Sharing stories is a great way to explore challenging issues with children. Using gentle, age appropriate picture books can help start conversations, encourage questions, reassure children that others have faced the same problems or give them a preview into an upcoming situation they may be worried about.
Our librarians have gathered the best titles to create the Special times, special needs series of recommended reading lists with books to share with children and some to support parents and carers.
Our first booklist in the Special times, special needs series focuses on books you can share with your child to explore safe and positive ways of dealing with bullying issues.
Highlights from our booklist
Willy likes to read books, and he’s no good at sports, but he learns to stand up to Buster Nose the bully in Willy the champ.
What do you do when your bully is disguised as your friend? Monica works to reclaim her confidence in My secret bully, which includes further resources for parents and teachers.
Nicholas’ creativity helps him find inventive new ways of overcoming his bullies in Nicholas and the wild ones, and Patricia Polacco’s Bully shows two friends stand together when they find themselves targeted online by a clique of fellow students.
Picture books for preschoolers
Leave me alone by Ann de Bode
Willy the champ by Anthony Browne
Willow finds a way by Lana Button
Nicholas and the wild ones by Niki Daly
Llama Llama and the bully goat by Anna Dewdney
I feel bullied by Jen Green
How can I deal with bullying? by Sally Hewitt
Pushing isn’t funny: what to do about physical bullying by Melissa Higgins
Teasing isn’t funny: what to do about emotional bullying by Melissa Higgins
The playground is like the jungle by Shona Innes
Trouble talk by Trudy Ludwig
My secret bully by Trudy Ludwig
Elmer and the big bird by David McKee
Freda stops a bully by Stuart J. Murphy
Bully by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
The nerdy birdy by Danielle Wheeldon
Junior fiction for school age
Bully on the bus by Kathryn Apel
Attack of the bullies by Ethan Beavers
Blubber by Judy Blume
The darkdeep by Ally Condie
Hello Universe by Erin Entrada-Kelly
The fiendish revenge of Leroy Jones by Vivian French
All the things that could go wrong by Stewart Foster
Being Jack by Susanne Gervay
George by Alex Gino
Bully by Patricia Polacco (Junior FIC)
Jolly foul play by Robin Stevens
Confessions of a former bully by Trudy Ludwig
How not to be weird by Dawn McNiff
Middle school series by James Patterson
Middle school: How I survived bullies, broccoli and snake hill by James Patterson
Natural born loser by Oliver Phommavanh
The butterfly club by Jacqueline Wilson
Reserve a book on the list
To reserve a book, click on the title and use your membership number and PIN to place a reservation.
More recommended reading
To view booklists on a variety of subjects, visit Booklists from our librarians.