My Secret Bully

Illustrated by Abigail Marble
                                                THE SECRET'S OUT ON BULLYING

Here is the all-too-familiar story of Monica.  She and Katie have been friends since kindergarten.  Monica loves being around her when she's nice.  But there are times when Katie can be just plain mean.  And Monica doesn't understand why.

Monica is a target of relational aggression, emotional bullying among friends who will use name-calling and manipulation to humiliate and exclude.  But with a little help from a supportive adult—her mother—Monica learns to cope and thrive by facing her fears and reclaiming power from her bully.

Including a foreword by the founder of the The Ophelia Project, as well as helpful tips, discussion questions, and additional resources, My Secret Bully is a vital resource for children, parents, teachers, and counselors.
Katie is my secret bully.

A lot of people would be surprised to know this because they think she's my friend.  And she does act like my friend...sometimes.

But lately, I'm not so sure.

Katie and I have known each other since kindergarten. We've spent a lot of time together because we like doing the same kinds of things: making perfumes with flowers picked from my yard, playing soccer in the rain, sharing secrets, and spying on our bossy, know-it-all brothers.

I love being around Katie when she's nice to me.  But there are times when she's not.  She can be just plain mean.

And I don't know why.

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker, presenting at schools and conferences both in the US and overseas, educating students, parents, and teachers on relational aggression.

Her books have received numerous awards and citations including Victoria Soto Legacy Award, IBPA Gold Benjamin Franklin Award, Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, NAPPA Gold Medal Award, Mom’s Choice Gold Awards, Moonbeam Children’s Books Gold Award, Comstock Read Aloud Honors and are included in the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best of the Year Selection, NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection, National Crime Prevention Council’s Circle of Respect Book Club Selection, Junior Library Guild Selection, School Library Journal’s Best Picture Books Selection, Scholastic Instructor Recommended Back-to-School Picks, and more.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with leading experts and organizations including Committee for Children, ConnectSafely.org, Sesame Workshop, and Passport to Peace Foundation.

Trudy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and their loyal hound dog, Hannah. Visit her on the web at trudyludwig.com or follow her on Twitter @TrudyLudwig.

View titles by Trudy Ludwig

About

                                                THE SECRET'S OUT ON BULLYING

Here is the all-too-familiar story of Monica.  She and Katie have been friends since kindergarten.  Monica loves being around her when she's nice.  But there are times when Katie can be just plain mean.  And Monica doesn't understand why.

Monica is a target of relational aggression, emotional bullying among friends who will use name-calling and manipulation to humiliate and exclude.  But with a little help from a supportive adult—her mother—Monica learns to cope and thrive by facing her fears and reclaiming power from her bully.

Including a foreword by the founder of the The Ophelia Project, as well as helpful tips, discussion questions, and additional resources, My Secret Bully is a vital resource for children, parents, teachers, and counselors.

Excerpt

Katie is my secret bully.

A lot of people would be surprised to know this because they think she's my friend.  And she does act like my friend...sometimes.

But lately, I'm not so sure.

Katie and I have known each other since kindergarten. We've spent a lot of time together because we like doing the same kinds of things: making perfumes with flowers picked from my yard, playing soccer in the rain, sharing secrets, and spying on our bossy, know-it-all brothers.

I love being around Katie when she's nice to me.  But there are times when she's not.  She can be just plain mean.

And I don't know why.

Author

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker, presenting at schools and conferences both in the US and overseas, educating students, parents, and teachers on relational aggression.

Her books have received numerous awards and citations including Victoria Soto Legacy Award, IBPA Gold Benjamin Franklin Award, Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, NAPPA Gold Medal Award, Mom’s Choice Gold Awards, Moonbeam Children’s Books Gold Award, Comstock Read Aloud Honors and are included in the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best of the Year Selection, NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection, National Crime Prevention Council’s Circle of Respect Book Club Selection, Junior Library Guild Selection, School Library Journal’s Best Picture Books Selection, Scholastic Instructor Recommended Back-to-School Picks, and more.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with leading experts and organizations including Committee for Children, ConnectSafely.org, Sesame Workshop, and Passport to Peace Foundation.

Trudy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and their loyal hound dog, Hannah. Visit her on the web at trudyludwig.com or follow her on Twitter @TrudyLudwig.

View titles by Trudy Ludwig

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