Bullying is something school counselors address in whole class lessons, small groups, individual counseling, and in quick emergency sessions. It is helpful to have books and resources for bullying prevention lessons and conversations you can pull off the shelf whenever you need them. What's on your list? Check out these Confident Counselors' suggestions and share yours in the comments.
Juice Box Bully
Hands down, the book I love most for developing positive classroom community, preventing bullying behaviors, and teaching students how to be upstanders is Juice Box Bully by Maria Dismondy and Bob Sornson.
It’s got a great message of empowered students choosing to make their class a positive, safe place without being preachy. The book tells the story of a new mean student and how his classmates help him to understand “the promise” that their class made for how to treat one another. I use this companion resource with classes and sometimes groups to practice how to be an upstander in different situations and to create a class pledge.
Tease Monster
My favorite book to use during bullying prevention lessons is the Tease Monster by Julia Cook. I love this book because it allows me to teach students the difference between teasing and bullying in a clear understandable way. Often, students misinterpret friendly teases and report the incident as bullying without the understanding that at times teasing isn’t meant to hurt feelings. I think it is important to teach our little ones that teasing can be meant in good fun, but that there is a line that can be crossed where friendly teasing starts to enter bullying territory. I use this resource along with the book to help students think critically about friendly vs. mean teases.
The Bully, The Bullied, and Beyond
The Bully, The Bullied, and Beyond is an older book, but has been my go-to for working with students who are targets of bullying or who need to learn strategies to respond to negative behavior from others. What I love about this book is that it gives practical suggestions for all students involved in the bullying circle. It can be used with individuals, groups, or in a classroom setting for bullying prevention lessons.
What are your go to books and resources for bullying prevention lessons? Share in the comments below.
Check out these other posts for more information and resources on bullying prevention.
A school counselor, former special education teacher, and adult educator, I advocate for students through a comprehensive program based on the ASCA National Model and the TN counseling model. My goal is to help all students reach their full potential without limitations.
Sara, an elementary school counselor and proud SEL enthusiast, now creates research-based resources and trainings to support fellow counselors. At The Responsive Counselor, she’s passionate about helping you be more effective and confident in your work with students.
Ashley, Mrs. Bell The Crafty Counselor, is an elementary school counselor who creates interactive, SEL-focused resources. With over a decade of experience, she’s passionate about making engaging activities that support both students and counselors alike.
