Bullying and Individuals with Special Needs

Anti-Bullying Books


OCALI has gathered a list of books to supplement understanding of bullying prevention at all grade levels.

NOTE:Please read the book first to make sure the content and reading level are age-appropriate for your particular reader(s).


Grades PK-3

  • Bailey the Big Bully, by Lizi Boyd (K-3)
  • Bootsie Barker Bites, by Barbara Bottner (PK-3)
  • Bully, by Janine Amos (K-4)
  • Bully, by Patricia Polacco (2-5)
  • Bully Trouble, by Joanna Cole (PK-3)
  • Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes (PK-3)
  • Each Kindness, by Jacqueline Woodson (K-3)
  • Enemy Pie, by Derek Munson (PK-7)
  • How to Be Cool in the Third Grade, by Betsy Duffy (8-12)
  • The Invisible Boy, by Patrice Barton (1-4)
  • The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others, by Bob Sornson & Maria Dismondy (PK-5)
  • Llama Llama and the Bully Goat, by Anna Dewdney (PK-2)
  • One, by Kathryn Otoshi (4+)
  • The Recess Queen, by Alexis O’Neill & Laura Huliska-Beith (PK-3)
  • Why Is Everybody Always Picking on Me: A Guide to Handling Bullies, by Terrence Webster-Doyle (K-5)

Grades 4-8

  • Best Enemies Again, by Kathleen Leverich (2-5)
  • Blubber, by Judy Blume (2-6)
  • Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain, by Trevor Romain (3-8)
  • The Bully Book, by Eric Kahn Gale (3-7)
  • Bully on the Bus, by Carl W. Bosch (2-6)
  • Cliques, Phonies, and Other Baloney, by Trevor Romain (3-8)
  • Each Kindness, by Jacqueline Woodson (7+)
  • The 18th Emergency, by Betsy Byard (4-7)
  • Freak the Mighty, by W. Rodman Philbrick (4-7)
  • The Kid's Guide to Working out Conflicts, by Naomi Drew (5-10)
  • Make Someone Smile and 40 More Ways to Be a Peaceful Person, by July Lalli (5-10)
  • Me and Marvin Gardens, by Amy Sarig King (2-6)
  • The Only Game, by Mike Lupica (8-12)
  • Out of My Mind, by Sharon M. Draper (10+)
  • Potty Mouth and Stupid, by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein, (2-6)
  • Stick up for Yourself! Every Kid's Guide to Person Power and Positive Self-Esteem, by Gershen Kaufman (Grades 3-7)
  • What a Wimp!, by Carol Carrick (3-5)
  • What Do You Stand For? For Teens, by Barbara A. Lewis (3-7)
  • What Do You Think? A Kid’s Guide to Dealing with Daily Dilemmas, by Linda Schwartz (3-7)
  • Why Is Everybody Always Picking on Me: A Guide to Handling Bullies, by Terrence Webster-Doyle (K-5)
  • Wonder, by R.J. Palacio (4-6)

Grades 9-12

  • Anita and Me, by Meera Syal
  • The Art of Being Normal, by Lisa Williamson
  • The Bully Buster Book, by John William Yee (7-9)
  • Cat’s Eye, by Margaret Atwood
  • Cloud Busting, by Malorie Blackman
  • Dear Bully, by Dawn Metcalf (8 and up)
  • The 18th Emergency, by Betsy Byars
  • Face, by Benjamin Zephaniah
  • Fighting Invisible Tigers, by Earl Hipp (6-12)
  • First Test: Protector of the Small, by Tamora Pierce
  • The Harder They Fall, by Bali Rai
  • How to Handle Bullies, Teasers, and Other Meanies, by Kate Cohen-Posey (6-10)
  • The Kid's Guide to Working out Conflicts, by Naomi Drew (5-10)
  • Make Someone Smile and 40 More Ways to Be a Peaceful Person, by July Lalli (5-10)
  • The Name Jar, by Yangsook Choi
  • Only Ever Yours, by Louise O’Neill
  • Tease, by Amanda Maciel (9 and up)
  • Teen Esteem, by Pat Palmer (7-12)
  • The Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher (7 and up)

Websites for Books

If you have found other books that are helpful, please send suggestions by email to wendy_szakacs@ocali.org.