Terri DeGezelle has compiled this list of a baker’s dozen books for young readers on bullying and bullies.

Oliver Button Is a Sissy
written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola.

Oliver Button Is a Sissy is a picture book based on Tomie’s experiences as a child. Oliver doesn’t care for sports but enjoys drawing pictures, dressing up and singing and dancing. Illustrations are done by Tomie dePaola as only Tomie dePaola can.

The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Teasing
written by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Brother Bear is a master at teasing-until the tables are turned and he's the one being heckled for being the principal's pet. And when Brother finally understands that teasing isn't just mean, it's also dangerous, he actually decides to stick up for the new kid at school.

Loudmouth George and the Sixth-Grade Bully
written and illustrated by Nancy Carlson

Minnesota author Nancy Carlson writes and illustrates the tale of Loudmouth George and the Sixth-Grade Bully. George has his lunch stolen on the first day of school by Big Mike, a bully twice his size. Loudmouth George and his friend Harriet teach Big Mike a lesson he'll never forget.

The Meanest Thing To Say
written by Bill Cosby

When a new boy in his second grade class tries to get the other students to play a game that involves saying the meanest things possible to one another, Little Bill shows him a better way to make friends. Little Bill’s father helps him to come up with a clever and non-violent solution.

Pinky and Rex and the Bully
written by James Howe
illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Pinky's favorite color is pink, and his best friend, Rex, is a girl. Kevin, the third-grade bully, says that makes Pinky a sissy. Deep down, Pinky thinks Kevin is wrong, but he's still worried. Does Pinky have to give up his favorite things, and worse, does he have to give up his best friend?

Ballerinas Don’t Wear Glasses
written by Ainslie Manson

When Allison is teased by her friends at school that ballerinas don't have glasses or pigtails, her brother Ben comes to her rescue and turns her into the most beautiful ballerina in her class.

Stop Picking On Me
written by Pat Thomas

This approachable picture book explores the difficult issue of bullying in reassuringly simple terms. The fears, worries, and questions surrounding this upsetting experience are made accessible to young children.

Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain
written by Trevor Romain

Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain, published by Free Spirit Publishing, gives good practical hints and advice on how to handle bullies. This is a good read-together book for parents and children and a great conversation starter.

Cockroach Cooties
written by Laurence Yep

Set in the Chinatown section of San Francisco, this modern-day tale is about two brothers, eight and nine. Bobby feels responsible for getting Teddy involved with a treacherous bully at school, so he devises a plan to scare the fiend with a cockroach.

Painted Words/Spoken Memories
written by Aliki

Painted Words/Spoken Memories is written from the experience Aliki remembers as a child entering school not knowing the language or anyone. Mari is an immigrant child struggling to learn English. When a classmate teases her, a perceptive teacher intervenes and lets Mari share her family story in pictures.

Hey, Little Ant
written by Philip M. Hoose

Rhyming text makes Hey, Little Ant a fun reading-aloud book. When a little boy and an ant meet at a crack in the sidewalk, they exchange perspectives about life in this fun tale that invites readers to consider how the story should end.

Amelia Takes Command
written by Marissa Moss

Amelia keeps a diary of her busy fifth grade life, which includes being bullied by a classmate and gaining confidence to stand up for herself during a week at Space Camp.