REASON 1: I would and will recommend
this book to anyone from the ages of eleven to any adult age. Studies have shown that bullying typically starts in later elementary school years and can follow them through middle, high school, and even into their adult work environments. Bullying does not discriminate. Bullying happens to EVERYONE. It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl; popular or not; or live in a nice neighborhood, it happens to everyone. This book will help open the eyes of the bully, the bystander and offer support to those victimized by others, letting them know they are never alone. |
REASON 2: It is not true when they say "Sticks and stones my break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Words do hurt, verbally and non-verbally. I recommend this book to the bully, the people who speak these harsh words because it shows the hurt that it inflicts on everyone, which is portrayed by Jodee, her parents, and friends. It doesn't matter if its body language or the actual voice, it all hurts.
"Every day, it was the same routine. The kids either ignored me or taunted me, snickering behind my back" (p. 64). "Scrawled in indelible ink were the words: Bitch this is just the beginning. My insides went numb" (p. 62). |
REASON 3: It's okay to be different in life, do not feel like you need to follow the crowd, and be what they tell you to be. Never be afraid to be your own person. I recommend this book to the insecure people who do not feel comfortable with whom they are. I encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone and dream big and be the person you want to be.
"The hardest thing about being an outcast isn't the love you don't receive. It's the love you long to give that nobody wants" (p. 139). |
REASON 4:I recommend this book to my journalists, the ones who turn to pen and paper to get rid of their negative emotions and anger. Journaling is your "safe haven" where you can tell the paper about how you really feel.
"I turned to my safest companion, my journal. It was the only place where I could honestly express how I felt without the fear of being judged by people who I no longer trusted. Writing saved me from being swallowed by sorrow. I discovered solace in composing poems. The language of poetry gave me a way to transform my hurt and wrath into symbols and images that I could control" (p. 84,85). |