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Tales from the Bully Box
Bullying stinksBut knowing what to do about it can make things better.In Tales from the Bully Box, you will find short stories about kids just like you. They get bullied, and sometimes they even bully. But most of the time, they are bystanders who have to figure out what to do when they witness the bullying all around them. In "Hailey’s Shooting Star," one-handed Hailey proves her worth on the basketball court and as a friend. In "The Eyes on the Back of My Head," you’ll get to stare straight into Mike Mansky’s soul with a pair of super-secret laser eyes. Filled with stories that take readers on a journey from the classroom to summer camp, and the basketball court to the mall, Tales from the Bully Box inspires kids to be the best friends they can be.Includes discussion questions relevant to each story that are ideal for teachers and parents alike.Get it now!
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2014
37 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 10, 2014
Yes, I worked as the acquisitions and content editor of this anthology.
Yes, I have three short stories included in Tales from the Bully Box (which were acquired and edited the old-fashioned way via my publisher, not me).
No, I'm not biased because of my participation in bringing this great book to readers. If anything I'm biased because of the quality and poignancy of the stories told by both seasoned and debut authors.
I truly love the stories featured in this equally heart-warming and heart-rending anthology. Some stories made me laugh. Others had me in tears (thanks, Eden Grey and Precy Larkins!) Yet, all of them spoke to the everyday landscape that kids across the world endure on a regular basis.
When this project began, I assumed I would receive very similar submissions with all the same moral lessons. I feared preachy tales written by bitter parents who had watched their children suffer ridicule at the hand of the big, bad bully.
In Tales from the Bully Box, you will get none of that. The stories are unique in voice, even as they are everyday occurrences to the kids who will read them--with the exception of a few magical moments. Like bullying, these tales take place on playgrounds, at sporting events, in the hallway at school and even in the home. True to life, there are no heroes, nor are there any real villains. There are simply children trying to navigate the nuanced landscape of human relationships.
In these short stories, you will find a mix of bullies, the bullied and the bystanders. You will also find the opportunity to engage in honest communication with the children in your life via the included discussion questions. These questions probe deeper than the typical content questions and will help readers examine the context of each story and how the characters and situations apply to their lives.
In short, Tales from the Bully Box is an entertaining read for youngsters, as well as a great tool for anyone who has a kid, knows a kid, loves a kid or works with kids.
As an aside, all the submissions were vetted by my ten-year-old. Throughout the months of acquiring and editing that led up to the November release, he would periodically ask about the status of his favorite characters. Ultimately, this book collects them all in one place.
Personally, I think he had crushes on several of the girl characters--specifically Rosemary and Hailey :)
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did working on it!
~Cat
Yes, I have three short stories included in Tales from the Bully Box (which were acquired and edited the old-fashioned way via my publisher, not me).
No, I'm not biased because of my participation in bringing this great book to readers. If anything I'm biased because of the quality and poignancy of the stories told by both seasoned and debut authors.
I truly love the stories featured in this equally heart-warming and heart-rending anthology. Some stories made me laugh. Others had me in tears (thanks, Eden Grey and Precy Larkins!) Yet, all of them spoke to the everyday landscape that kids across the world endure on a regular basis.
When this project began, I assumed I would receive very similar submissions with all the same moral lessons. I feared preachy tales written by bitter parents who had watched their children suffer ridicule at the hand of the big, bad bully.
In Tales from the Bully Box, you will get none of that. The stories are unique in voice, even as they are everyday occurrences to the kids who will read them--with the exception of a few magical moments. Like bullying, these tales take place on playgrounds, at sporting events, in the hallway at school and even in the home. True to life, there are no heroes, nor are there any real villains. There are simply children trying to navigate the nuanced landscape of human relationships.
In these short stories, you will find a mix of bullies, the bullied and the bystanders. You will also find the opportunity to engage in honest communication with the children in your life via the included discussion questions. These questions probe deeper than the typical content questions and will help readers examine the context of each story and how the characters and situations apply to their lives.
In short, Tales from the Bully Box is an entertaining read for youngsters, as well as a great tool for anyone who has a kid, knows a kid, loves a kid or works with kids.
As an aside, all the submissions were vetted by my ten-year-old. Throughout the months of acquiring and editing that led up to the November release, he would periodically ask about the status of his favorite characters. Ultimately, this book collects them all in one place.
Personally, I think he had crushes on several of the girl characters--specifically Rosemary and Hailey :)
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did working on it!
~Cat
May 30, 2025
I should preface this review by saying that the publisher, Elephant's Bookshelf Press, also published my novel, Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand.
Tales From The Bully Box is, duh!, a collection of short stories about bullying, which is a hot topic these days. Bullying is something we've all been through. We all carry the scars of a bully, and some of us carry scars from being a bully. This collection helps kids see that they are not alone. The discussion questions after each story help kids learn empathy, which is the vaccine for bullying. This book would be a wonderful addition to any middle school's library and/or curriculum. The stories are varied, easy to read, but not overly simple. They all give examples of how to deal with a bully, which isn't easy.
There isn't a lot here on the subject of cyber-bullying, which is something we adults didn't grow up with, but kids have to deal with today. Still, this is a book parents and teachers can use to get the discussion going about bullying, then kids can teach us what should be done in cyberspace. Because, of course, the best way to learn something is to teach it.
Tales From The Bully Box is, duh!, a collection of short stories about bullying, which is a hot topic these days. Bullying is something we've all been through. We all carry the scars of a bully, and some of us carry scars from being a bully. This collection helps kids see that they are not alone. The discussion questions after each story help kids learn empathy, which is the vaccine for bullying. This book would be a wonderful addition to any middle school's library and/or curriculum. The stories are varied, easy to read, but not overly simple. They all give examples of how to deal with a bully, which isn't easy.
There isn't a lot here on the subject of cyber-bullying, which is something we adults didn't grow up with, but kids have to deal with today. Still, this is a book parents and teachers can use to get the discussion going about bullying, then kids can teach us what should be done in cyberspace. Because, of course, the best way to learn something is to teach it.
August 9, 2015
I know that I'm one of the authors, but I really do love the stories included in this anthology. Great shorts that kids can enjoy and relate to. This collection is meant to empower students who have been victims of bullying. It's also meant to be a resource for parents and teachers. There are discussion questions at the end of each story that parents/teachers can use to facilitate an open conversation with their children/students.
The stories are heartfelt and sincere, without being preachy, and include diverse characters who are multidimensional and so realistically portrayed. All in all, a great anthology!
The stories are heartfelt and sincere, without being preachy, and include diverse characters who are multidimensional and so realistically portrayed. All in all, a great anthology!
November 14, 2016
I just found one of the last two "disappeared" reviews/ratings from last year. Thank goodness it is not happening this year. It ended up being around fifty reviews/ratings that went POOF out of 112 books read in 2015.
Anyway, I was looking for books to recommend for this year's Anti Bullying Readathon, that I read for it last year, and this is one. It would be great for classrooms because you could read one short story a day during Anti Bullying Week.
I loved it. The stories were varied and diverse. Good stuff!
Anyway, I was looking for books to recommend for this year's Anti Bullying Readathon, that I read for it last year, and this is one. It would be great for classrooms because you could read one short story a day during Anti Bullying Week.
I loved it. The stories were varied and diverse. Good stuff!
September 29, 2019
I enjoyed this book. Great for a MS. Multiple stories about bullies - kids sticking up for themselves, or fooling the bully, bully telling from their point of view. Mostly realistic. My favorite was the kid who had eyes behind his head that turned into laser eyes. Not buying for the elementary school because can only get in paperback and most stories are for 6th graders.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews