Blubber

This powerful middle grade novel tackles the painful reality of school bullying with unflinching honesty, following a fifth-grade class's cruel treatment of an overweight peer. Through Jill's perspective, young readers witness how easily children can be swept up in group dynamics and peer pressure, even when they know the behavior is wrong. The story's emotional core deepens dramatically when the social tables turn, forcing Jill to experience the isolation and humiliation she helped inflict.

What makes this narrative particularly effective is its refusal to offer easy solutions or tidy endings, instead presenting the complex social ecosystem of a classroom with remarkable authenticity. Children navigating their own social challenges will find much to recognize here, from the power of nicknames to the fickle nature of childhood alliances. The book serves as both a mirror for those who have witnessed bullying and a window into the emotional consequences of our actions, making it an invaluable conversation starter about empathy and accountability.