What I’m Reading: ‘Bullied Kids Speak Out’

Even in a college atmosphere, I have had discussions with instructors who have witnessed bullying. So I can relate to the topic of an eye-opening book by Jodee Blanco, Bullied Kids Speak Out. Although it homes in mostly on high-schoolers, the information is still relevant to college students, given that this type of mistreatment doesn’t evaporate when kids turn 18.

Many of the stories are told by adults who look back and reflect on the effects that bullying had on their college years and young adulthood. Ms. Blanco, who also wrote the memoir Please Stop Laughing at Me, gives advice to both students and teachers in specific ways that are useful to all ages. She also tackles tricky situations such as cyberbullying and sexting.

We offer library services to a large number of early-childhood-education majors. I recommend Bullied to them because the book allows future teachers to look inside the minds of children and adolescents who are being harmed but may not be comfortable talking about it.

Bonnie Parker is administrative librarian on the Flint River campus of Southern Crescent Technical College, in Georgia.

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