It’s very important to teach our children about the negative effects of bullying and to do so as early as possible. We compiled this list of anti-bullying books that address self-esteem, teasing, friendship, peer pressure and more.
Animal Beauty
Ages 5 to 9
A hilarious story with an important message
When an elephant in the city zoo picks up a beauty magazine, she makes a horrifying discovery: her wrinkles make her look ancient! After covering herself with anti-aging cream, she passes the magazine on to the other animals in the zoo. Soon the panda is trying to get rid of the dark circles under his eyes, the lion is getting the latest celebrity hairstyle, and the boa constrictor is dressing in leopard print (snakeskin was so last season). But how will people react to the animals’ new looks?
This zany, satirical picture book addresses body image issues and reminds readers to appreciate themselves for who they are.
Purchase Animal Beauty at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Eerdmans, or your local bookstore.
The Blue Jackal
Ages 4 to 8
Juno the jackal is the runt of the pack, and the other animals bully him because of his size. One night, Juno is chased by some dogs from the village, and he hides in a vat of indigo dye to escape. When he returns to the forest, his fur is bright blue, and the animals hail this strange new creature as their king. But can Juno keep his true identity hidden?
Featuring illustrations inspired by traditional Warli artwork and an informative historical note, this Indian folktale will spark a wonderful discussion about the relationship between perception and reality.
Bully.com
Ages 10—14
Lexile: 630L
Seventh grader Jun Li is a brilliant student, more comfortable around computers than people. But his world turns upside down when the principal accuses him of a cyberbullying incident. To prove his innocence, Jun has seven days to track down the true culprit.
Jun’s investigation will bring him face-to-face with computer hackers, a jealous boyfriend, and more than one student who has been a victim of bullying. But he discovers along the way that everyone’s story is more complicated than it seems — and that the people he meets might have more in common than they think.
Purchase Bullying.com at Amazon, Eerdmans, or your local bookstore.
Red
Ages 4 to 8
A moving and realistic story about bullying
In this poignant story, a girl finds it funny when her classmate starts blushing on the school playground. Her friends laugh along with her, but one student takes the teasing too far. Torn between her sympathy for her classmate and her fear of the bully, the girl must make a difficult choice.
This heartfelt book will inspire readers to find the courage to take a stance against bullying and show compassion towards others.
Purchase Red at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Eerdmans, or your local bookstore.
Thomas the Toadilly Terrible Bully
Ages 4-8
An entertaining book about a timely topic
Thomas hates being ignored. But when his attempts to impress everyone don’t make him any friends, he decides to be a bully instead. There’s just one problem: he makes a terrible bully. A toadilly terrible one, in fact.
It turns out, though, that there’s an even bigger bully around, and Thomas discovers what it feels like to be the one bullied. But a bit of teamwork helps him outwit the bully and make a new friend. And being a friend, Thomas finds, is far more fun than being a bully.
Purchase Tomas the Toadilly Terrible Bully at Amazon, Christianbook.com, Eerdmans, or your local bookstore.
The Watcher
Ages 6 to 10
A poetic story inspired by Psalm 121
Jordan lives in fear of Tanya, the class bully. But Tanya has worries of her own, no matter how much she tries to ignore them. It seems impossible that Jordan and Tanya could be anything other than enemies, but the Lord is watching over them, guiding each of them along a path that might just help them to understand one another.
Nikki Grimes takes the words of a Psalm 121 and masterfully transforms them into a golden shovel poem of compassion, friendship, and faith. Coupled with powerful artwork from Bryan Collier, this heartfelt story is one that readers will treasure.
