Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story about Bullying

By Becky McCain and Todd Leonardo

Straightforward and simple, this story tells how one child found the courage to tell a teacher about Ray, who was being picked on and bullied by other kids in school. Faced with the fact that “nobody knows what to do” while Ray is bullied, the children sympathetic to him feel fear and confusion and can only hope that Ray will “fit in some day.” Finally, after Ray misses a day of school and the bullies plot mean acts for his return, our narrator goes to a teacher. The children then invite Ray to play with them, and, with adult help, together they stand up to the bullies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman Company
• Release date: Jul 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781497659476

Reviews for Nobody Knew What to Do

[tamarasmith_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book gets pretty deep. A boy witnesses his classmate being bullied and he wants to help but is afraid to do so. He doesn't like what he sees but no one seems to be doing anything about the situation. He becomes brave to talk to the teacher about what his classmate is going through and the teacher helps out.

[alexiamacia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What I appreciate about this story is that it portrays teachers as trustworthy figures who keep children safe at school and will correct the children who do wrong. It's important that children feel vindicated after being bullied or when something has gone wrong at school. What I hope children take away from this book is that they should always tell an adult or their teacher when something is happening at school that isn't right. Children need to know that they have to use their voice and that it is ok and not considered tatteling when they tell on someone who is doing wrong. They should be encouraged to do the right thing and to help others.

[bsalomon_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When Ray is bullied in school, the children are too scared to step in and help him. One day, a little boy decided to tell their teacher what was going on. The next day on the playground, the teacher and principal stopped the bullying that was happening to Ray. Todd Leonardo, the illustrator, did a great job with portraying the actions that were going on in the story, by giving real life visuals. The story is very important for children to hear because they might be able to relate. Also, it will help them to know what to do if they ever had to go through a situation like this. I would consider using this as a read aloud for children in Kindergarten and first grade.