Kids talk about bullying......and do they talk. This book is just stories of kids of all ages, gender, race, orientation, ability and their experiences with bullying. The best facet of this book is the "what do you think" sidenotes giving readers the opportunity to "role play" the situation. Conversation starters between child and adult to be sure.

Canadian children's author Deborah Ellis, whose critically acclaimed Breadwinner Trilogy depicts the hardships confronting the young girls of war-torn Afghanistan, has - in her capacity as an advocate for children - published a number of collections of interviews with young people facing difficult situations around the world. The Palestinian and Israeli children who must contend with the grim realities of war on a daily basis, the African children whose lives have been effected by the AIDS virus, and the Canadian and American children whose military parents are serving abroad, have all been given an opportunity to share their stories by this remarkable woman.

Now, in this latest collection - published by one of my favorite small presses, Saskatchewan-based Coteau Books - Ellis turns her attention to the troubling issue of bullying, publishing the results of her interviews with the young people of southern Ontario. Divided into five thematic sections - You're Not Good Enough, You're Too Different, You're It - Just Because, We Want to Crush You, and Redemption - We Want You To Know presents the stories of thirty-nine children, aged nine to nineteen, whose lives have been changed by bullying. Told in their own voices, with their own words, these tales go straight to the heart of an issue that is much discussed, but (in my opinion) often ineffectively addressed, giving parents, teachers, and other children a view of the issue on the ground.

With its many firsthand accounts - from both bullied and bullier - this is an informative book. With its discussion questions, resources, and thoughtful introduction and conclusion, it is a very useful book. But most of all, We Want You To Know is a deeply moving book. I honestly wasn't prepared for how strongly it would effect me, for the memories it would awaken of my own adolescence, and the feelings it would evoke. I was physically uncomfortable much of the time that I was reading it, and filled with a terrible sense of both sadness and anger. I am thirty-four years old, and still find it difficult to discuss some of the things that happened to me when I was younger. How admirable these young people are, how courageous, in sharing their stories with us.

An excellent and very necessary resource - all proceeds from sales will benefit the Name It 2 Change It Community Campaign Against Bullying - this is a book that every person concerned with child safety and welfare should read. It's a book that bullying victims should read. And it's a book bullies should read. Just read it. ( )

A powerful collection of thoughtful, candid interviews about experiences with bullying from students between the ages of 9 and 19. There are perpetrators as well as victims here. An outstanding book on the subject. ( )

Personal reflections on bullying that are at times both heart-breaking and raw with emotion. These stories, told in the children's own words, will not only be of interest to other children, but also to parents, teachers, administrators, and councellors who are looking for examples of case studies when dealing with similar issues. Includes questions for further discussion after each story. ( )