Review: Dear Bully

Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories compiled by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones.


Summary from Goodreads.

You are not alone.

Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the “funny guy” into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

Today’s top authors for teens come together to share their stories about bullying—as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators—in a collection at turns moving and self-effacing, but always deeply personal.

Review

70 authors. 70 authors. This is a real powerhouse of stories about being bullied, being a bully, overcoming bullies and reaching out to children and teens to say that "you are not alone." Many of these authors were a surprise and each story was powerful in its own right.

Several of the authors were interviewed on NPR and can be found here. Have a listen, it's just as inspiring as the book itself (but get the book, too!!).

I read this book in one sitting and have already shown it to several fellow library students and insisted they read it and show it to other librarians working with teens and children. In my opinion, this book should be on every shelf that is accessible to this age group because this does happen and it will continue to happen unless we as adults try to help.

These authors share their stories so that kids can find strength in them and so that adults can learn to help. It reminded me of my years of being bullied and how I have drawn strength from it (after it's all said and done, of course, I was right miserable when all of this was going down). If these things happen to adults, we call it harassment and it can lead to law suits. As children, it's called bullying and is brushed aside as a phase or as kids being kids. This isn't right and stories like those told in this book and in the NPR interview emphasize this even more.

Check out the website Dear Bully for more stories and various events regarding bullying and harassment.

Everyone should read this book!! 

Bought from The Book House.