Are you a parent with a child being bullied by others in school or in the neighbourhood? Or are you a teacher trying to curb cliques of mean kids? You see the hurt expression in the face of the young target of these bullies and you want to help.
One way is through books.
Books can teach a child that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and that some girls, for instance, can run faster than others and some boys can draw better. Some kids struggle with math, or they wear hearing aids or have a different skin colour. Unfortunately, there are children who make fun of others with differences they themselves are not accustomed to.
The Long-Necked Sheep is a new book written by Emily Simkins and illustrated by Jessie Walker. It is metaphorical, using different animals to illustrate its points. One message is that every child is unique and has something to offer. Another is that it's cruel of anyone to insult other kids. This is an educational book that would be helpful to read not only to victims of harassment, but also to children suspected of taking part in such behaviour. If an adult can discreetly make bullies see themselves as behaving like the mean sheep in this book, it may help change their behaviour and understanding.
This is an enjoyable 32-pager written in poetic form by Simkins with delightful pictures by Walker, and is for children in the five to nine year age range.
It is obtainable at: