[Confessions of a Former Bully] [By: Ludwig, Trudy] [July, 2012]

by Trudy Ludwig

After Katie gets caught teasing a schoolmate, she's told to meet with Mrs. Petrowski, the school counselor, so she can make right her wrong and learn to be a better friend. Bothered at first, it doesn't take long before Katie realizes that bullying has hurt not only the people around her, but her, too. Told from the unusual point of view of the bullier rather than the bullied, Confessions of a Former Bully provides kids with real life tools they can use to identify and stop relational aggression.From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, School, Middle Grade, Fiction, Juvenile

Paperback

First published August 24, 2010

About the 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 at schools and conferences around the country.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy collaborates with leading US experts and organizations and has been profiled on national/regional media outlets. She has also served as content advisor for Sesame Workshop's "Good Birds Club" TV episode and as an expert panel member on Sesame Workshop's video series on bullying.

Trudy's books have won the Victoria Soto Legacy Award, NAPPA Gold Award, Mom's Choice Gold Awards, the Moonbeam Children's Books Gold Award and are included in Kids'Indie Next Selection,the Cooperative Children's Book Center's Best of the Year Selection,and NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection. the Junior Library Guild Selection, the School Library Journal Best Picture Books Selection, and more.

For more information or to book Trudy for a speaking engagement, visit www.trudyludwig.com

Reviews

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I liked about this book is that it is a "former bully" realizing that she was a bully and learning about how to get better. We get a lot of books from the perspective of the one who was bullied, but less from the perspective of the person who did the bullying. There are so many ways for everyone to bully in small ways that people don't consider themselves bullies until they hear how a comment or attitude or even silence affected another person and they realize - that was bullying. I enjoy the fact that this book is styled to look like a student's journal and has nice charts and quotes inside of it. This is something that I think can be referred to frequently in the classroom and used in many different ways including just recommending that students read it.

[Jai M {Cat Crazy Dragon } · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought for my niece, not as good as hoped. Too much crammed in too tight a space. Confusing, difficult to sort or focus on what matters.
Good art work. Good message when you can find it.

[Madelyn Leen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Realistic Fiction novel I would suggest for grades 5th and up!
This book is a WOW book for me simply because of its message, layout, and importance. This book is lovely to read, with a mixture of text and small pictures that makes it feel as if you are reading a scrapbook of someone's life. The book addresses some serious aspects of bullying and how it can be taken on and shown in many ways -- not just physical like many assume. This book is great to read because it is so relatable, we are able to reflect with Katie and see where her actions may have hurt someone even though she never intended to hurt them. I love this book and would want all of my future students to read this! It's always important to reflect on how we treat others and how our actions may come off different from others!
-I would use this book in my future classroom in a lesson on kindness, and how sometimes our actions can come off as mean or hurtful even when we don't mean for them too. I would read this book to students to talk about ways to show kindness and teach empathy for others.
-I would also use this book to teach empathy and how actions can affect others. I would use this book on a recommendation bias to give to some of my students who need books to read independently and would ask them to share with others what they learned from the book.
-I would also use this book to read to my students during anti-bullying week/month in the school system. I think that this is a very powerful book that would impact a lot of students just because it is so relatable and important for students.
This book is definitely a WOW book for me. I am always interested in learning about how to reverse bullying and teach empathy in our students. That being said, this book works perfectly in teaching that and I believe it would be very impactful to my future students! WOW! I would recommend you read this!

[Cristina Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This realist fiction book is perfect for a fourth or fifth grade class. This graphic novel contains engaging illustrations that is sure to keep the attention of readers. Not only is this book engaging, but it also helps teach a valuable lesson on bullying.

Katie is a bully that gets called out on her actions by her principle and parents, and has to face consequences. After talking with the school guidance counselor, she decides to put together a scrapbook about bullying. This book is easy for students to follow and has accounts about what it is like to be bullied, be the bully, and how you can prevent bullying.

This book would be a wonderful choice to use for a class lesson on a social issue. Bullying is an important topic that is prevalent in many school and needs to be addressed by teachers and the administration in every school. Since this book is engaging and aimed towards an upper elementary school audience, it would be the perfect accompaniment to a lesson on bullying. It can also be used as an assignment for an individual student who seems to be battling with bullying. Due to the way the story is presented and written on the page, it would serve as a great example of a different piece of literature (a graphic novel). I have read many books about bullying, but this one seems to hit this topic with many different angles. It is sure to be beneficial to any student no matter how much or how little they have been exposed to bullying.

[Madeline Pratchler · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son and I read this book together. Bullying happens more often than we realize and I liked that this viewpoint was from the bully herself - when we understand someone, it helps to stop the bully. My favourite part was the tool belt of different tools to use - we tried it in a role playing way and hopefully it will help my son in dealing with conflict at school. Told in an easy format like a graphic novel, it kept his attention. Highly recommend!!

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! What a fantastic book. Aimed towards middle schoolers, but ANY age (adults included) can grow from it. Trudy gives some examples of
Bullying, and several options of healthy responses. This is appropriate for individuals, small groups,
Or classrooms.
I am rather stingy with 5 star reviews, but did not even second guess myself on this. Really a wonderful
Book!!

[Mairéad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in a diary style from the perspective of the bully this book is a must have for any upper primary teacher! Well laid out with appealing illustrations this book does a great job of spelling out in child friendly language how easy it is to be a bully/allow bullying to happen and offers some clear, practical strategies for breaking that cycle.

[Tina Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read - for children, parents and teachers.

A unique and creative way to get the correct message about bullying across to children . There are some terrific quotes that enhance the story and a wealth of resources for parents at the back of the book.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book to give someone regardless of age who is being bullied or is showing signs of being a bully themselves. It's simple enough little kids can understand it, but it also is important for older kids to realize it.

[Suzanne Dix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read about how to change the mindset of a middle school bully while also giving tips on how to be a Hero Bystander. Would prompt good conversation in a book group or advisory.

Grades 5 and up.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for teachers, librarians and school counselors when dealing with bullying. Apparently, this is the follow up to My Secret Bully, which I have NOT read, but I've heard great things about. Bullying continues to be a problem in schools, and this kind of story is important.

[Kiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read with your elementary school kids. Gives several strategies can use.

[Natalie (Natflix&Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nonfiction book about bullying written like a diary of a former bully. I liked that it was illustrated and easy to read, but this isn't revolutionary by any stretch. It was ok.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so excited to use this book with my counseling group!

[Jessica Velasquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of great messages for kids.

[Miss Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with healthy and useable ideas to deal with being a bully and how to deal if you are bullied. Good book to own!

[Lily M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is way too long for a picture story book but it tells you great information about how to deal with bullies.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read. Wish there were more examples for Junior High/Cyber Bullying. Great Resources in the back.

[Kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read with kids. Great discussions.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for learning how our actions affect others, being kind and having empathy. Illustrates that change is possible!

[Alexander Carvajal]

Who i can read

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A handbook written by a former bully to help the bullied and bullies. Has some good advice.

[Emily Pleszewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

The school social worker in me is already planning SEL lessons around this

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read!

[Jessica Speer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction book is perfect to read just after reading "My Secret Bully" (also by Trudy Ludwig) as it is told from the point of view of the bully. Written like a diary, "Confessions of a Former Bully" provides kids with real-life tools they can use to identify and stop relational aggression. This book is interesting to read, with a mixture of text and small pictures that makes it feel as if you are reading a scrapbook of someone's life. It also includes the important message that everyone changes, even kids that behave like bullies.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today’s book that I am going to read has a little bit different message. It is called Confessions of a Former Bully. The words bully and bullying are used quite often now days. What do those words mean to you? What does the word former mean? In this book the narrator is a girl who used to be a bully but she never really knew it. Has anyone in here ever felt like they have been bullied? Has anyone in here ever felt like they have been a bully to someone else? You may have been bossing someone around or bullying in ways you never even realized. I want you to listen to the book and let me know how the narrator expresses empathy and who she empathizes with. This story has a great message and it is written in a certain way. After I have read the book I want you to tell me how it is written and why the author would have written the book in this particular style.


The opening moves that I chose to introduce this book as a read aloud were:
Using prompts and dissecting the title. What is a bully and what does the word former mean.
We define the word former as used to be.
I draw on their own feelings by asking them if they have ever felt bullied or bullied someone else. Students these days throw that term around so loosely and I want to dig deep into what that word really means.

I also want them to pay attention to how the book is written. It is in a non fiction format with lots of headings and how to sections. It has great quotes from some very important people as well.
After reading I would ask why they added those quotes to the book and what did it add to the author’s message.

The reason why I chose this book was because it was unique and had a different point of view.
For a bully to write a book about her experiences and feel bad about how she treated people is a great message of empathy. To realize how others feel when you treat them poorly send a strong message to students who have been in either situation. I purchased this book for this project but I am definitely going to share this with my class and urge my teammates to do the same.

(2010, June 15). Kirkus. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Description: After Katie gets caught teasing a schoolmate, she's told to meet with Mrs. Petrowski, the school counselor, so she can make right her wrong and learn to be a better friend. Bothered at first, it doesn't take long before Katie realizes that bullying has hurt not only the people around her, but her, too. Told from the unusual point of view of the bullier rather than the bullied, Confessions of a Former Bully provides kids with real life tools they can use to identify and stop relational aggression.

I LOVE this book. What a great topic that is so rarely talked about! Most often, a book about bullying is told from the victim's eyes. This book is incredibly important because it is told from the bully's perspective. I would give this a 5 but I felt like the drawings and overall design of the book could've been more appealing. I hope we see more books from the perspective of a bully. There is a quote that I feel goes hand in hand with bullying: "Hurting people, hurt people." As a child, I was bullied quite often (as most kids experience) and if I had understood more about why kids do that or what they may be going through at home, themselves, it probably would've given me more strength to handle it properly. This book may have put it into perspective for me at that age.

So, I hope to see more books like this! And if not, well then I will corner those authors, call them names and take their lunch money until they do so!

(Totally kidding about that last part.)

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information on a topic that just about every middle-grade student has to deal with...bullying. The book is told as a fictional story/diary from the point of view of a reforming bully who must face the consequences of her actions towards other students. She meets with her parents, the principal and the school counselor, and discusses why she bullies and decides to keep a journal (what we're reading) so she can help others who might be victims of bullying The book is packed with facts about bullying, which will help students who think they are the only ones dealing with the issue, and has great tips for dealing with bullying behavior. Because it is told from the point of view of a reforming bully, it is also great for helping bullies think about their behavior. Insets with the school counselor's "thinking points" provide plenty of discussion/thinking opportunities throughout the book. The one thing that kept this from getting 5 stars for me was the format... the diary at times seems a little preachy and contrived. I appreciate the casual, conversational tone, but wondered if it could be accomplished without the "device" of the former bully keeping a journal. And from a collection point of view, I don't know quite where this fits--it's a fiction/graphic novel story, but too short to really fit in with the rest of the fiction - in my library it will never get checked out there. But overall the strengths of this one outweigh the negatives. ~s

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confessions of a Former Bully is an interesting book at a time when we are seeing a big anti-bullying push in our schools. It is an oversize hardcover so it looks like a picture book–although I hesitate to term it strictly as that.

It is written in the style of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. This style is part of what makes its content easily accessible to younger students. It resonates as genuine with the reader as opposed to setting up contrived or over-used examples. The story clarifies terms and situations in an authentic character voice.

Confessions has some great practical ideas for kids dealing with bullies. It emphasizes the difference between “tattling” and “reporting.” Any definitions, instructions or explanations provided are usually done in list form which helps young children process the most important points in the text as they are reading.

It’s a great tool with students who are struggling with a current bully situation or as a tool in a classroom or at home to start a discussion on the topic. It can then naturally broaden into a flexible springboard for both further discussion and disclosure. It could be used as a parent resource in that it may have strategies and perspectives a parent or teacher has not considered. This one is definitely worth the read for anyone with children or who works with children.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com

Gold Star Award Winner!

When I saw this book being offered for review, I knew I had to have it. I teach fifth grade, and have had a lot of problems with bullying in my classroom. Once I received CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER BULLY, I read it in one sitting (although it is really short, so that isn't hard). I then read it to my class.

Katie is a bully who gets called out on it by her principal and her parents. She has to face the consequences of her actions, and she decides to write this book to help others in the same situation.

The story is written in a simple way that elementary students can understand. It doesn't pull any punches, but states both how it feels to be bullied and to be the bully. It also gives definite ways to defuse a bully, which I believe that my students will avail themselves of.

This is an important book to be used by teachers, administrators, counselors, and parents. Bullying is destroying many children today, and we need as many tools as we can get. No one should ever be bullied, and everyone needs to know how to combat it.