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Books about bullying for 8-12s

Bad Girls

Almost everyone gets bullied at some point in their life - so if this is happening to your child, they are not alone. Here are some books to help older primary school children who may be experiencing bullying or finding it tricky to make friends.

  • Daddy Do My Hair: Hope’s Braids

    Daddy Do My Hair: Hope’s Braids

    Author: Tola Okogwu Illustrator: Rahima Begum
    Publisher: Florence Elizabeth Publishing

    'There is something wrong with my big, frizzy mop. The children call me ginger and names like carrot top!’ A gentle read on how to deal with anxieties around standing out and dealing with bullying from an early age.

  • Help: My Cat’s a Vlogging Superstar!

    Help: My Cat’s a Vlogging Superstar!

    Author: Rae Earl
    Publisher: Walker Books

    When Millie’s best friend Lauren is mortified by an Instagram post, Millie makes a vlog to cheer her up. Rae Earl has a real talent for writing a charming and funny story that handles life problems particularly well.

  • My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

    My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

    Author: Annabel Pitcher
    Publisher: Orion Children's Books

    Told through the eyes of ten-year-old Jamie, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece sensitively tackles issues around grief, terrorism, racism and bullying.

  • The Misadventures of Max Crumbly: Locker Hero

    The Misadventures of Max Crumbly: Locker Hero

    Author: Rachel Renée Russell
    Publisher: Simon and Schuster

    Max is put in a locker by the school bully after everyone has left for the long weekend - and then three thieves break in to the school. Written in journal format and peppered with humorous illustrations, Max's (mis)adventures are sure to be a hit.

  • A Seven-Letter Word

    A Seven-Letter Word

    Author: Kim Slater
    Publisher: Pan Macmillan

    It's a difficult time for Finlay. It's two years since his mother left the family home without any explanation. Marrying some unusual themes and a likeable protagonist, this an absorbing and well-paced mystery.

  • Cloud Busting

    Cloud Busting

    Author: Malorie Blackman
    Publisher: Random House

    Shortlisted for the 2004 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (age 6-8 category), an exploration of an unlikely friendship between two very different boys.

  • Feather Boy

    Feather Boy

    Author: Nicky Singer
    Publisher: HarperCollins

    Robert is having a tough time at school, being bullied by Nicker; he's also trying to deal with the break-up of his parents' marriage.

  • Buried Alive!

    Buried Alive!

    Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt and Sue Heap
    Publisher: Random House

    This humorous tale sensitively highlights issues such as friendship and bullying.

  • Bad Girls

    Bad Girls

    Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
    Publisher: Random House

    Bitterly unhappy and fed up with being teased at school, Mandy White is in need of a friend.

  • Don't Pick on Me!

    Don't Pick on Me!

    Author: Rosemary Stones
    Publisher: Piccadilly Press

    This book explores why some people bully, why others are bullied and what you can do to change things

  • Zero To Hero

    Zero To Hero

    Author: Rob Childs
    Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

    An engaging tale of friendship, while at the same time raising the important issues of bullying and self confidence

  • 7 Days

    7 Days

    Author: Eve Ainsworth
    Publisher: Scholastic

    This is the story of one week in Jess's life and that of her tormentor, popular girl Kez. A fresh approach to the school bully story, which is a short, punchy read with a strong and ever-relevant message.

  • The Song from Somewhere Else

    The Song from Somewhere Else

    Author: AF Harrold Illustrator: Levi Pinfold
    Publisher: Bloomsbury

    Frank is being bullied - for what, she's not sure. Being smart? Being different, perhaps. One day, after her bike is thrown in the middle of a huge patch of stinging nettles, Nick comes to her aid. A magical and beautifully strange tale.

  • A Monster Calls

    A Monster Calls

    Author: Patrick Ness From an idea by Siobhan Dowd Illustrator: Jim Kay
    Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

    Connor's mum has cancer and life is changing. There is the nightmare, then there is school, where people avoid him, or persecute him. And then there is the immense, mythic Monster.