The Bully Book

Reach for this book when your child starts middle school and feels like they are being unfairly targeted or are struggling to understand the unspoken social rules of their new environment. Eric Kahn Gale provides a raw, unflinching look at the mechanics of school hierarchies through the eyes of Eric Haskins, a boy who suddenly finds himself at the bottom of the social ladder as the designated Grunt. It is a powerful tool for opening conversations about systemic bullying and the psychological impact of being an outsider. The story explores themes of justice, shame, and the search for belonging, framed as a mystery where Eric tries to find the physical book that supposedly dictates how to bully. It is most appropriate for children ages 9 to 13 who are experiencing the shift from elementary to middle school social structures. Parents choose this book because it validates the intense, sometimes cruel reality of peer dynamics without sugarcoating the experience, ultimately helping children find the agency to define themselves outside of their social status.