Main Message: This Project Cornerstone book of the month focuses on how playground interactions while “playing” can be socially cruel and how the recess bully—Mean Jean— and her bullying behaviors held everyone hostage at recess until a new girl arrived at school. Katie Sue’s UP-stander interactions with Mean Jean change the dynamics of the playground for everyone. The Recess Queen, by Alexis O’Neill, is the story of Mean Jean, the school bully at recess. Tho...

Main Message: This Project Cornerstone book of the month continues to give kids tools to deal with verbal bullying. Though the illustrations and words of this book are geared towards younger children, the message and tools are essential for our older kids as they get ready to bridge to middle school. Chrysanthemum tells the story of a child who thought her unusual name was perfect until she started school. On the first day, she suspected that her name was not so perfect as her class dissolves i...