All of us have been touched by bullying - either by being the abuser or the abused. I grew up in a Christian home, went to a Christian school and was abused by a babysitter verbally & physically (not sexually thank heavens). At school I was very aware of the fact that my family was the only one that was divorced. I was told by teachers I wasn't allowed to talk about Mom, the principal would grab my books and throw them on the floor and ridicule me at times. By 8th grade I was scared to even turn my back on the other kids in my class. Looking back on it now, I know the other kids wouldn't of hurt me and to be honest they weren't the problem - it was the adults in my life. A little guy I watch now had a substitute teacher who couldn't handle him and used to separate him during activities. She'd keep him next to her and not let him participate in school events. I watched this little kindergartner lose his excitement for school, get more disruptive and sad. What was sad was the other kids & teachers were so used to seeing him separated from them and not allowed to participate that no one asked why he wasn't with them. Again it was the adults in his life.
by Aija Mayrock
ISBN: 978-0545860536
$18.99 (hardcover)
$5.23 (paperback)
$4.97 (kindle)
About the book:
Nineteen-year-old Aija Mayrock was bullied throughout middle and high school, a sadly common occurrence. THE SURVIVAL GUIDE TO BULLYING (Scholastic; June 30, 2015; Ages 10+), written when she was just sixteen, is
not just for kids and teens, but a flashlight to bridge generations of parents searching for a path to reach their children dealing with this issue- perfect for an interview and/or giveaway to address with teens.
From inspiring "roems" (rap poems) of Aija’s own creation, survival tips, personal stories, and quick quizzes (you can download a digital BLAD here), this book will gives tangible solutions to teachers, parents and children.
Aija is charismatic, beautiful, relatable, and passionate about this topic, demonstrated in this "Meet Aija" video. She is available for interviews and features and can speak about the following:
* Aija recorded herself the audio version by Blackstone Audio (available at Downpour.com)- and we have MP3's of some of her Roems – which you can hear one here called "I Knew Fear"
*
CyberBullying and what teens and kids should be aware of
*
Side-by-side mother/daughter perspective on Aija’s experience. (Her parents were so supportive they moved her to a new school)
*
What it’s like to be an advocate for teens, and be seen as a role model (along with anecdotes on fan letters and emails from across the US)
You are stronger than you know.
You will survive.
Creating your new life won't be
as difficult as you think. You are on
your way toward a happier future.
~ Aija Mayrock
My thoughts:
Recently I was approached about hosting a review on GivingNSharing for Aija Mayrock's first book "The Survival Guide to Bullying". Bullying is epidemic in America (and I'm sure it's the same worldwide!) - I'm so glad someone stepped forward to address this situation. The fact that it's being written about by a young woman who LIVED a lifestyle of being abused by bullies makes it Believable, Livable and Survivable ~ and young people NEED to know this.
One of the things that stood out to me as I read this book was that it's not just the victim being affected. Aija talks about Kids that are the Bullies - what are the reasons they may abuse others, what parents can do if it's their kid doing the bullying and how schools can stop the cycle or avoid it by teaching kids what to look for and how to stop it before it starts. Some of the behaviors Bully's have are some I've seen in my life (sadly) - it's made me consider how I talk to the kids in my life and how can I change the way I talk to them to help them understand what I'm saying (I HATE repeating myself - it makes me very frustrated). Another thing that stood out was the reason the kids gave for abusing her through bullying. You will need to read the book to learn what that reason is.
This guide is a complete guide on bullying & offers many tips, easy to understand explanations and how to's for kids & adults on what bullying is. I love that Aija looks at both sides of the subject and shows WHY kids are Bullies or Bullied. She suggests how to get help, steps you can take to fix the situation and even talks about what she did to not let becoming a victim take over her life.
This book should be on every library shelf, on every families bookshelf, and included in the English curricula in every school. The only thing it is lacking is discussion questions - and maybe until the next edition comes out those can be added to Aija's website. Every English classroom should be discussing this book.
Learn more about the author Aija Mayrock on her website, on Facebook and follow her on Twitter, Instagram & Tumblr.
Read a chapter from her book HERE.
Disclaimer: I received this book in exhange for my honest review. Regardless I only recommend products or services I have personally read or used & think my readers will enjoy.
Interesting. I'd like to hear the reason for bullying from the bullies. I was bullied when I was younger because I have a cleft lip and I always wondered what the reasoning was. I often think that it's a behavior that is learned at home.
ReplyDeleteSometimes - she had a list & a chapter focused on bullies. She brought up things that I never considered. She had a pshychiatrist co write the book so the stats and reasoning for the different groups is researched & accurate.
ReplyDeleteSometimes - she had a list & a chapter focused on bullies. She brought up things that I never considered. She had a pshychiatrist co write the book so the stats and reasoning for the different groups is researched & accurate.
ReplyDelete