Sunday, November 20, 2011

Book Review-Dear Bully

I just finished reading Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones.

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.

This book is too hard for me to review, really.  Every author's story is true and since the stories are so short (only 2-5 pages really), I can't really review anything.

I can say that this is such a very important book.  I think this should be MANDATORY reading for kids.  Probably around sixth grade or so.  Kids need to know that bullying is not okay and that they're not alone.  And the book would show them that things do get better. 

Reading all of the stories, I thought back to my childhood.  I can only think of one time I was bullied.  After a sleepover in fifth, several of the girls started calling me "Cat" and meowing at me.  I remember crying in school and my teacher being so nice to me.  It only lasted a few months and I am still friends on facebook with the girls.  To this day I have no idea what it meant and have no want to really find out.  So I'm one of the lucky ones, I think.  But there shouldn't be "lucky ones".  Everyone should be free from bullying!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:

2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 107
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 86

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free from Reviewer Rewards in exchange for an honest review.

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