It’s National No Name-Calling Week!

It’s National No Name-Calling Week from today (Jan 24) through to the 28th! It’s important for everyone to think about bullying and how it can impact us, but this week also has a focus on lesbian/gay/queer victims or homophobic bullying, which I’m really glad about. National No Name-Calling Week was created by GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and was inspired by the YA novel The MisFits by James Howe. Teachers, you can download lesson plans, tips, and resources, or buy buttons.

And don’t forget to read some great novels on bullying. One of my faves is Blubber by Judy Blume, and picture books Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems; You’re Mean, Lily Jean! by Frieda Wishinsky, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton; Superdog:The Heart of a Hero by Caralyn Buehner; and Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen. Now I’ll have to pick up The Misfits by James Howe for sure! (I love his Totally Joe.)

What books are your faves on bullying? And especially queer bullying?

January 24th, 2011