These wonderful picture books provide stories to help you explore bullying behaviour with your child, and give them the tools to deal with bullies.
Books for kids
Little Monkey
by Marta Altés (author & illus.)
It’s hard being a little monkey in a big troop, and in an even bigger jungle, and this little monkey has had enough of always missing out! She’s off to climb to the top of the tallest tree in the jungle and she’s going to do it all on her own. Except that there’s someone following close behind. Someone with claws and stripes and rather sharp teeth …
Little Monkey is a beautiful, funny and empowering picture book that shows us that the world is a big, wild and wonderful place where anything is possible.
Published by Pan Macmillan.
Tyrannosaurus Drip 10th Anniversary Edition
by Julia Donaldson (illus. David Roberts)
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, 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 …
Children will love this rhyming and playful tale from the dynamic picture book partnership behind The Troll. The Tyrannosaurus Drip 10th Anniversary Edition comes complete with special bonus material, including a sneak peek at the illustrator’s sketchbook and a letter from the author.
Published by Pan Macmillan.
Old Hat
By Marie Louise Fitzpatrick
Harbet had a hat. His Nana had knitted it for him when he was little. Harbet likes his comfy knitted hat, but the others keep jeering at him – OLD HAT! OLD HAT! No matter what headwear he buys – be it a towering fruit platter hat, an old-boot-on-the-head hat or a brightly lit traffic cone hat, Harbet cannot keep up with the latest fashions. As soon as he gets a brand-new hat it is already an . . . OLD HAT! It seems that Harbet will never fit in. But when one day he decides to go his own way, Harbet discovers just how much more fun it is to stop following others and think for yourself.
A very funny, charming story all about the futility of fads and the joy of finding your own style, full of brilliantly inventive hats for children to spot.
Published by Pan Macmillan.
All Mine
by Zehra Hicks
In this bold, anarchic story, poor Mouse is just about to tuck into a sandwich, when in swoops Seagull and gobbles him up. Mouse’s crisps aren’t safe either . . . what a greedy and ill-mannered bird he is! But Mouse has a fiendish trick up his sleeve, which just might cure Seagull of his thieving ways. A brilliantly funny cautionary tale; the strong visual narrative and energetic dialogue will make it a sure-fire hit at story time. With striking, brightly coloured artwork and hilarious slapstick humour, this delicious comic caper is a delight.
Published by Pan Macmillan.
The Wildest Cowboy
By Garth Jennings (illus. Sarah Ogilvie)
Way out in the West there’s a town they call Fear And only the roughest and toughest live here . . . When cheerful salesman, Bingo B Brown, rolls his wagon full of Wild West goodies into town, he’s met with a stony silence. This is clearly no place for novelty bowties and elastic lassos. Not even Bingo’s dancing dog can raise a smile! But this town is not just joyless, it’s dangerous. And as Bingo soon discovers, the people of the town are not just scary, they’re also scared.
It isn’t long before Bingo and his dog discover why, as they come face to face with the Wildest Cowboy in the West! The Wildest Cowboy is a funny and uplifting adventure story in which fun wins out over fear. Featuring a dramatic train chase, rattlesnake socks and a dancing dog.
Published by Pan Macmillan.
Anna and Otis
By Maisie Paradise Shearring
A hugely endearing, very funny story about kindness, friendship and overcoming fears. Anna and Otis the snake are great friends and they love having fun together. But Otis knows people are scared of snakes, so he usually just plays at home or in the garden. He is nervous when Anna suggests a new adventure. At first, people are afraid, and Otis feels he isn’t welcome in the town. But Anna encourages Otis not to give up, and it soon turns out that maybe snakes aren’t as scary as people thought! The hairdresser enjoys shampooing a reptile for a change, and at the skate shop, Sally has a lot of fun fitting Otis with his own set of awesome wheels. Anna and Otis is full of endless rich details to spot and Maisie’s artwork is a real treat to pore over.
Published by Pan Macmillan.
Mud Boy
Sarah Siggs with notes by Pooky Knightsmith. (illus. Amy Crosby)
The sound of Sam’s life was like the best piece of music you have ever heard. Everyone liked Sam, and Sam liked himself. But then one day the mud words begin and they get inside his head – and Sam can’t hear the music anymore. Mud Boy is an illustrated book for ages five and up, showing how children can go from being
joyfully buoyant to totally deflated when being bullied and teased, and offering advice to get them back to their best. Mud, music and a family cat are used to conjure up the story to children in a very new and real way, showing that recovery happens through talking to others about our problems. The book also includes a guide for further talking points by Dr Pooky Knightsmith on how to discuss the topic, and the emotions that come up on reading the book, with children.
Published by Jonathan Ball Publishers.
Books for parents
Why will no one play with me?
By Caroline Macguire
If you’re worried about your child making friends or being bullied, read this book. Every child feels like a social outcast at times — we all have, it’s a badge of growing up. But for some children, a host of factors lead to longer periods of exclusion. It’s heart-breaking to watch but now, renowned education, social skills and ADHD expert,
Caroline Maguire, offers clear guidance and support so you can help your child turn things around fast – even in just a few weeks. Bringing together a decade of work with families dealing with chronic social dilemmas, you’ll discover how to use Caroline’s highly effective Play Better Plan to help your child thrive again. Through a series of social strategies and skills including how to target behaviours for change, understanding how children learn and how to choose alternative behaviours, you’ll discover how you can be the best coach for your child and quite literally help them change their life. This book is for every parent who has ever worried about their child fitting it – because no one wants to ever hear their child ask why will no one play with me?
Published by Penguin Random House.
They’ll be okay
15 conversations to help your child through troubled times
By Collett Smart
Teens and tweens are struggling with social media, relationships, and so much of what modern life is throwing at them. It’s impossible for parents to be experts on all the new challenges their children are facing. That’s why it’s essential to turn to a real expert. Collett Smart is a psychologist, teacher, lecturer, writer – and a mum of three. She knows that it is crucial for parents to discuss uncomfortable, yet fundamentally important topics with their children – and this book tells parents why and how.
If you’re a parent who feels like you just don’t know how to talk to your children about some of these difficult topics, this book has all the tools you need. There is invaluable advice on how to talk about some of the most confronting subjects, including pornography, misogyny and harassment, objectification and body image. There’s also important information about emotional intelligence, empathy, respect and manners. Whether you want to prepare your child for the years ahead or you have an issue that needs to be addressed right now, this is the must-have
Published by Jonathan Ball Publishers.
Images supplied by publishers.
Also read:
Bullying behaviour in our schoolgoing children
6 great reads for little bookworms
