Sticks and Stones: Emily Bazelon to join book group discussions

New community, new library card: the first book to come home with me to my apartment in Ashland, Oregon was Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy by Emily Bazelon.

I requested the book after attending an ALA Booklist webinar, “Addressing Bullying Through Books,” in which Bazelon was a featured presenter.

I had a three-fold interest in the webinar as a survivor of childhood peer abuse, a former journalist and aspiring library professional.

I believe library workers and journalists are especially well placed to share the message that bullying is not OK and that bystanders have a powerful role to play in prevention of bullying.

In an email correspondence, Bazlelon told me that what she cares about most is sparking discussion on the topic. “To that end, I’m offering to Skype or call in to book groups of 10 people or more.” Bazelon added, the book’s publisher, Random House, will send two free copies to the book group organizer.

Terry Gross interviewed Bazelon during the Feb. 19 broadcast of NPR’s Fresh Air. Discussion questions for Sticks and Stones can be downloaded in .docx format from Bazelon’s website, www.emilybazelon.com.

Bazelon invites anyone who wants to put a book group together to contact emilybazelon@gmail.com. I appreciate her effort to promote discussion about ways to defeat bullying.