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thebookwormkatie's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Thank you @netgalley and Shambhala Publications for the advanced readers copy of this book!
PUB DATE: August 9, 2022
I was originally drawn to this book as a teacher who works with tweens, as well as a parent who will eventually have tweens/teens. A ton happens emotionally and developmentally during this time frame, and it can be an extremely formative time frame. I appreciated how this novel drew from individuals (now college-aged) who experienced challenges with bullying, social exclusion, and/or teasing during their tween/teen years.
I’m not going to lie, at times it felt extremely cookie cutter (for example, the dialogue between parent and child felt too scripted), but otherwise I was able to pull out quite a few strategies for how to approach socially challenging situations as a parent and educator. I liked the slight variety in scenarios; you could easily pick up this book and use whatever scenario is most applicable to your current situation. I did find some were very similar to each other, which could feel redundant at times.
One thing I did not agree with was the author’s statement that kids now a days use the term “bullying” very seriously. From my personal experience, I have noticed the opposite. I have had many conversations and lessons on what is the difference between being rude/nasty, mean, hurtful, and what is bullying. I have many students who yell “they’re bullying me” when one mean comment is said to them. Yet that is just my personal experience.
PUB DATE: August 9, 2022
I was originally drawn to this book as a teacher who works with tweens, as well as a parent who will eventually have tweens/teens. A ton happens emotionally and developmentally during this time frame, and it can be an extremely formative time frame. I appreciated how this novel drew from individuals (now college-aged) who experienced challenges with bullying, social exclusion, and/or teasing during their tween/teen years.
I’m not going to lie, at times it felt extremely cookie cutter (for example, the dialogue between parent and child felt too scripted), but otherwise I was able to pull out quite a few strategies for how to approach socially challenging situations as a parent and educator. I liked the slight variety in scenarios; you could easily pick up this book and use whatever scenario is most applicable to your current situation. I did find some were very similar to each other, which could feel redundant at times.
One thing I did not agree with was the author’s statement that kids now a days use the term “bullying” very seriously. From my personal experience, I have noticed the opposite. I have had many conversations and lessons on what is the difference between being rude/nasty, mean, hurtful, and what is bullying. I have many students who yell “they’re bullying me” when one mean comment is said to them. Yet that is just my personal experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
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