February 25th is Pink Shirt Day, a day to raise awareness on the issues surrounding bullying, a major problem in schools, at work, on the internet, and even sometimes at home.Most of us have seen people being bullied or even been bullied ourselves. These are, unfortunately, stories that we hear far too often. So often in fact that we’re all familiar with the common tropes of the “bully” character found in TV and movies. We’ve picked out some literature that also contains these various types of bully characters if you’re looking for ways to continue the discussion of bullying with your students, children, or friends.
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ALU Editor
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February 25th is Pink Shirt Day, a day to raise awareness on the issues surrounding bullying, a major problem in schools, at work, on the internet, and even sometimes at home.Most of us have seen people being bullied or even been bullied ourselves. These are, unfortunately, stories that we hear far too often. So often in fact that we’re all familiar with the common tropes of the “bully” character found in TV and movies. We’ve picked out some literature that also contains these various types of bully characters if you’re looking for ways to continue the discussion of bullying with your students, children, or friends.* * *The mean girlOdd Ball by Arthur John Stewart (Thistledown Press)Just as Cady Heron comes up against the meanest of mean girls, Regina George, in Mean Girls, Paula becomes the target of the female bullies at Central Middle School in Odd Ball. Dealing with trouble at home she just wants to find a sense of belonging at school, especially with the boys, but instead she has to struggle for acceptance. *The jocksLiving with the Hawk by Robert Currie (Thistledown Press)It has long been a way of life that the jocks rule the school. Everybody knows who they are and they want people to fall in line. Blair in Living with the Hawk doesn’t like it that some of his teammates on the football team bully and abuse their fellow classmates. Eventually he decides he must stand up to them, just as Patrick Dempsey’s character stands up to the football players in Can’t Buy Me Love. *Schoolyard bullyAmphibian by Carla Gunn (Coach House Books)Sid from Toy Story is the kind of kid you know just likes to be mean to everyone at school during recess. Unfortunately for Andy, he also lives next door. Phineas from Amphibian also knows the torment of a schoolyard bully, in the character of Lyle. When Phineas’ best friend Bird isn’t at school recess becomes a case of where he can hide until it’s time to go back to class.*The authoritarian bullyFrankie Zapper and the Disappearing Teacher by Linda Rogers, illustrated by Rick Vankrugel (Ronsdale Press)Just as Matilda must save her favourite teacher and classmates from the tyrannical ways of Principal Trunchball with her special powers and genius smarts, Frankie Zapper uses his magical, shamanistic powers to save his friends from their horrible teacher Mr. Smith.*Tough guy bulliesPeacekeepers by Dianne Linden (Coteau Books)Usually working in groups, the tough guy bullies zero in on the new kids or those without many friends. Think Ice and Jay from Hocus Pocus or Joey Donner and his buddies from 10 Things I Hate About You. Just like Max and Cameron discover in their respective movies, Nell Mackelwain has to put up with Shane and his friends as she tries to navigate a new school while her mom is half way around the world working as a peacekeeper. * * * Additional ReadingMonoceros by Suzette Mayr (Coach House Books)The Mystery of the Cyber Bully by Marty Chan (Thistledown Press)The Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul by Marty Chan (Thistledown Press)Prairie Ostrich by Tamai Kobayashi (Goose Lane Editions)Savage by Nathaniel G. Moore (Anvil Press)The Things I Heard About You by Alex Leslie (Nightwood Editions)We Want You to Know by Deborah Ellis (Coteau Books)
