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Tough!: A Story about How to Stop Bullying in Schools Spiral-Bound |

Erin Frankel, Paula Heaphy (Illustrated by)

★★★★☆+ from 101 to 500 ratings

$23.48 - Free Shipping
Sam bullies kids at school before realizing it only makes her feel worse and there are caring people who can help her change.


Sam is concerned about keeping things orderly and “cool” at school. She thinks people need to have a tough skin in order to fit in and withstand others’ meanness and lack of cooperation. Sam teases her free-spirited classmate Luisa and enlists a friend, Jayla, to help. But when Sam is confronted by a concerned teacher about her bullying, and Jayla turns on Sam and befriends Luisa, Sam begins to show some heart and rethink her treatment of others.

The Weird! Series
These three books tell the story of an ongoing case of bullying from three third graders’ perspectives. Luisa describes being targeted by bullying in Weird! Jayla shares her experience as a bystander to bullying in Dare! And in Tough!, Sam speaks from the point of view of someone initiating bullying. Kids will easily relate to Luisa, Jayla, and Sam, as each girl has her own unique experience, eventually learning how to face her challenges with the help of friends, peers, and caring adults.

Part of the Bully Free Kids™ line.

Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Original Binding: Trade Paperback
Pages: 48 pages
ISBN-10: 157542438X
Item Weight: 0.4 lbs
Dimensions: 9.5 x 0.1 x 8.0 inches
Customer Reviews: 4 out of 5 stars 101 to 500 ratings
“The Weird series is a delightful three-part story that explores the roles of the bully, the bullied, and the bystander and how children can break out of those roles and be their unique, caring selves. Not only for kids, this series is a must for parents, educators, and caregivers who want to help children end the cycle of cruelty.”
-Barbara Coloroso, author of The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander

Erin Frankel loves telling stories of hope and wonder. She is the author of the Weird Series (Free Spirit, 2012), Remembering Barkley (Albert Whitman & Company, 2020), A Plate of Hope (Random House Studio, 2024), and Mary Oliver, Holding on To Wonder (Calkins Creek, 2025). Erin has an M.A. in English education and is passionate about teaching and writing. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is represented by Susan Cohen at Writers House Literary Agency.

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.