A few months ago I offered a short story that I wrote about vicious bus bullying in middle school to readers who pre-ordered my upcoming book called The Order of the Trees. The story– sometimes called Bullying on Bus 10, is a raw and unflinching look at a junior high bus filled with harassment, bullying, and torment. It is based on many true events from my youth.

I was moved by the outpouring of conversation and support for this story.  So I created discussion questions to go with the book, search for and linked to resources for parents and teachers, and published the book to Kindle. It is available today, October 1.

Bullying on Bus 10 includes:

• An unflinching look at bullying from a middle school student’s perspective. This is a short story. Use at home as a conversation starter, in the classroom to spark a discussion, or anyway you like.
• Discussion questions for immediate use in the areas of empathy building, standing up, and community.
• Resources for your use for parents and teachers, including videos, images, and lists of resources for varying audiences.

For our kids, we need to be having these conversations. We don’t know what they face on a daily basis.  They can learn from our mistakes and experiences. This generation is capable of more. They are more tolerant, expressive and accepting. We must support them.

It is my hope that this story can open doors, give families important issues to talk about, and share helpful resources.  Let there be no more silence about bullying. Only together can we change the story.