REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
Sophia Writes to Her Bully
by Dr. Mildred D. Peyton
To coincide with National Bully Prevention Month, author Dr. Mildred D. Peyton is on tour with iRead Book Tours to promote her anti-bullying books for children. The tour stops here today for my review of Sophia Writes to Her Bully, along with an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well, including my blog post on A Bully on the School Bus.
Description
Sophia experiences verbal and social (also referred to as relational) bullying from her classmates during recess. Whenever Sophia attempts to play with a group of students from her fourth-grade class, she is rejected; Amber also calls her an inappropriate name. Only when Sophia takes action by confronting her bully with a letter does her victimization finally end. Want to know what Sophia was being called and how her classmates treated her? Read Sophia Writes to Her Bully and find out what her letter is all about!
Social exclusion is a form of bullying experienced by some children. When it occurs, they feel isolated, alone, and humiliated. It is important for parents to be informed and talk with their children about all types of bullying (e.g., verbal, physical, social/relational, and cyberbullying) so they are better equipped to intervene or prevent their child from bullying others or being a victim of bullying.
Excerpt
Praise for the Book
“With everything kids are exposed to these days this book is timely. It is a good read, educative yet entertaining. It helps parents talk to kids about bullying and shows kids how they can deal with bullies. It also makes a good gift. Get it!” ~ Nasserdealfinder131
“Sophia Writes to Her Bully is an open and shut bullying story that has a neat and happy resolution. While at first it seems unrealistic, the structure makes it a good choice as a conversation starter between children and adults.” ~ Hall Ways
“With easy to read pages and colorful illustrations, the author offers a complicated message in simple terms for families to discuss. While the bullying that Sophia endures is presented simply and straightforwardly - and a positive resolution comes quickly and easily - there is a larger message for families: bullying needs to be confronted. For families seeking to introduce a form of bullying - and a possible solution to the problem - this book is great option for that.” ~ Angela
“I am highly recommending Sophia Writes to Her Bully for all parents and their young children. I believe many would find this book relatable and useful. I will be donating my copy to my children’s school library so others in their school to read it, as well.” ~ Amy C
“Sophia Writes to Her Bully is a story of understanding that is great for young children, parents and teachers. In one story much insight is given into how bullying can look, how it can make children feel and why it may not be resolved by teachers alone.” ~ Stephanie
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
Sophia is having a hard time at school because the other kids, especially Amber, call her names and don’t want to play with her. Sophia’s mother comes up with a possible solution. Will it work?
I like how Sophia’s mother notices her daughter is not herself and encourages her to confide in her. She also comes up with a possible solution and empowers Sophia to resolve things with her bully. Reading this book with your children may open up the channels of communication and make them feel comfortable talking about bullying issues they may be experiencing.
The book contains cute, colorful, and expressive illustrations by Andy Hoang. The author provides some anti-bullying information at the end of the book: Definition of bullying, Facts about bullying, Tips for students, parents, and school personnel how to deal with bullying, Helpful resources for parents of children who are victims of bullying, and Bullying Statistics.
About the Author
Dr. Mildred Peyton is the President and Founder of Peyton Consulting, LLC. Dr. Peyton established her consulting firm, which was initially geared towards school bullying services, in March 2016. She was inspired to create Peyton Consulting and become a children's author on bullying after completing her doctoral research study entitled, “Exploring the Meaning of School Bullying Among Parents of Victimized Children”.
During her undergraduate internship in 2002-2003 at Salisbury Middle School in Wicomico County, Dr. Peyton and her team developed and facilitated a mentoring program, providing one-on-one conflict resolution and mediating skills to students who were identified by the program coordinator with ongoing needs of behavioral issues. One of the key/primary areas Dr. Peyton and the other mentors focused on was educating and addressing bullying issues with bullies and victims. And in her graduate program, Dr. Peyton also facilitated a school bullying focus group in 2005 at Maryvale Elementary School in Montgomery County, to teach participants about bullying behaviors and how to avoid bullying others. She also attended several bullying workshops to learn about the latest studies while working with the students. Her passion on this topic followed her even as she served as a member on the Committee on Hate/Violence at Montgomery County Office of Human Rights, in 2013. There she developed a brochure for students and parents for the annual bullying symposium and, provided rich knowledge and skills on this topic throughout the year.
Today, the company has expanded its services to target workplace bullying as well. With the experiences of others and Dr. Peyton's personal experience with adult bullying in the workplace (which caused her to resign from her employer in 2016), she believes attention, guidance, and solutions are also critical in this area. Dr. Peyton holds a Ph.D. in Human and Social Services with a concentration in Social Policy Analysis & Planning. She has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and Sociology and a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. Dr. Peyton is committed to using her knowledge and skills to influence positive change among students and adults.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
Links
