In this debut picture book, young schoolchildren learn that they can stand together against bullying.

When new student Joel is tormented on the playground by classmate Billy, the other kids take action: They find a teacher to intervene, comfort Joel, and let another teacher know what happened. Principal Joe immediately imposes consequences (a three-day suspension) and lets Billy and his mother know that bullying won’t be tolerated. When Billy returns, he’s harassed by mean, “tall, tough boys.” His classmates are scared, but they realize that “if they don’t stand together, this bullying will never end.” So they present a united front, raising their voices in a chorus of “Stop, bully, stop!” It’s an awakening for Billy, who now knows what it feels like to be picked on, and he’s grateful for his peers’ support. Lattier, a veteran public school educational diagnostician, offers kids informed advice with her age-appropriate, anti-bullying approach and an underlying message that parents, teachers, and administrators must act in tandem with students—encouraging them to sympathize, listen, and respond with prompt action. The softcover book alternates pages of clear, well-spaced, rhyming text with Scalisi’s cartoonish drawings of stiff-limbed but facially expressive and diverse children.

An educational, rhyming picture book with a simple message of unity.