Bully: An Action Plan for Teachers, Parents, and Communities to Combat the Bullying Crisis
This companion book to the documentary film Bully was edited by filmmaker Hirsch and writer/producer Lowen, with contributing chapters by a number of celebrities, authors, experts, government officials, and educators. Part homage to the film, part resource, the book interweaves the stories of children who have been bullied with practical information and advice for parents and other readers. Like the film, which presents an  uncensored, real-life portrayal of what it's like to be a bullied child,  the text deals honestly and realistically with the bullying that is pervasive in American schools (13 million children will be bullied this year, the authors claim). While some chapters are more focused on the film itself, others zero in on such topics as bullying and children with autism spectrum disorders or learning disabilities. Particularly useful for parents are the chapters written by educational psychologist/author Michele Borba and clinical psychologist Peter Sheras, which provide a  crash course  on how to know if a child is being bullied and what to do about it. The text is also an excellent resource for educators; Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, pens a particularly insightful chapter. Readers who have seen the film will no doubt be interested to discover where its bullied children are now, but the text can also be read as an informative stand-alone resource. (Nov.)