Abstract of

Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders in K–3 Literature

Janis Entenman

Timothy J. Murnen

Cindy Hendricks

The authors examined how bullies and bullying behavior were portrayed in 25 trade books appropriate for children in kindergarten through third grade. Employing a matrix outlining the characteristics of these books, they asked

• How are bullies and bullying behavior portrayed in K–3 children's literature?

• To what extent do the bullying scenarios depicted in these books reflect what experts say about bullying in the real world?

• How can teachers use these trade books to address bullying in their classrooms?

The study concludes with recommendations for schools and teachers to use children's literature reactively to address bullying situations as they occur within classrooms, and proactively to preempt bullying throughout the school.

Abstract from Entenman, J., Murnen, T.J., & Hendricks, C. (2005, December). Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders in K–3 Literature. The Reading Teacher, 59(4), 352–364. doi: 10.1598/RT.59.4.5