Bully B.E.A.N.S. is a fantastic story about children who stand up to a new bully, Bobbette. They eventually tell their parents and teachers about the bullying, and we learn that Bobbette was bullied at her old school.

 

This story is perfect to read in 1st-5th grade, since bullying is an issue in just about every grade. Students can be given a pack of "bully beans" (jelly beans) and if they are bullied, they can eat one and write about it in a journal or on a note card and give it to their teacher or counselor. For the older grades, 4th and 5th, you can even have your class act out a bullying scene in groups and have the rest of the class, the audience, decide what needs to happen or answer questions throughout the group's skit.

This is an engaging story with an excellent message. The colourful illustrations make it easy for a child of any age to understand bullying. Learning to be comfortable with yourself and understanding that everyone is different is a big part of also understanding why bullying occurs. This makes a barn an interesting background. Each animal is different and each has its own good to bring to the community.

The book stresses on the face that there is no need to put another person down so you can shine which is an important lesson for a young child to understand. Bullying is painful for children but it is also painful for parents because they may have problems understanding what is actually happening. It made me really happy that this book also touched on what to do beyond bullying. The Bully Barn is a critical lesson for both parents and children.