that all three play nicely together. When she’s not mediating sibling squabbles, she can be found blogging about motherhood at www.thekoalamom.com.