( 10 reviews )
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Posted: Jan 14 2009
I hear what R. D. is saying. As R. D. reminds us, there are indeed bullies who really can hurt us. But most of the bullies we meet intimidate us through words rather than fist. Stop and think for a moment of all the bullies you have met. Hasn't that been true in your sample? As I look back, I feel somewhat foolish when I think of all the people who have won my emotional dependence by pretending to be wiser and more intelligent than they really were. If only I realized that they were putting on a false front, I could have been spared most of that misery. I am thinking especially of my academic counsellor in college. Her self-confident image folled me into thinking that she was little short of a prophet, and that her condemnation of me was little short of a condemnation from God. Out of curiosity, I recently looked her name up on the Internet. I found that she died of cancer a few years ago, but had written two books. I ordered those two books from Amazon, read them, and found them to be incredibly stupid. I only wish that she were alive to read the reviews which I submitted.
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Posted: Jan 14 2009
I hear what R. D. is saying. As R. D. reminds us, there are indeed bullies who really can hurt us. But most of the bullies we meet intimidate us through words rather than fist. Stop and think for a moment of all the bullies you have met. Hasn't that been true in your sample? As I look back, I feel somewhat foolish when I think of all the people who have won my emotional dependence by pretending to be wiser and more intelligent than they really were. If only I realized that they were putting on a false front, I could have been spared most of that misery. I am thinking especially of my academic counsellor in college. Her self-confident image fooled me into thinking that she was little short of a prophet, and that her condemnation of me was little short of a condemnation from God. Out of curiosity, I recently looked her name up on the Internet. I found that she died of cancer a few years ago, but had written two books. I ordered those two books from Amazon, read them, and found them to be incredibly stupid. I only wish that she were alive to read the reviews which I submitted. Although the main character in this book asserted his rights, he was more forgiving than I am.
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Posted: Dec 15 2008
In the course of this story, the author and illustrator graphically depict a series of terrible acts of violence that the bully is threatening to carry out against his victim. Given the high numbers of child victims of violence in schools today, this book serves as more of a trauma trigger about past acts of violence than as an aide to learning. If we were teaching teens in a dating violence prevention program, would we demonstrate the steps involved in acts of assault? Obviously not. This is not an appropriate strategy to use in teaching young children about bullying either. I strongly question the developmental appropriateness of this book for any children of elementary school age or younger, and it is especially inappropriate for child victims of violence. Given the statistics on child witnesses to violence, let alone victims of abuse/neglect, in the U.S., this book is completely inappropriate to be used in school settings. Instead of this book, I would highly recommend the following anti-bullying books: My Secret Bully, Just Kidding, Sorry!, Simon's Hook; A Story About Teases and Put-downs, Our Friendship Rules, Say Something.
