Books about bullying for 8-12s

Don't Pick on Me!

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.

Books about bullying for teens

  • Glitter Boy

    Author: Ian Eagleton

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Glitter Boy

    Author: Ian Eagleton

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 8+

    James is being bullied at school, while dealing with grief and normal Year 6 worries. Can James find the sparkle in his life again…

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  • The Offline Diaries

    Author: Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené Illustrator: Tequitia Andrews and Ruthine Burton

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

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  • The Offline Diaries

    Author: Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené Illustrator: Tequitia Andrews and Ruthine Burton

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

    Centred around some typical pre-teen issues, including friendship, loyalty, bullying and sibling relationships, the book also sens…

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  • Speak Up!

    Author: Rebecca Burgess

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

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  • Speak Up!

    Author: Rebecca Burgess

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

    Mia is a secret superstar musician, writing song lyrics that her friends love. But in real life she’s bullied for being different.…

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  • How to be More Hedgehog

    Author: Anne-Marie Conway Illustrator: Danielle Dey

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

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  • How to be More Hedgehog

    Author: Anne-Marie Conway Illustrator: Danielle Dey

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 9+

    Lily has a stammer and when a video of her practising a school presentation is posted online, she feels humiliated. She wants to h…

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  • Emmy Levels Up

    Author: Helen Harvey

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Emmy Levels Up

    Author: Helen Harvey

    Interest level: 9-11

    Reading age: 8+

    Emmy lives some of the best bits of her life online and in her own head. A hard-hitting yet empowering story of bullying, fri…

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  • Wonder

    Author: R J Palacio

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 9+

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  • Wonder

    Author: R J Palacio

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 9+

    August ('Auggie') Pullman can't help but stand out - he was born with a severe facial deformity. Written in the first person, Wond…

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  • Small Things

    Author: Mel Tregonning

    Interest level: 4-8

    Reading age: 5+

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  • Small Things

    Author: Mel Tregonning

    Interest level: 4-8

    Reading age: 5+

    This brilliant book manages to deal with bullying, fear of being different, frustration at underachieving, and the fact that while…

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  • A Seven-Letter Word

    Author: Kim Slater

    Interest level: 9-14

    Reading age: 9+

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  • A Seven-Letter Word

    Author: Kim Slater

    Interest level: 9-14

    Reading age: 9+

    It's a difficult time for Finlay. It's two years since his mother left the family home without any explanation. Marrying some unus…

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  • Cloud Busting

    Author: Malorie Blackman

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Cloud Busting

    Author: Malorie Blackman

    Interest level: 7+

    Reading age: 8+

    Shortlisted for the 2004 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (age 6-8 category), an exploration of an unlikely friendship between tw…

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  • The Starman and Me

    Author: Sharon Cohen

    Interest level: 9-12

    Reading age: 9-12

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  • The Starman and Me

    Author: Sharon Cohen

    Interest level: 9-12

    Reading age: 9-12

    Twelve-year-old Kofi discovers Rorty Thrutch, a prehistoric human, on a supermarket roundabout. Themes of bullying and friend…

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  • Feather Boy

    Author: Nicky Singer

    Interest level: 12+

    Reading age: 11+

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  • Feather Boy

    Author: Nicky Singer

    Interest level: 12+

    Reading age: 11+

    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' marri…

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  • Buried Alive!

    Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt and Sue Heap

    Interest level: 8+

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Buried Alive!

    Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt and Sue Heap

    Interest level: 8+

    Reading age: 8+

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

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  • Bad Girls

    Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt

    Interest level: 8+

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Bad Girls

    Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt

    Interest level: 8+

    Reading age: 8+

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

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  • Don't Pick on Me!

    Author: Rosemary Stones

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 9+

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  • Don't Pick on Me!

    Author: Rosemary Stones

    Interest level: 9+

    Reading age: 9+

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

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  • 7 Days

    Author: Eve Ainsworth

    Interest level: 12-14

    Reading age: 12+

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  • 7 Days

    Author: Eve Ainsworth

    Interest level: 12-14

    Reading age: 12+

    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 sto…

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  • Dead Ends

    Author: Erin Lange

    Interest level: 11+

    Reading age: 11+

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  • Dead Ends

    Author: Erin Lange

    Interest level: 11+

    Reading age: 11+

    Dane Washington is the quick-tempered local bully, Billy D his new neighbour who has Down Syndrome.

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  • Mango Delight

    Author: Fracaswell Hyman

    Interest level: 11-13

    Reading age: 10+

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  • Mango Delight

    Author: Fracaswell Hyman

    Interest level: 11-13

    Reading age: 10+

    This school story features a multi-ethnic cast of characters and tackles issues of bullying, isolation, family dynamics, self-disc…

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  • A Monster Calls

    Author: Patrick Ness (From an idea by Siobhan Dowd) Illustrator: Jim Kay

    Interest level: 11-14

    Reading age: 10+

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  • A Monster Calls

    Author: Patrick Ness (From an idea by Siobhan Dowd) Illustrator: Jim Kay

    Interest level: 11-14

    Reading age: 10+

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

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  • Splash

    Author: Charli Howard

    Interest level: 9-12

    Reading age: 10-12

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  • Splash

    Author: Charli Howard

    Interest level: 9-12

    Reading age: 10-12

    Molly is passionate about swimming but is having to deal with a domineering friend and a difficult home life. A sensitive novel th…

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  • Secret Friends

    Author: Elizabeth Laird Illustrator: Jason Cockcroft

    Interest level: 7-11

    Reading age: 8+

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  • Secret Friends

    Author: Elizabeth Laird Illustrator: Jason Cockcroft

    Interest level: 7-11

    Reading age: 8+

    Rafaella suffers daily name-calling from her peers. Lucy feels partly responsible, having herself invented the nickname 'Earwig' a…

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  • The War Next Door

    Author: Phil Earle Illustrator: Sara Ogilvie

    Interest level: 8-11

    Reading age: 8+

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  • The War Next Door

    Author: Phil Earle Illustrator: Sara Ogilvie

    Interest level: 8-11

    Reading age: 8+

    The War Next Door turns its focus to Masher, the bully of Storey Street. Part of the Storey Street series, Phil Earle's book has a…

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  • Hidden

    Author: Miriam Halahmy

    Interest level: 12-16

    Reading age: 10+

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  • Hidden

    Author: Miriam Halahmy

    Interest level: 12-16

    Reading age: 10+

    Alix doesn’t want any trouble with the local bullies. But then she defends Samir, a boy who has recently joined their school – and…

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  • Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Ghosts

    Author: Katie and Kevin Tsang Illustrator: Nathan Reed

    Interest level: 7-11

    Reading age: 9+

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  • Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Ghosts

    Author: Katie and Kevin Tsang Illustrator: Nathan Reed

    Interest level: 7-11

    Reading age: 9+

    Sam Wu is scared of many things but is determined not to let anyone find out. However, after an unfortunate incident in a space si…

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