Just Kidding Hardcover – Picture Book, April 1, 2006

I have a step child that is not with us much. And this kid is a complete bully and treats people like complete trash. This less than 10 year old child treats other kids so poorly that making friends at all is next to impossible. Once they get to know each other the friend wants nothing to do with the bully. And understandablyI had gotten this book in hope to help teach the child how other might feel. To help correct the bullying. It didn't help one bit. The child had it read once and never wanted anything to do with it again. The child got nothing from this book. I wanted so much for this to help, but it did not. I have not found a book aimed at the bully themselves.So while this book might be great for those who are being bullied, it does nothing to help the bully open their eyes.

This is not the loveliest story-it's kind of corny and there's no subtlety to it-but a great help when the issue of mean teasing presents itself. I read this story, and I believe that it was heard-really heard-by everyone, perpetrators included. We had a good discussion afterward. I like the "Teasing Dos and Don'ts" in the back of the book, which really lay out in very clear language what is acceptable in the realm of teasing, and what isn't. Some examples: "Accept teasing from others if you tease." "Be careful of others' feelings." "Don't tease about a person's body." I bought it for the message and the discussion I knew we'd have about it, not necessarily for its writing. It got good reviews from others. I think it was a worthwhile purchase, and good to have in our collection.

This is a great book for both the home and the classroom. The story itself is realistic and poignant and makes the distinction between "tattling" and "reporting." When D.J. is teased unmercifully by Vince, D.J.'s life becomes miserable and he begins to feel like a "loser." Fortunately, he finds support from both his family and his teacher, and they help him develop some coping skills which not only enable him to deal constructively with the bully but also enable him to support his friends when they are the objects of the bully's attacks. The Foreward by Stan Davis, founder of [...] provides a valuable overview of the issue of bullying as well as suggestions about how to help family members deal with the problem. This is a valuable resource for both the home and the classroom. Highly Recommended!

I read Just Kidding to fifth grade students as part of a unit on bullying and the connections made by students were amazing. The more ways that student hear - "You don't have to suffer from bullying" - the more we will be able to impact the devastation caused by bullying and cruelty. Like Trudy's first book, My Secret Bully, this book presents the idea that bullying can happen within friendships, not just by an unknown thug. Kids have the hardest time knowing what to do about bullying when the offender is someone they like and wish to have as a friend. Just Kidding offers excellent suggestions - from using humor, finding strength in numbers, and getting support from school staff. This is a must-have book for counselors, teachers, and parents of tweens.

This is a great book teaching about a type of bullying that often is minimized. I accidentally left in a classroom after subbing one day and the teacher brought it back to me raving about it and said she read it to her class and thought it was excellent. It helps kids understand that covering up insults by saying they were just kidding is bullying. It really got the students thinking.

This is an excellent book for the classroom or school counselor. I love that Ludwig has books which focus on both male and female bullying and how to cope. She does not sensationalize the issue, but puts the situations in the context of the children's feelings, making the stories relatable to them. When I meet with a student who is dealing with aggressive behavior from another child, we start off the session with one of Ludwigs books, and use them as the foundation for further discussion. So far, they have been really helpful.

In this age of arrogance I love this book and my favorite by the same author is "SORRY!" they are spot on with helping children make sense of peers unhealthy putdowns and power moves. A good way to help children navigate the increasingly complex and tricky world of peer connections.

This book highlights a problem often experienced by children. Hidden insults. Ms. Ludwig presents the issue from many sides and offers possible solutions and even causes for such behavior. I use this book with students to open conversations about how to treat others, and realizing the impact of the spoken word.

I have found it difficult to find good books regarding bullying. This is one of the good ones.This book tackles the problem of telling the difference between good natured and malicious teasing,which is difficult to tell as a child. "What's the problem? I was just kidding" might sound familiar if youhave experienced this before.This type of teasing does not go away by "standing up" for yourself and it requires attentive adults as illustratedin the book. The main character's dad tries to teach him to deflect the bullying, but it ends up not working(which is closer to real life) so they end up going to the principal and the bully ends up in counseling.In a happy ending, the main character does NOT become friends again with the bully, but chooses to make friendswith kids who are positive and like him for who he is.I would recommend this book for children who are experiencing this particular type of bullying to help themunderstand what type of teasing is okay and which is not, and what to do if you are being teased in a mean way.I would also recommend this book for the parents of children who are being teased-it's too often that we forget what it's like to be a child and how helpless we feel and that we are "tattling" instead oftrying to help ourselves. Parents can't dismiss their child because bullying is something that can cause lifelongdamage and children are not equipped to know how to deal with it, and not everyone experiences it the same way.

Good resource for classrooms, not as good as some of her other books