Keep Your Ear on the Ball by Genevieve Petrillo

Illustrated by Lea Lyon. 32 p., Tilbury House, 2007.
All of us need both independence and help from other people, needs that can sometimes seem to conflict. In this story, Davey, who is blind, joins a class of sighted children. His classmates offer help appropriately, and his response is always, "Thanks, but no thanks." Although he manages almost all the activities of the school day completely independently, he struggles with kickball. He misses pitches and doesn't know which direction to run in. As they complain to one another, his classmates realize that he needs sounds to help him play. When they use sound to help him kick and run, he not only plays impressively, but also finds that he can tolerate accepting help. With Davey, kids can learn that it's possible to negotiate their needs for help and independence in satisfying ways - and with his classmates, kids can learn how to be genuinely helpful.

Ages 5-9
Main character's cultural background: European American
Cultural context: multicultural

Say Something by Peggy Moss

Illustrated by Lea Lyon. 32 p., Tilbury House, 2004.

When someone is being bullied, it isn't enough to refrain from joining in the bullying. A girl discovers this when her friends are away and she eats alone at school one day. She's noticed when other kids are bullied, and she feels sorry for them. She doesn't say anything. When kids tease her at lunch, she can tell that the kids at the next table feel sorry for her, but they don't say anything. Suddenly understanding what her silence has meant to other kids who were bullied, she realizes what she wants to do. The next day, she joins a girl who has been bullied before, and finds a new friend. An afterword for kids suggests alternatives to standing by when someone is bullied. Inspiring empathy, this story will empower kids to help end bullying.

Ages 5-8
Main character's cultural background: ambiguous; perhaps African American or Latina
Cultural context: multicultural

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

Illustrated by Robert Lawson. 70 p., Viking, 1936.

This is a classic story about a young bull who wants to do nothing but sit and smell the flowers. Completely by accident, he is chosen for a bullfight, and when he enters the ring, he sits down and smells the ladies' flowers, to the great frustration of the bullfighters. He goes home, happy to sit under his favorite tree and smell the flowers. This story expresses the idea that males don't have to be aggressive or violent.

Ages 4-6
Main character's cultural background: non-human
Cultural context: non-human

Henry and the Bully by Nancy Carlson

32 p., Penguin, 2010.

Sometimes it takes more than one approach to end bullying. First-grader Henry accidentally bumps into a new second grader, Sam, who reacts by kicking Henry's ball out of reach. When Henry protests, her response is hostile. Henry asks a teacher for help, and the teacher promises to protect him. But at the next few recesses, the teacher is distracted and Sam continues to bully Henry. Henry experiences typical childhood signs of stress: unhappiness, a tummy ache, difficulty concentrating, and fear of going to school. Then, by chance, he sees Sam in an embarrassing situation away from school, and when they're back at school, she threatens to kick his ball into space if he tells. Henry responds with kindness and empathy, which clearly come naturally to him and which stuns Sam. Then he invites her to play with him, and all the kids have fun. Henry's world has become a safer place. Illustrated with colorful, vivid animal characters and displaying genuine understanding of children's experience, this appealing story shows children that just being their best selves may be enough to stop someone from bullying them.

Ages 5-11
Main character's cultural background: non-human
Cultural context: non-human: