Happy Book Birthday: Dear Bully

You are not alone

Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the “funny guy” into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

Today’s top authors for teens come together to share their stories about bullying—as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators—in a collection at turns moving and self-effacing, but always deeply personal.

Bullying is something that, as most of you probably know, starts before kindergarten and doesn’t necessarily stop. Bullies can be small children or grow adults. They can be male or female. And their reason for bullying… unfortunately, they don’t really need one. It seems to be a sport for some.

I’m overweight. I always have been. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t trying to lose weight. I never starved myself. The fact is… I suck at dieting. I love dancing, and I used to have class every night, but it never helped me lose weight. Why am I talking about this? I was picked on and teased my entire childhood for being overweight.

There was not a day that went by that I wasn’t bullied in school. I’ve always been a bit over-sensitive… especially when it comes to my weight. I cried, and that only fueled the fire. James, Morgan, Corey, Matt… I remember their names and their faces. And even now, at age 28, tears come to my eyes when I remember how miserable my life was back then.

I’m excited to read Dear Bully. So many amazing authors participated in this anthology, including: Stephanie Kuehnert, Carrie Ryan, Lauren Oliver, Nancy Werlin, Holly Cupala, Ellen Hopkins, and Cecil Castellucci.

Be sure to check out the Dear Bully website, like the book on Facebook, and follow the Twitter feed. And more importantly... grab this book and get reading.