by Erin Frankel
other books in the series to build awareness and
engage children in discussions related to bullying
and encourage bullying prevention. If you are
using the books as a series, consider doing the
following activities with young readers.
Series Activity: Chain Reaction
Discuss with children how chain reactions take
place throughout each story. Find examples
of negative chain reactions, and then look
for positive chain reactions that began as the
characters made better choices. For example,
when Luisa gave up the things that made her
feel special, such as her polka dot boots, Sam felt
more powerful and continued to bully her. But
when Luisa made a choice to act confident and be
herself, Sam felt less powerful and stepped back.
Help children define these choices in simple terms
and write them down on strips of paper. Give
examples of choices in a positive chain reaction:
“Acting confident.” “Being a friend.” “Telling a
teacher.” “Saying something kind.” Invite children
to make a paper chain link with their positive
choices as a reminder that good choices can start
a chain reaction to help end bullying. Children can
hang up their paper chains at school or at home.
Series Activity: “Tell to Help” Drawing
Discuss with children how telling adults about a
situation in order to get help for themselves
or someone else is one of the most important things
they can do to help end bullying. Find examples
from Weird!, Dare!, and Tough! that show how
characters tried to get help by telling an adult,
such as Jayla and Will telling Mr. C. about Sam’s
bullying on page 14 in Tough! Ask children to draw
a picture of one of these scenes and write “Tell to
Help” at the top of the drawing. Have children
show their drawings
to the class and
explain why
they think
telling
helped.
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Series Activity: Round Robin
In small groups, have children retell Weird!, Dare!,
and Tough! from the main character’s perspective.
Each child takes a turn by adding to the story until
the story is completed.
Series Activity: What Comes Next?
Weird! Dare! Tough! . . . what comes next? Ask
children to imagine and make predictions about
what happens to the characters in the next book.
Encourage them to consider the main characters:
Luisa, Jayla, and Sam, as well as the peripheral
characters in the books: Emily, Thomas, Patrick,
Will, Mr. C., and Alex. Then have kids create and
present their own book title and storyboard.
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About the Author and Illustrator
Erin Frankel has a master’s degree in English education and is
passionate about teaching and writing. She taught ESL in Alabama
before moving to Madrid, Spain, with her husband Alvaro and their
three daughters, Gabriela, Sofia, and Kelsey. Erin knows firsthand
what it feels like to be bullied, and she hopes her stories will help
bring smiles back to children who have been involved in bullying.
She and her longtime friend and illustrator Paula Heaphy share the
belief that all children have the right to feel safe, loved, and confident in
who they are. In her free time, Erin loves hiking in the Spanish mountains with her puppy
Bella, as well as kayaking in her hometown of Mays Landing, New Jersey, which she visits
as often as she can.
Paula Heaphy is a print and pattern designer in the fashion industry.
She’s an explorer of all artistic mediums from glassblowing to
shoemaking, but her biggest love is drawing. She jumped at the
chance to illustrate her friend Erin’s story, having been bullied herself
as a child. As the character of Luisa came to life on paper, Paula felt
her path in life suddenly shift into focus. She lives in Brooklyn, New
York, where she hopes to use her creativity to light up the hearts of
children for years to come.
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