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Topic: Anti-Bullying

Best children’s books with a theme of anti-bullying

On this booklist we have picked a selection of recommended books for primary schools to explore the topic of bullying, including picturebooks, longer texts and non-fiction.

Our list of best children’s books about bullying can be used for Anti-Bullying Week or for PSHE work all year round. Many thanks to primary school librarian Kate Spurrier for working together with us to create this booklist.

Whether you are looking for short picturebooks to discuss anti-buylling like Troll Stinks! or Buster the Bully or longer chapter books about bullying like All the Things that Could Go Wrong or How to Be More Hedgehog, this list of anti-bullying books is here to help.

Chapter book

The unforgettable and life-affirming story of August Pullman – a boy who’s desperate to blend in, but is destined to stand out.

‘My name is August. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.’

Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things – eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary – inside. But ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren’t stared at wherever they go.

Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he’s being sent to a real school. All he wants is to be accepted. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all?

Astonishingly powerful, WONDER is a read you’ll never forget.

Chapter book

“Mum said to just ignore them and they’ll get tired of teasing. They haven’t got tired yet.”

Mandy is lonely. She’s been bullied at school for as long as she can remember.

But then she meets Tanya. Fun, daring and glamorous Tanya wants Mandy as HER friend! She can’t believe her luck.

There’s only one issue though. Mandy’s mum isn’t happy. She thinks that Tanya is a BAD GIRL, and a bad influence on her daughter. But even if Tanya gets her into a TEENY bit of trouble, she can always get Mandy out of it – right?

From bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, Bad Girls is a heartwarming story about confidence, friendship and becoming your own person. The perfect read to start difficult conversations with younger readers about bullying and how we treat others.

Chapter book

The third hilarious children’s novel from Demolition Dad and Superhero Street author Phil Earle, illustrated by Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlisted artist, Sara Ogilvie. Perfect for fans of Roald Dahl, Liz Pichon and David Walliams. Masher is the bully of Storey Street. No one ever dares stand up to him and that’s the way he likes it. But then Jemima and her family move into the plot of land next door. Jemima isn’t afraid of him at all, and she’s making him look like a bit of a wimp. To Masher, that just means one thing: war. (At least until teatime…)

Non-fiction

Sometimes you can sort out a problem on your own. But sometimes you need to ask for help. This book helps young children to make this decision and find out about and understand bullying. It features seven case studies from children who have a range of bullying problems from a girl who is being left out by her friends to a boy bullied for the way he speaks. It features both verbal and physical bullying. The end of the book features a short playscript to act out and discuss. The book has engaging illustrations throughout.

Non-fiction

This practical guide on how to handle bullying, by the author of Bullies, Bigmouths and So-Called Friends, shows children how to protect themselves emotionally and psychologically in bullying situations. As well as quizzes, real life stories and cartoons, there are 70 short practical tasks designed to help readers build up their self-confidence and resilience. The tasks, being varied and achievable for a wide ability range, are also suitable for teachers to use in the classroom, therapists working with young clients or parents looking for fresh ideas about how to support their child. This book is a revised and updated version of The Seven-Day Bully-Buster.

Picturebook

Everyone knows that tyrannosauruses are big and scary, so when a placid duckbill dinosaur’s egg ends up in the wrong nest, confusion is sure to ensue! When the baby dinosaur hatches out, he’s so out of place that his grisly big sisters call him Tyrannosaurus Drip. Poor little Drip: all he wants is a quiet life munching on water weed . . .

Tyrannosaurus Drip is a fantastic rhyming adventure story from Julia Donaldson, bestselling author of The Gruffalo, with wonderfully funny illustrations from award-winning illustrator David Roberts. This roar-tastic book all about celebrating difference is sure to become a firm favourite with young dinosaur fans.

Picturebook

A little boy is wondering why he is bullied by his classmate Peregrine Ffrogg. He asks himself various questions: ‘Is it because he misses his mum? Is it because he still sucks his thumb? Is it because he smells like a pike? Is it because he can’t ride a bike?’ And the questions he asks leads him to a greater understanding of himself and the bully. He comes to the conclusion that Peregrine Ffrogg is unhappy, and jealous of him.

Picturebook

One day, Elmer notices that there are no birds around. How strange! Soon he finds them hiding from the nasty bully bird in a nearby cave. The bully bird is mean and likes to frighten the little birds. Led by Elmer, the animals work together to frighten off the bully – and succeed!

Picturebook

You don’t have to ROAR to be heard…

Meet Leonard – a lion like no other.

Leonard’s best friend is Marianne, a duck. But lions chomp ducks, don’t they?

What will the pair do when their way of life is threatened?

From the New York Times-bestselling author of Max the Brave comes a powerful story celebrating daydreamers, individuality and the quiet courage to be yourself.

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