DARE ! - WEIRD ! SERIES
Jayla feels threatened by her classmate Sam, who has bullied her in the past for her "nerdy" love of astronomy and stars. Sam is now bullying Jayla's friend Luisa, and she enlists Jayla to participate. Jalya reluctantly joins in but soon realizes it is wrong. With the help of caring adults and friends, Jayla comes to sympathize with Luisa and finds the courage to dare to stand up to Sam and put an end to the bullying.
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.
ERIN FRANKEL
Erin Frankel is a children's book author. She loves telling stories of empathy and wonder. Her picture books include A PLATE OF HOPE Random House Studio, 2024 , MARY OLIVER, HOLDING ON TO WONDER Calkins Creek, 2025 , the WEIRD! series Free Spirit Publishing , and REMEMBERING BARKLEY Albert Whitman Company . She has an MA in English Education and is passionate about teaching and writing. Erin enjoys visiting schools to talk to students about writing and kindness.
