Nobody!: A Story About Overcoming Bullying in Schools

by Erin Frankel, Paula Heaphy (Illustrator)

Thomas feels like no matter what he does, he can’t escape Kyle’s persistent bullying. At school, at soccer—nowhere feels safe! “Mom said Kyle would grow over the summer and stop picking on me, but he didn’t grow up, he just grew.” With support from friends, classmates, and adults, Thomas starts to feel more confident in himself and his hobbies, while Kyle learns the importance of kindness to others. The book concludes with “activity club” pages for kids, as well as information to help parents, teachers, counselors, and other adults foster dialogue with children about ways to stop bullying.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2015

About the author

Erin Frankel is a children’s book author. She loves telling stories of empathy and wonder. Her picture books include A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, which is an Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Title and a Texas Blue Bonnet Award Nominee, as well as Remembering Barkley, and the Weird! series. Forthcoming titles include Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder (2025) and Piece by Piece: How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive (2026). Erin lives with her family in Pittsburgh, where she writes, teaches, and hopes. She is represented by Lindsay Auld at Writers House. You can also connect with her on Instagram @erinfrankelwrites

Reviews

[Kristine Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will you look at little Thomas's eyes?? I just want to hug that drawing, and though I know we're not supposed to judge a book by the cover, it was the cover that got me to read this book. The text is great -- will get to that -- but what absolutely make this book great are the richly detailed illustrations by Paula Heaphy. What looks like colored pencil sketches perfectly capture the emotions and expressions of the characters, which help readers experience for themselves the wide range of feelings going on. The scenes are realistic, and readers will relate to the settings that are shown in the book.

Happily, the text of this book is just as wonderfully done as the illustrations. Author Erin Frankel has provided a story that allows readers to see not only the perspective of the child being bullied, but also some insight into the bully himself, and even the actions/reactions of bystanders who witness bullying. Nobody! progresses in a way that establishes Thomas's parents, sister, and friends are aware of how Kyle treats Matthew, but that Thomas realizes he has some power in changing his own attitude to lead to different outcomes. This is a good introduction for kids to managing their own feelings and relationships and empathizing with how others feel. Hopefully, with the type of guidance, perspective, and talking points this book provides, kids will learn early on how to navigate bullies (including being one) and carry those lessons with them as they grow older. Bullying gets so much nastier as kids get older, so this is a semi-gentle way to start the dialogues at a young age.

I highly recommend this book, especially as a read along with an adult book, and think it's ideal for ages 7 to 9. The publisher recommends this book for ages 5-9, but I think that for little ones, there are too many words and some concepts are beyond their scope of understanding and it could be scary or confusing.

Thank you to Free Spirit Publishing and NetGalley for providing me an eBook copy in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give. Review also posted on http://kristinehallways.blogspot.com/... .

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is another children's book I saw on *Netgalley that I thought would be a great read for my son as I think the issue of bullying is a very important one.

Thomas is being bullied at school by one little boy. No matter what Thomas does Kyle will not stop bullying him. Thomas begins to think of himself as a nobody till one day Thomas decides to change his perspective. With the help of friends Thomas becomes more confident and in turn Kyle starts to bully him less.

This cover....oh this cover is just heart breaking. Those big sad mournful eyes. It reminds me of when I was younger and was bullied. I know the heart ache of no matter what you do it doesn't make a difference. I know what is like when adults wont listen and no one else will stick up for you. It is a hard hard thing to go through. Thankfully, my son hasn't had to really go through that and the little bit of bullying he experienced when he was in Kindergarten he has already forgotten about. Since my son is special needs I worry about him being singled out for being different.

I like that the book didn't just gloss over bullying but pointed out how at times adults don't understand and just give platitudes that the bully will "grow up". I also liked that there was a believable happy ending.

My son enjoyed the book and we had a talk about bullying and why it is wrong.

4 out of 5 stars.





*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion
**This book was read with 7 year old severely learning disabled son and the review reflects his opinion as well.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas is being picked on by Kyle. Kyle is doing this several times on purpose and Thomas really wants him to stop because it is making him feel worthless, like a nobody. The story tells of some of the things that Kyle does and says to Thomas. Eventually, Thomas realises that he has supportive friends and adults, that he really does have his own talents and that he is somebody.

This is a great, well illustrated story, which could easily help children understand more about social interactions of this nature from different points of view. It helps to show that changing your own attitude, supported by others, can really alter how people behave towards you. It also shows that by being kind rather than bullying, had beneficial effects on Kyle’s life as well as on that of Thomas.

The book has lots of information after the story, helping children understand the different attitudes and actions of the characters in the story. It also has page by page guidance for adults, suggesting questions relating to the text that could be used to stimulate discussions and raise awareness of children. A great story to help change attitudes and behaviour, I have no hesitation in highly recommending - especially to parents and teachers to use with their children.

Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley, too, for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[♛primadonna♛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thomas is dealing with Kyle's bullying at school. He doesn't understand why Kyle is bullying him or why Kyle won't just leave him alone. With help from his friends, classmates, and the adults around him, Thomas begins to gain confidence and believe in himself.

Children agreed on an anonymous 5/5 Stars.!

As a babysitter today I read this aloud to kids 5-8 years old and it was enjoyed thoroughly.

The kids favorite part and the main part they'd like to take away was "How to stand up for others" and "Not to bully people".

My favorite part as an instructor was the books ability to allow you to see the bullier, not as a monster, but as someone who needs help too.
This book inspired the kids in my charge to ask to watch some small mockumentaries/reenactments on Youtube about bullying.

I also enjoyed the end of the book, showing each main characters view and offering you tips on being bullied, being the kid who is getting bullied's friend, being a bystander yet not just standing by, and being the bully themselves.

I also enjoyed the ending reflection questions for teachers/parents. These opened up an entire conversation not previously had, about bullying.

I will definitely be recommending this to parents/teachers and children.

[Phyllis Krall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my three grandchildren and found it to be a real learning experience. They were able to discuss bullying and their experiences with it in their schools. They learned some valuable lessons from it.
The story is about a boy named Thomas who is bullied by Kyle, and made to feel like a "nobody". Thomas is supported by his friends , who help him believe he is a "somebody".
Kyle learns that being cruel doesn't get the reaction he wants and turns the situation around.
The reader will understand the feelings of the bully, the bullied, and the bystander. This book should be read by both children and adults to better understand how no one is a "nobody" because of their differences.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really made me understand other people and I will always remember that I am SOMEBODY!

[Bern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how it goes: every night my son will ask for a book about bullying and then he will interrupt me every 5min as he karate kicks and punches his way through telling me all the things he would do in that situation. Sometimes he is the bully, and I wonder if he is getting inspo here, and sometimes he is the one being bullied. The lines aren't so black and white when you have kid who is complex enough to be both. I just hope seeing how it affects the characters can give him the script to do the right thing.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of one bully and one victim. Told from the victim's point of view.

Shows how the victim is affected, but also how he can turn things around.
Illustrates how adults and other students can help, too.

Back matter gives a lot more information including questions for discussion.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good resource for classrooms/schools, but fairly heavy-handed.

[Jan]

bullying

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for read to children.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using a fictional setting, the author of Nobody! shows how bullying can rob a child's life of happiness and contentment. When Kyle bullies Thomas and makes ugly remarks about his hobbies and abilities, Thomas has trouble concentrating on anything except the way Kyle makes him feel. Because the bullying is always on his mind, Thomas can't even enjoy the things he is good at. But when Thomas decides that he is happy with the ways he is different (since differences are what make us all individuals), he reacts to Kyle's taunts in a way that takes the power out of them. It also helps that friends and classmates also tell Kyle that they like the glasses Thomas wears or the kite he makes, showing Kyle that they don't appreciate his behavior.

The situations in the story are very realistic. It seems that bullies are very good at finding those times when an adult is not watching to do their teasing. As Thomas says, "I wish some people would look a little closer." And often the bullied child has frustration and anger that he or she takes out on others, just as Thomas yells at his family to leave him alone. There are often bystanders - and how they choose to act can make a difference. If they simply stay silent, or say that they didn't see what happened, the problem will just continue. Thomas has figured out that the other kids just don't want Kyle to be mad at them, it's not that they agree with Kyle or approve of what he's doing, they are afraid of being his next target.

The activities at the end of the book are very helpful for parents and teachers who would like to use the story with their own children or students. There are discussion questions, tips on finding someone to talk to if you are having a similar problem, and tips for helping fell good about yourself.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Emmaline MacBeath · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY: Thomas has become miserable at school because of Kyle who is bullying him. Thomas starts to believe that maybe he is a nobody because of the mean words Kyle says. Even though Thomas has other friends, everything Kyle says and does overshadows his life. Then one day, Thomas decides to look at things differently. He looks at life from Kyle's perspective. He also decides it's okay to be different because it's what makes him Thomas. His new perspective and a talk with his mother help him deal differently with Kyle making things better for both of them.

ILLUSTRATIONS: The illustrations are done in a mix of black and white and color making it more appropriate for the older audience it targets as well as making them more subdued for the serious subject.

THE GOOD: I like that this story is told from Thomas' perspective--about how he feels about the bullying and how depressed he is becoming even though he has other friends. This is a very realistic portrait of bullying. But the bullying is not too ugly as to make it inappropriate. Towards the end, Thomas finds ways to cope with the bullying that are positive for everyone. At the back of the book are thoughts on bullying from kids' perspectives, activities, and discussion questions.
THE NOT AS GOOD: When Thomas starts to think about his life, things become a bit abstract and harder to follow. I am not quite sure in the end how he got from point A to point D.

AGE RECOMMENDATION: Grades 1-5

NOTE: I received a free ARC copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My reviews are always 100% honest based on preset criteria.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book that I recommend for all kids to read. It is great for kids who are bullied, for kids whose friends are being bullied and for kids who are doing the bullying.

Thomas is being bullied by Kyle and we see through the progression of the book how it is affecting Thomas, his friends, his family, and even Kyle.

I love the layout of the book. On each page, Thomas tells us a little bit about how Kyle treats him and how he feels about it. The illustrations add to the story because we "see" what Thomas is dealing with in a comic book style, if that makes sense. There is usually a box that the illustration is in and it includes dialogue bubbles that show us how the characters interact with each other.

The illustrations in this book really add to the overall story and feeling of the book. I loved how the illustrator drew attention to specific characters at times by coloring them in while the other characters in the scene were left uncolored.

The lessons that can be learned don't stop with the end of the book. There are discussion questions at the end that challenge the child to determine which character he is most like and what he can do to change the situation. It is pointed out that telling an adult about bullying is not the same as tattling. The child is invited to be part of "Team Somebody," which gives specific suggestions for kids to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others around them.

I am so glad that NetGalley approved me for this book. I plan to read more by this author and to also look for books done by the illustrator. I know that they have done other books together; they make a great team.

[Patricia Tilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erin Frankel and Paula Heaphy, who created the popular "Weird" series, have published a powerful stand-alone picture book for boys about bullying. Many of the beloved characters in the "Weird," "Dare" and "Tough," appear in the background of "Nobody!"

Young people will identify with the name-calling, insults, threats, fear, and anger. The characters are realistic and the language is simple, but edgy.

Thomas narrates the story. We watch him grow from the victim who doesn’t like feeling like a nobody to a more self-confident somebody. But they also hear from Thomas, the bully, siblings, parents, teachers and bystanders. The bully, Kyle, also learns a few lessons.

Nobody! is an excellent resource for teaching school-age children good emotional techniques to stand-up for what is right, to survive and grow beyond bullying. This is another book that belongs in every school library.

Paula Heaphy’s stand-out illustrations are pen and ink drawings with splashes of color. They are bold, expressive, emotive and capture the action in the story. Children will find her illustrations especially appealing.

[Sandralk · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I want to thank the Author, Illustrator and Goodreads Giveaways for sending me this book to read and review.

In addition to the book I also received a darling bookmark and poster, too. I truly love the artwork found on the poster, bookmark and book!

The basic premise describes almost any young grade schooler in the world, who is a nice kid but for some reason is continually picked on by a bully. This could be anyone's child. (I was very fortunate growing up to not be in the cross hairs of some bigger and meaner classmate.)

As the story proceeds you can read how Thomas has friends he has things in common with but for some reason Kyle has something mean to say to Thomas. Thomas' friends want to stick up for him but are afraid of becoming Kyle's next target.

Fortunately Thomas does share this information with trusted adults who help him, and his classmates work through their issues with Kyle.

If you have young children you may want to read this book with them and discuss what they might do in Thomas' situation.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Bullying being in the news regularly and dealing with issues in a school, I think this book would be a great tool to help in dealing with the problem.

Thomas feels like a Nobody because of the way Kyle treats him. He calls him names, tells him no one likes him, that he is a Nobody and physically hurts him. Thomas begins to believe that what Kyle says is true. He wants his friends to stick up for him and he does not understand why everyone worries about Kyle's feelings. Once Thonas starts thinking differently about what Kyle is saying, Nobody is like me, that is correct, he realizes that he is an individual with his own talents and interests. Friends and teachers start sticking up for Thomas and Kyle starts to change the way he treats him.

I love the examples, points of view and questions at the back of the book that would assist with a discussion about bullying. It is not easy to stop a bully, but this book would be able to help and empower the victims as well as the bystanders.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grades 2-5. The layout of this book reminded me of self-published books I have seen in the past, but what struck me as different about this book is that the circumstances of bullying really mirror what I hear from students.

We all know we shouldn't bully. Teachers can't hear every interaction. What happens when you ARE ignoring the bully but the bully won't leave you alone? Why do adults worry about how the bully is treated? These are valid concerns.

Thomas is depressed because Kyle has been picking away at him. He's done everything he can think of to deal with his bully. As the story develops, other kids begin to notice and tell Kyle to quit. They tell an adult what is going on. Kyle gets the help he needs to start to empathize and change the way he interacts with others.

Several pages at the end explain different methods for shutting down bullying from different points of view.

[Lauren White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about a young boy named Thomas who is being bullied by another child at school. While there are many bullying books available for students, parents and teachers, this one was very special. Thomas reflected on very common things that children hear from friends or adults when they complain about bullying behavior. He reflects on statements such as , "just stay away from him" and "don't listen to him". This introspective text sheds light on bullying for children and the feelings that a victim has in these situations.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nobody! tells the story of a child overcoming a bully at school. The bully in this story, although a stereotypical skate-boarding boy with a dad that ignores him, ends up coming around to being somewhat nice once other kids don't join him in teasing. This is a story that is great to share to illustrate to other kids how to stand up to bullies, however it implies that there is a cookie-cutter solution to bullying.

[Tanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This will be a helpful resource for teachers and counsellors in talking about bullying with Primary school students. I especially appreciated the part that follows the main story in which the characters from the story list in bullet points what they did to help the situation. Great strategies to introduce to students. Helpful for adults using this book with children are the suggested guiding questions for each page of the story.

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a bit didactic at times, but this book was actually a really good read. Kyle is treating Thomas poorly, and since this book is all about things from Thomas's perspective, it has a lot of insight into how it feels to be bullied. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who is struggling with bullying or who has a child who's dealing with it.

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the idea of this book, and strategies included in the back- including various perspectives. A couple of times it felt disjointed to me- it seemed to jump. But overall it would be a good book for a classroom.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book that helps explain bullying to kids in a real way. At the end of the book it gives kids tools to help with bullying problems and parents/adults reflection questions to create a dialogue with children about the book.

[Liz Covington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody can make you feel like a nobody, cause we are all somebody. A book about bullying and good for both the kid being bullied and the bully. May be hard to get off the shelf, but teaches a good lesson!

[Laura Rubenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love Nobody! It is written I a way that any kid can relate to how both boys are feeling. I really enjoyed it.

[Gabbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how throughout the book, we(the readers) get the main character's point of view and also snippets of what's happening throughout his days.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for both bullies and those that are being bullied.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't care for the artwork, but this is well done.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for older children about bullying and ways to overcome it.