Bullying Books for Kids
47 books in bullying. Every book rated for reading level and content intensity.
Bullying books for kids span a wider readiness range than parents usually expect. The same genre category contains gentle picture books and high-intensity middle-grade novels — Lexile and grade-level scores measure text complexity, not what's actually in the story. A bullying title appropriate for a confident 8-year-old reader could still cover themes a sensitive 12-year-old isn't ready for.
Across HootRated's 47 bullying titles, books span Grade 1–6. About 74% are rated Gentle or Mild — safe picks for sensitive readers and kids reading ahead of their emotional readiness. 2% sit at the Intense or Very Intense end. Average content intensity is 2.2/5.
Use the intensity badges (green → red, low → high) to filter by emotional readiness rather than just age. For deeper detail on how we rate, see our rating methodology.
Something weird about Mr. Foster
Ken Catran
Something weird about Mr. Foster
Ken Catran
I can't talk now, I'm busy writing nothing!
Jeff Fluharty
I can't talk now, I'm busy writing nothing!
Jeff Fluharty
The only girl in school
Natalie Standiford
The only girl in school
Natalie Standiford
Pop Hooper's perfect pets
Kyle Mewburn
Pop Hooper's perfect pets
Kyle Mewburn
Bullies don't hurt
Anthony Masters
Bullies don't hurt
Anthony Masters
Headed for trouble.
Barbara Rinkoff
Headed for trouble.
Barbara Rinkoff
Spud
Patsy Clairmont
Spud
Patsy Clairmont
Blue (Bite)
Sue Mayfield
Blue (Bite)
Sue Mayfield
Racing the Past
Sis Deans
Racing the Past
Sis Deans
Here comes smelly Nellie
Teddy Slater
Here comes smelly Nellie
Teddy Slater
Jake's secret
Teddy Slater
Jake's secret
Teddy Slater
Willa Bean to the rescue!
Cecilia Galante
Willa Bean to the rescue!
Cecilia Galante
Emily Smiley and the Mean Queen (Emily Smiley)
Philippa Greene Mulford
Emily Smiley and the Mean Queen (Emily Smiley)
Philippa Greene Mulford
Letters from the Grave (Spinechiller Library)
Felicity Everett
Letters from the Grave (Spinechiller Library)
Felicity Everett
Don't Be a Bully, Billy! (Cautionary Tales)
J. McCaferty
Don't Be a Bully, Billy! (Cautionary Tales)
J. McCaferty
Don't Be a Bully, Billy! (Cautionary Tales)
J. McCaferty
Don't Be a Bully, Billy! (Cautionary Tales)
J. McCaferty
Monsters on the loose
Zanna Davidson
Monsters on the loose
Zanna Davidson
"I don't think so!"
Karen Unger
"I don't think so!"
Karen Unger
In the Wild!
Sofia Nordin
In the Wild!
Sofia Nordin
What a wimp!
Carol Carrick
What a wimp!
Carol Carrick
Have Courage My Love
Lisa Hewitt-Savelli
Have Courage My Love
Lisa Hewitt-Savelli
What it feels like to be a bully
Susan Miracle Brown
What it feels like to be a bully
Susan Miracle Brown
Ferocious fall
C. A. Hartnell
Ferocious fall
C. A. Hartnell
Perfectly Popular
Lisa Ann Scott
Perfectly Popular
Lisa Ann Scott
Five Nights at Freddy's
Scott Cawthon
Five Nights at Freddy's
Scott Cawthon
Driftwood
Cathy Cassidy
Driftwood
Cathy Cassidy
Coping with bullying
Charlotte Guillain
Coping with bullying
Charlotte Guillain
By Golly, Molly, You're Right
Bobby Hawley
By Golly, Molly, You're Right
Bobby Hawley
Stories about surviving gangs and bullying
Michaela Miller
Stories about surviving gangs and bullying
Michaela Miller
Rat Orca Soundings
Lesley Choyce
Rat Orca Soundings
Lesley Choyce
Dinosaur boy
Cory Putman Oakes
Dinosaur boy
Cory Putman Oakes
Secret Friends
Elizabeth Laird
Secret Friends
Elizabeth Laird
Face-Off (Get in the Game)
Lawrence, David, Yu, Bill
Face-Off (Get in the Game)
Lawrence, David, Yu, Bill
Bully Dinosaur
Michèle Dufresne, Pioneer Valley Books
Bully Dinosaur
Michèle Dufresne, Pioneer Valley Books
Beating the Bully
Micahel J. McLelland
Beating the Bully
Micahel J. McLelland
Bullying and Cyberbullying
Elizabeth Kandel Englander
Bullying and Cyberbullying
Elizabeth Kandel Englander
Us Three
Mia Kerick
Us Three
Mia Kerick
Inventing Elliot
Graham Gardner
Inventing Elliot
Graham Gardner
The Haunted Piccolo (Red Apple)
Gene Kemp
The Haunted Piccolo (Red Apple)
Gene Kemp
The Geek, the Greek and the Pimpernel
Will Gatti
The Geek, the Greek and the Pimpernel
Will Gatti
Why Cant I Play
Elizabeth Hawkins
Why Cant I Play
Elizabeth Hawkins
Bullying issues
Cara Acred
Bullying issues
Cara Acred
Eyes in the Shadows
Alan Bunn
Eyes in the Shadows
Alan Bunn
Playground Push-Around (Bully & Victim Activity Book (K-2))
Jim Boulden
Playground Push-Around (Bully & Victim Activity Book (K-2))
Jim Boulden
The Lion Roars
Jim Boulden
The Lion Roars
Jim Boulden
I Still Cant do it! (Little Talentum: multiple intelligences in early childhood) (Personal & Social Collection)
Maria P Ferreres
I Still Cant do it! (Little Talentum: multiple intelligences in early childhood) (Personal & Social Collection)
Maria P Ferreres
Galilee
M. B. Stevens
Galilee
M. B. Stevens
Questions parents ask about bullying books
- What are the best bullying books for kids?
- HootRated catalogs 47 bullying children's books spanning Grade 1–6. Each is rated on reading level and content intensity. The picks above are sorted by quality signals — hook factor, discussion potential, and content appropriateness.
- Are bullying books appropriate for sensitive readers?
- 35 books (74%) are rated Gentle or Mild — safe for sensitive readers. 1 (2%) are rated Intense or Very Intense. Average intensity is 2.2/5. Filter by intensity badge to match your child's emotional readiness.
- What reading level are bullying books?
- Bullying books in our catalog span Grade 1–6. The typical reading level lands around Grade 4. Reading level measures text difficulty — separate from content intensity, which measures emotional weight. The two often don't track together for gifted readers — the Gifted Kid Paradox.