Illustrated by Beth Adams
Interest Level: Ages 9-12
From the Book Jacket: Katie never thought of herself as a bully. So what if she excludes somebody from a game or says some harsh things to her friends every once in a while? It's not like she ever hits anyone. What's the big deal?
But when some kids witness her teasing a classmate and report her to the principal. Katie faces tough consequences for her actions. Katie's journal of her transformation from bully to former bully provides a practical tool kids can use right away to help identify and overcome emotional bullying.
Why It's On My Bookshelf: I can't begin to tell you how many times I've used different bullying curriculums over the years and been disappointed. They were unrelateable, boring, and not very inspiring to kids. As an elementary school counselor, this is unacceptable. Especially, because there are kids at my school who are finding themselves victims of bullying or they are the bullies themselves and need help. I only want the best of the best on my bookshelf when it comes to tackling serious issues like bullying. Author Trudy Ludwig writes the best of the best and every single one of her books are on my shelf.
Confessions of a Former Bully is Trudy's latest book and it is SO relateable, engaging, and will inspire kids. And guess what....it's a follow up to My Secret Bully!! There's a lot of reasons I love this new book but the main one has to do with my students. They are Trudy Ludwig super fans like myself. Every school year we've read her stories over and over. I've witnessed the positive impact and difference they've made in childrens' lives. So when I read it for the first time I was thrilled for the kids in my school because they will BENEFIT immensely.
It is written for the upper elementary grades (3rd grade and up). This was a jump for joy moment for me. I am familiar with every single children's book about bullying on the market. There is a gaping hole in the upper elementary grades for good bullying literature. But Confessions just majorly filled it. Not only is it written for this age group but the illustrations and layout are cool and engaging for this population of kids. So put your dull bullying curriculums back on the shelf.
This is the story of what happened to Katie from My Secret Bully and also a tool kit on how to deal with bullying and how to turn bully behavior around. With the help of her school counselor, Katie is on a journey to turn this behavior around. I have many kids who are on this same path. The book is FULL of helpful information and answers the real questions kids have about bullying like....'Why am I bullying others?'....'What are consequences?'.....'How can I get empowered to deal with bullies?'...and much more. It also lets them know that when adults get involved - it's a good thing!
So I bet some of you are wondering why author Trudy Ludwig brought Katie back. I recently got to ask her that very question (a super fan moment for me). Check out my guest blog interview on author Rachel Simmon's website. Enjoy putting Trudy's new book to good use with your child or students.
A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
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