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