The Skinny On Bullying

Author: Mike Cassidy
Publisher: Rand Media
Genre: Self-help / Children
ISBN: 978-0-9824390-1-2
Pages: 128
Price: $12.95

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Billy and Beth are best friends. They’ve just turned ten years old and have graduated from elementary school.  But attending Stickville Middle School is so much different. Now they also have to deal with bullies. And since Gretchen arrived at their school, their lives are becoming more and more difficult, as she bullies them and their classmates.

Bullying comes in many forms, as this stick-figure illustrated book reminds us. While we may only think of bullying as physical intimidation, it’s possible to find it as verbal, indirect and cyberbullying. But there are ways to minimize being bullied and stand up to someone if they’re bullying others. Sometimes even the person who feels bullied can be guilty of bullying, as Billy and Beth find out while dealing with Gretchen. They are also surprised to find out that even bullies sometimes have problems of their own, and a little understanding can go a long way toward everyone getting along better.

Bullying has always been a problem for kids. The Skinny On Bullying addresses this issue in a way they can easily understand. These simple stick figures have expressive mannerisms and sometimes go a bit over-the-top in making a point. And the text provides clear lists of bullying behavior as well as how to handle it, so kids can refer back to them easily.

Reading The Skinny On Bullying will take only a short while, and will feel more like spending time with a comic book. But the powerful anti-bullying message will stick with kids for a long time.

Reviewer: Alice Berger