Tackling the Tough Stuff: 5 Novels About Bullying

Wonder, by R.J. Palacio
10-year-old Auggie Pullman is a normal kid; a typical fifth grader who likes video games and ice cream. There’s only one big difference: kids have been known to run away crying when when they see Auggie’s face. Born with a severe facial deformity, Auggie has always been home-schooled, until this year. In an effort to make sure things go smoothly for him, the middle school director, Mr. Tushman, enlists the help of three other fifth grade students: Jack, Julian, and Charlotte. Armed with these three, and Summer, whom he bonds with over lunch, Auggie sets out to show that he’s no different than the rest of his classmates. But even “friends” can be cruel, and Auggie struggles to decide who he can truly trust. Told entirely in first person, Wonder offers not only Auggie’s perspective, but also those of his family and classmates.

Schooled, by Gordan Korman
Raised by his hippie grandmother on a commune upon which they are the only remaining members, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson’s life has been rather sheltered. When his grandmother lands in the hospital, Cap is taken in by social services and enrolled in the local middle school. Quickly elected class president, Cap finds himself immersed in school culture and politics. Though his election was, in fact, a joke played upon the naive Capricorn by his classmates, Cap’s genuine desire to please, his heart for compassion, and his ability to land on his feet slowly turn the bullying tide. Though he starts as the school joke, Cap eventually finds himself the guy everybody wants to be with. There’s one person, though, who doesn’t want to see Cap win the popularity contest, and it’s not who you might expect.

Absolutely Almost, by Lisa Graff
It’s the start of Albie’s fifth grade year, and he’s starting at a new public school after being forced from his private school for not meeting their academic standards. This might seem like the chance for a fresh start, but for Albie, it doesn’t make a difference. School is just hard, no matter how much he tries. Reading is confusing. Math is tough.  His mother takes away his Captain Underpants book, declaring it for babies. His father tells him to try harder. His grandfather tells him he’ll never amount to anything. His classmates tease him. It’s only when Calista, his new babysitter, comes on the scene that things start to change. For the first time, Albie has somebody in his corner, somebody who accepts him for who he is. This is not a story of unrealistic triumph, but rather the power of small kindnesses that can have a big impact.

The Real Boy, by Anne Ursu– Oscar knows that he’s different. As shop boy for Caleb, the most powerful and respected magician in the Barrow, he is tolerated by the townspeople, but he hears the things they whisper about him, and the glances they send his way. At the end of each day, Oscar retreats to the basement below Caleb’s shop, where he finds security and comfort in his herbs, his books, and his cats. That’s the way it has always been. Now, though, something strange is happening in the city of Asteri. For years, the city has been protected by magic, its inhabitants living perfect lives free of sorrow and illness. Suddenly, the children of Asteri are falling deathly ill. Something has happened to the magic, and through a series of tragic events, it’s up to Oscar and the dark-haired, outspoken Callie to save Asteri. Except who is going to listen to the strange boy who lives in the basement? A blend of the fantastical and the painfully realistic, The Real Boy is a story of believing in one’s own gifts, even when no one else does.

Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child, by Maria T. Lennon
Charlie C. Cooper is a fashionista, an expert computer hacker, and a middle-child. Most importantly, she’s also a reformed bully. Well, almost. All she has to do is complete one last assignment with her therapist, Dr. Sales, and then she’s free to start life over at her new middle school, where nobody knows about the worst thing she’s ever done. But then Dr. Sales gives Charlie her final assignment: find the most bullied, pathetic, laughed at girl in school…and befriend her. Which is the only reason that Charlie starts hanging out with dirty, bedraggled, angry Marta Urloff. Charlie takes Marta on as her project, coaching her in appearance, mannerisms, and in how to defeat the uber-popular Trixie in the upcoming gymnastics team tryouts. The problem is, Charlie also wants to be popular, and Trixie is her way in. Middle children and fans of Mean Girls and Harriet the Spy, this one is for you.
What bullying stories would you add to this list?