Say Something

"Moss tackles the ever-present issue of teasing by specifically talking about what someone should say when they see someone else being teased. The main character of the story sees teasing happening all around her, but at first, she stays silent. When the tables are turned on her, she quickly realizes that being an innocent bystander won't work any longer. She uses the newfound empathy to comfort other targets of bullying and prove the harmfulness of teasing and the power of friendship. The illustrations from Lea Lyon do a wonderful job of depicting the emotions of the characters and Moss even includes some discussion questions at the end to make sure the lessons really hit home." -- Kylie Hall - Teacher.org
"Most appropriate for children in grades two through six but, this short, sweet story offers a lesson for all ages -(National Education Association)" -- NEA Today
"Activating child bystanders...helpful in raising this issue for discussion... compelling enough to be useful to discussions... all age groups." -- New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness and Prevention
"...excellent resource, written with clarity, sensitivity and directness." -- Black Issues Magazine
"Simple text...realistic watercolor drawings will pull readers into this story...One person can make difference is the theme..." -- Kansas City Star
"K-Gr. 3 Can one person make a difference? Moss' obviously didactic book, which seems designed for group discussion about bullying, focuses on the role of the bystander, a girl who sees the sadness of the victim but does nothing ("I walk on the other side of the hall. I don't say those things"). Realistic, lively watercolor illustrations show the child in a diverse school community, where kids are picked on and called names for being slow or different. The girl feels sad for them, but she looks away--until one day, when she is alone, the bullies make her cry, and her friends do nothing. The dramatic climax is quiet: the girl reaches out to a child who always sits alone on the bus, and the children have fun together. This is one of the best of the recent books for discussion about teasing; its direct, first-person narrative and informal portraits bring close classroom, hallway, and schoolyard scenarios for kids and adults to talk about. Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved" -- Hazel Rochman - ALA