The Bullying Prevention Booklist

Posted on 11/08/2011 @ 04:14 PM

Kathy Barber Hersh is a writer and bullying-prevention specialist who gives workshops and reviews books on the topic. For many years, she worked for Miami-Dade Public Schools as a community involvement specialist in inter-generational service learning programs. In 2005 she headed a Community Task Force for Bullying Prevention that led to mandatory-bullying prevention programs in Miami-Dade schools. She helped lobby the Florida Legislature toward successful passage of a 2008 law mandating statewide bullying prevention programs. She and her husband Carl Hersh, a video producer and videographer, live in Pinecrest and have two sons. To learn more about her work, please visit www.probullyingprevention.com

BY KATHY HERSH

Bullying Prevention Booklist

Reading and talking about feelings and respect for others is something everyone can do to help prevent bullying!

You can immunize children against anti-social behavior by reading and talking about books with pro-social themes. If these are not available in your local library, ask the librarian if they are available through the inter-library loaning system or if the library would consider purchasing the book.

For early readers:

•Hey Little Ant, by Phillip and Hannah Hoose; a boy who likes to stomp insects learns to see the world from an ant’s point of view.
•Don’t Laugh At Me, by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin; The lyrics to a song (CD available) about kids who are teased or left out because of being “different.”
•The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln, by Mike Reiss, a humorous look at learning to accept differences and turning them into assets. (Picture book and young readers)
•Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin. Barnyard conditions improve when the animals learn to work together. Charming and fun to read aloud.
•I, Miss Franklin P. Shuckles, by Ulana Snihura; to stay popular at school a girl shuns a friend but learns the importance of true friendship and kindness.
•My Uncle Martin’s Words for America, by Angela Farris Watkins, PhD. History of the civil rights struggle told in beautiful imagery and simple sentences. Written by niece of Dr. Martin Luther King.

For pre-teens and early teens:

•The Misfits, by James Howe; on the reading lists of most middle schools.
•Define “Normal, by Julie Anne Peters
•Geography Club, by Brent Hartinger
•Hoot, by Carl Hiassen; a newcomer learns to overcome being bullied and finds a purpose after befriending an outsider. 6-12 grade.

For young adults:

•On the Fringe, edited by Donald R. Gallo; short stories about non-conformity, hate, and self-acceptance. Useful for group discussions.
•Shadow of the Dragon, by Sherry Garland; hate crimes affect a Vietnamese immigrant family.

Self-help for kids:

•The Kid’s Guidebook: Great Advice to Help Kids Cope, by Tova Navarra
•Boundaries: A Guide for Teens, by Val J. Peer and Tom Dowd
•Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain, by Trevor Romain

Self-help for parents:

•Hey, Back Off! Tips for Stopping Teen Harassment, by Jennie Withers and Phyllis Hendrickson, M.Ed.
•The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School – How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence, by Barbara Coloroso
•Bullies and Victims: Helping Your Child Through the Schoolyard Battlefield, by Suellen Fried and Paula Fried
•Girl Wars: 12 Strategies That Will End Female Bullying, by Cheryl Dellasega and Charisse Nixon.

For educators:

•No Room for Bullies: From the Classroom to Cyberspace, Teaching Respect, Stopping Abuse, and Rewarding Kindness, editors, Jose Bolton, Sr. and Stan Graeve.
•Creating Peace, Building Community, by Judith Bachay, PhD., techniques and lesson plans for dividing the class into small villages which helps children see their own worth in relation to others by creating a sharing, cooperative and collaborative learning environment.