FIGHT BACK WITH WORDS
Remind youngsters heading back to school that getting picked on is tough– but that words can also heal as much as they can hurt, as one anthology proves. Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (Harper Collins; $18) compiles essays from popular young adult authors like R.L. Stine, Heather Brewer, Mo Willems, Ellen Hopkins, Cecil Castellucci, Eric Luper, Carolyn Mackler, and Alyson Noel, all of whom have come out against bullying. Inspired by last year’s intense media coverage of bully-prompted suicides, the project will donate a portion of the book’s proceeds to the organization STOMP Out Bullying (stompoutbullying.org). Learn more at dearbully.com.