Bullies! Don't you detest their hurtful attitude and taunting language? Don't you abhor how bullying makes the victims feel? Bullying has occurred throughout the generations and in all kinds of societies. Even animals can be said to bully one another - birds have a pecking order and wolf packs will shun individuals. Slavery can be considered the most egregious form of bullying, and even the corporate world includes bullying. Often, minorities and women are excluded from high-ranking positions. Some bosses bully subordinates; coworkers may bully associates to make themselves feel important. Although there are many facets of bullying, this article focuses on varying measures of dealing with bullies at the early childhood level.

Definition of Bullying

Dictionary.com defines a bully as "[a] person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker people." The Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence (1998) identifies the bully as "[a]n aggressive child who repeatedly victimizes a less powerful child with physical and/or emotional abuse." Olweus (1993) describes bullying as "exposure, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions (words, physical contact, making faces, gesturing, or intentional exclusion from a group) on the part of one or more other students" (p. 9). Trawick-Smith (2006) classifies bullying as "proactive aggression that has no clear goal and is often displaced and hostile in intent" (p. 313). Even the definition from what is considered the first modern American dictionary (Webster, 1828) uses explicit language in characterizing a bully as "[a] noisy, blustering overbearing fellow, more distinguished for insolence and empty menaces, than for courage, and disposed to provoke quarrels."

Bullying, in the context of children, generally involves one or more larger or older children subjugating a defenseless youngster who is incapable of protecting him/herself. Warner and Sower (2005) state that bullies often are reacting to a kind of bias or diversity issue when they beset others. The target frequently possesses a characteristic that is "different" and that provides a supposed rationale for the attack; for example, freckles or an unusual name can incite an assault. According to Hendrick (2003), bullying encompasses varying types of verbal behavior, such as mockery, derision, insults, and threats. This vocal harassment causes emotional distress and poignant anguish. Verbalized bullying is often accompanied by physical harm, which can range from mild contact to, in the most extreme cases, even death.

The most accepted definition of bullying is the one offered by Dan Olweus, a recognized expert on the topic of bullying: "aggressive behavior that (a) is intended to cause harm or distress, (b) occurs repeatedly over time, and (c) occurs in an association in which there is an imbalance of power or strength" (Fleming & Towey, 2002, p. 6).

The Implications of Bullying

No one likes to feel as if he or she is the object of ridicule, or to feel the helpless anxiety that derision can cause. Young children are extremely vulnerable targets of persecutors. They are learning how to deal with their own emotions, learning about societal norms and acceptable behavior, and developing communication skills, all at the same time. Because of their lack of maturity, they often do not have the ability to handle tormentors. Immaturity also is an impetus to poor behavior, as some children become aggressive in order to obtain a personal objective. These children quickly learn that somehow overpowering someone else can attain that objective. This sense of accomplishment can promote a feeling of well-being and confidence, which may escalate into more frequent aggressive behavior.

Bullying seldom occurs in complete isolation, because the bully likes an authence for his/her exploits of intimidation. Bullies also can control situations so that the injured party is portrayed as the transgressor. For example, when, in self-defense, a child tells the bully to "leave me alone," the bully might interpret that comment as an insult that justifies retaliation. The victim may feel insignificant and helpless because of experiential immaturity. Several studies (Olweus, 1987; O'Moore & Hillary, 1991; Williams, Chambers, Logan, & Robinson, 1996) indicate that psychological anguish imposes recurring apprehension and trepidation on the prey of tormentors. Symptoms of this anxiety are diverse and wide-ranging, and may include (but are not limited to) shame, panic, health problems, isolation, social ineptitude, loneliness, depression, and low self-esteem (KidsHealth, n.d.; Rigby, 2003; Stop Bullying Now!, n.d.).

Educational and psychological experts (Fleming & Towey, 2002; Olweus, 1993; Trawick-Smith, 2006; Warner & Sower, 2005) agree that the symptoms and/or effects of bullying must never be ignored. Keeping the problem to oneself and yearning for the bullying difficulties to disappear never works. Education World (n.d.) declares that having a target switch classes or even educational institutions is not an adequate resolution. The victim does not gain anything positive by leaving (and may feel even more powerless), and the situation could repeat itself elsewhere.

Perceptions of the Victims

The perceptions of a small, intimidated target are depicted in several children's books, such as The Ant Bully (Nickle, 1999), Hey, Pipsqueak! (McMullan & McMullan, 1995), and The Bully (Caloggero, 2001). The main characteristic shared by all of these victims is that of size - each is much smaller than their oppressor. The bullies in The Ant Bully and Hey, Pipsqueak! are literally diminished in physical size in these stories due to a supernatural occurrence. The victim in The Bully appeals to the good nature of the bully and is released.

The protagonist in I Feel Bullied (Green, 1999) describes an array of feelings about being persecuted and cites varying circumstances in which bullying occurs. At times, he ignores the bully; other times, he tells the bully to leave him alone. In some situations, he tells an adult about what is happening to him. The book Don't Laugh at Me (Seskin & Shamblin, 2002) lists several reasons why people are bullied: they wear glasses or braces; use wheelchairs; have an atypical body shape; are homeless; or have cognitive delays. Teachers may want to take note of the religious inference at the end of this book. The central character in 7s It Because? (Ross, 2004) speculates on the reasons why a bully might want to torment him. His conjectures include such valid theories as "Is it because he's scared of the night?" and such ridiculous theories as "Is it because his pants are too tight?" Eventually, the boy concludes that the bully would probably rather be like him.

Resolutions for Bullying in Children's Literature

Stop Bullying Now! (n.d.), The Safe Child program, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2001) all concur that fighting or using physical force on a bully will not provide a positive solution for either the victim or the bully. Borba (1999) cautions that hitting back may quickly escalate the aggression. In Mayer and Mayer's (1999) children's book Just a Bully, the target does try to retaliate when he is shoved by the bully; the victim states that this approach does not work and that both parties are scolded. The small protagonist in Tyrone the Horrible (Wilhelm, 1988) challenges his larger oppressor to a fight, with no success. Both books adeptly illustrate how physical confrontations offer no positive outcomes.

When they have been victimized by a bully, the first thing that young children need do is to tell an adult. According to Stop Bullying Now and Girlshealth.gov, this is not "tattling" behavior; all children have the right to feel safe, and confiding in a grown-up is the first step toward achieving this goal. This is a common element in children's literature that deals with bullying; some examples are Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Bully? (Slater, 1995), Jody and the Bully (Anders, 1996), Myrtle (Pearson, 2004), and Stop Picking on Me (Thomas, 2000). In these books, a trusted adult, such as a parent, grandparent, or teacher, is informed of bullying harassment, which results in a reassuring resolution. The self-assurance of a child who is intimidate-d by a bully must be developed through validation and encouragement. In Chrysanthemum (Henkes, 1996), the love the title character receives from her family (as well as the support from her teacher) helps the youngster to build confidence. Shrinking Violet (Best, 2001) confides her misgivings to her teacher, who establishes a nonthreatening environment in which Violet can deliver her lines for a school play.

Another technique that is advocated by experts (Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2007; KidsHealth, n.d.; Murrah, n.d.; Stop Bullying Now, n.d.) is to maintain contact with a group or establish a buddy system. A bully may achieve more "success" by picking on a lone victim. Working in tandem with friends and classmates may alleviate much of the stress and frustration of being targeted as a victim. The main character in Henton's (1998) The BandAid Chicken persuades chicken friends that the principle of a pecking order is painful and debilitating. When Hermie the ant is oppressed by a large frog in Hermie and the Big Bully Croaker (Lucado, 2003), Hermie's friends rally around him to help find a solution. Hooway for Wodney Wat (Lester, 2002) depicts a shy and timid "wodent" who has a speech impediment. When the huge school bully misinterprets Wodney's verbal orders, the reactions of Wodney's classmates boost his self-esteem and his confidence begins to develop. In The Ugly Caterpillar (Sommer, 2000), physical appearance is the reason why Katy, the caterpillar, is ostracized by some of her friends. One friend, Annie, remains faithful while Katy's metamorphosis takes place; the other friends want to be Katy's friends when she turns beautiful, but Katy is still hurt from being shunned.

One strategy that can be helpful in counteracting taunts is to "agree" with the tormentor (Borba, 1999; Hansen, 2006; Safe Child Program, n.d.). This approach disarms the bully and helps eliminate the basis for bullying, such as anger, fear, and frustration. In Lovell's (2001) Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon, the miniscule heroine's grandma tells her to believe in herself and shows her how the very characteristics that the bully is denigrating can be recast as positive traits. Tyrone the Horrible (Wilhelm, 1988) illustrates this concept in a different manner. When Tyrone continually takes Boland's lunch, Boland turns the tables by agreeing that the bully can have his lunch-which consists of "double-thick-red-hot-pepper sandwiches." Durant (2000) portrays Big Bad Bunny as a bully. Big Bad Bunny takes anything he wants from smaller creatures and decides to move on to bigger rewards by robbing a bank. Wise Old Bunny outwits the bully by consenting to give him all of the bank's money. When Big Bad Bunny is incarcerated, he promises to apologize to his victims before he is released.

On occasion, standing up for oneself can be beneficial. In Mean Maxine (Bottner, 1980), Ralph relates to himself some of the things that he would like to do to his tormentor, Maxine. When he confronts her, he forgets these granthose plans and simply roars, "You better not mess with me," which proves to be a satisfying resolution. Simon's Hugo and the Bullyfrogs (1999) depicts a very small frog named Hugo as the target of many of the pond's bullies. His friend the duck teaches Hugo how to express himself in a loud voice, which discourages the bullies from continuing their behavior. The illustrations and limited text in Poulet's Blue Bug and the Bullies (1971) convey to very young children the many ways in which the blue bug manages to cope with larger tyrants. He runs, jumps, hides, and crawls, and then stands up for himself to announce his displeasure. The main character in The Last Laugh (Aruego & Dewey, 2006) is the bully himself. Only three phrases are used in this nearly wordless book, but the illustrations expertly convey the characters' emotions through facial expressions and body language. The snake is very pleased with himself, as his hissing causes others to show fear. He meets his nemesis, however, when a duck he swallows turns the tables on his tormentor.

Using Children's Literature

Bullying is prevalent, especially wherever several children are present at the same time. When a youngster is confronted by a bully, a child's feelings of self-assurance can be diminished and his confidence may flounder. Children's literature that relates to teasing, mockery, and bullying can provide a gratifying perspective on varying kinds of bullying problems that can occur, as well as a myriad of possible strategies for not becoming a victim. Children can make a connection with story characters and their feelings, and this association can promote self-confidence, empathy, and insight.

Many of the books discussed here can be incorporated into several areas of any curriculum. For example, books with frogs as central characters can be extended to a unit on nature, amphibians, or the environment. Books about community helpers, such as teachers and police officers, can assist children in making socially acceptable decisions. Books about bullying that feature dinosaurs can serve as a conduit for the exploration of land forms as well as the discriminatory factors in making comparisons.

Many schools currently use a values-based curriculum, which can be enhanced by some of the concepts found in the bullying books. Kindness and respect may be encouraged through the use of these books as enrichment materials. Socially acceptable behavior can be exemplified through the graphic illustrations in these books.

Reading is a key element in the educational process, and is the foundation of advanced cognitive development. Planning an activity to go along with a book reinforces the concept of the book and supports learning in visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modes. Books about bullying help young children understand behavioral dilemmas while prompting them to brainstorm solutions to problems. Educators need to be aware of this type of valuable resource to aid their efforts in addressing a significantly growing problem in our schools and child care centers. Through these books, children may gain knowledge that can greatly benefit their lives.