Keywords

Bullying in Children's books, Bibliotherapy

Abstract

Bullying, a serious issue in today’s schools, negatively impacts children. This article summarizes research and emphasizes the need for effective tools, such as bibliotherapy, to deter bullying. To assist professionals in selecting books for bibliotherapy, 38 bully-themed children’s K-3 picture books ranked 1- 4 by The Horn Book Guide (HBG) from January 1, 2004 through January 1, 2010 were analyzed. Comparisons were made between the selected books’ portrayals of bullying and aspects of bullying, and bully prevention described in research literature. Information was summarized, including the following details: (a) gender of bully and victim, (b) type of bullying, (c) location of bullying, (d) responses of bystanders and adults, and (e) resolution of bullying problems. Considering this descriptive information, professionals are advised to more selectively recommend books to fit the unique needs of students and encourage desired bullying resolution strategies.

Original Publication Citation

*Moulton, E., Heath, M. A., Prater, M. A., & Dyches, T. T. (2011). Portrayals of bullying in children’s picture books and implications for bibliotherapy. Reading Horizons, 51(2), Article 5. http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol51/iss2/5/

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2011

Publisher

Western Michigan University

Language

English

College

David O. McKay School of Education

Department

Counseling Psychology and Special Education

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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