Bully

Author & Illustrator:   Patricia Polacco
Publisher:  G. P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Year:   2012
Location: Knox County Public Library- Halls

Awards:   Author Study of Polacco

Summary:  Lyla makes a friend Jamie on her first day at her new school, but soon she becomes a cheerleader with the popular girls. She gets a Junior Achievement Award and a Spirit Award and they ask her to hang out with them. They make fun of Jamie, and Lyla pretends not to like him anymore. The girls write mean things on other people's Facebook pages and Lyla starts to distance herself from them. But disaster strikes when Lyla gets accused of stealing the state tests ahead of time and people start spreading rumors about her. Then Jamie admits that he saw one of the popular girls steal the test and Lyla's name is cleared. But the popular kids still hate Lyla and the story ends with a question: "Should Jamie and I go back to school, hope for the best? Or should we go to another? What would you do?"

Classroom Ideas:This book would be a great resource for a guidance counselor or teacher to talk about bullying.