Recommended Reads from the Children's Collection @ the Education Library

Ben rides his new bicycle the very, very long way to school but Adrian Underbite, perhaps the world's largest third-grader, takes the bike anyway and later, when Ben finds Adrian in trouble, he must decide whether or not to help the larcenous bully.

Bruce, a bear bully, never picks on anyone his own size until he is diminished in more ways than one by a small but very independent witch.

Piggie is upset because a whale took the ball she found, but Gerald finds a solution that pleases all of them.

Bootsie Barker only wants to play games in which she bites, until one day her friend comes up with a better game.

Lazlo, who has just moved to the United States from Hungary, is ostracized at school until two girls have the courage to befriend him.

Bully doesn't have a kind word for any of his friends. When the other animals ask him to play, he responds in the way he's been taught: Chicken! Slow poke! You stink!

With appealing animal characters, this realistic story shows how a bully can hurt others and provides suggestions about how younger children can handle the situation.

A very shy girl who longs for a friend falls in love with a lost puppy at the shelter where her father works.

When her older sisters tease her into believing that she is actually a chicken, Henrietta runs off to a farm to be among her own kind.

Based on a true story from Archbishop Desmond Tutu's childhood in South Africa, Desmond and the Very Mean Word reveals the power of words and the secret of forgiveness. When Desmond takes his new bicycle out for a ride through his neighborhood, his pride and joy turn to hurt and anger when a group of boys shout a very mean word at him. He first responds by shouting an insult, but soon discovers that fighting back with mean words doesn't make him feel any better. With the help of kindly Father Trevor, Desmond comes to understand his conflicted feelings and see that all people deserve compassion, whether or not they say they are sorry.

When Ms. Albert teaches a lesson on kindness, Chloe realizes that she and her friends have been wrong in making fun of new student Maya's shabby clothes and refusing to play with her.

Freckleface Strawberry is just like everyone else, except that she has red hair and freckles but when she tries to hide who she is, she learns about true friendship and accepting yourself just as you are.

In a dangerous alley in a township in South Africa, the strength and unity which a group of young friends feel while playing soccer keep them safe when a gang of bullies arrives to cause trouble.

This simple yet powerful picture book tells the story of an elementary school girl named Vanessa who is bullied and a fellow student who witnesses the act and is at first unsure of how to help.

When Jake goes to kindergarten, a bully teases him about sucking his thumb, but Jake discovers that everyone--even bullies--needs some help being brave.

Lion is mean to everyone. When the other animals can't take his bullying anymore, they hire Rabbit to outsmart him.

Even though Little Wolf's mom, dad, sister, and brothers all have their own special song, he can only manage a poor, pitiful squeak.

LJ the Little Knight is back stepping into a new adventure on the playground of Spencer Elementary. Although school is back in full swing, his recess is interrupted by the likes of ... Billy the Bully.

When Mr. Lincoln, "the coolest principal in the whole world," discovers that Eugene, the school bully, knows a lot about birds, he uses this interest to help Eugene overcome his intolerance.

A funny, finger-wagging rhyme with some very good advice: never tease a weasel, because teasing isn't nice! Rather, kids should do nice things for animals, such as bake a drake a cake, or give a mule a pool, and much more.

Just because you're really small doesn't mean you can't have a big heart. When the diminutive Dot stands up to a bully on behalf of an even smaller friend, she proves how big she can truly be.

When Mama got a new baby, Phoebe got a new digger. And before long, everyone needs a trip to the park ... But then a big girl with grabby hands snatches Digger away from Phoebe. Phoebe tries to use her words, but they don't work. What can she do? Will she ever get Digger back?

Mean Jean is the biggest bully on the school playground until a new girl arrives and challenges Jean's status as the Recess Queen.

Best friends Lily and Salma disagree over their preferred foods, but after trading sandwiches to see how they taste, the girls change their minds.

Even when the class bully at her new school makes fun of her, Molly remembers what her grandmother told her and she feels good about herself.

Stella is unnerved by a bullying group of weasels who say mean things about her humble home until her mother offers words of comfort and her father drives the trailer to a new location where kind friends are found.

After feeling ignored in his new town, a young toad tries to act like a bully but learns the value of being a good friend instead.

Hippopotamus and Elephant bully Hare for being small in size and possessing a twitchy nose, until Hare demonstrates his wit when he challenges the large animals to a tug-of-war competition and claims he can win.

When supervillain Doctor X-Ray swoops in threatening to vanquish an innocent crowd, the only one brave enough not to run away is a little girl, who asks him simply, "Why?"

An uplifting tale of three inseparable friends who pursue their talents and stop at nothing to achieve their dreams.

First they went after Jamal. But I'm not black -- so I didn't stand up for him. Then they went after Aisha. But I'm not Muslim -- so I didn't stand up for her. When things turn around and the bystander becomes the target, who will stand up for him?