Book Reviews | Pink Shirt Day

Primary & ECE, 20 Mar 24

Little Ruby & friends

Review by Rochelle Cave, Community Engagement and Health Promotion Manager, MHF

Professional rugby player Ruby Tui has written a kid’s book about friendship and how to be a supportive friend based on her life experiences.

Workplace, 20 Mar 24

Preventing workplace bullying and harassment

Review by Huhana Mason, Primary Health Counsellor

Hadyn Olsen is a consultant specialising in the prevention of bullying and harassment, his experience working with numerous organisations in this field form the basis of this practical guide.

Other, 27 Feb 24

Raising LGBTQ Allies: A parent's guide to changing the messages from the playground

Review by Fiona McDiarmid, Secondary school teacher and mum to a 3 year old

Tompkins walks parents through the many ways they can prevent new generations from adopting homophobic and transphobic beliefs, and to explore their own biases..

Intermediate & Secondary, 19 Feb 24

Be bully free: A hands-on guide to how you can take control

Review by Helen Haine, High School Teacher

Seeking to empower children who are bullied, this book presents a wide range of common bullying scenarios and gives practical suggestions on how the recipient can take control.

Intermediate & Secondary, 19 Feb 24

Emotionally resilient tweens and teens: Empowering your kids to navigate bullying, teasing, and social exclusion

By Charmaine Denney, high school teacher and mum to two teens

For anyone with teens in their life, to help them experience their own power, find their own voices, learn how to problem-solve, and navigate their way out of challenging situations.

Primary & ECE, 19 Feb 24

Little big bully

Review by Rachel Walker, Primary School Teacher

This book sensitively describes how and why bullying happens, and offers a range of well-researched techniques to help children develop coping skills along with proactive strategies.

Workplace, 19 Feb 24

The bystander effect: The psychology of courage and how to be brave

Review by Rachael McGuigan, Communications Specialist

Psychologist Catherine Sanderson uses real-life examples, neuroscience and the latest psychological studies to explain why we might be good at recognising bad behaviour but bad at taking action against it

Primary & ECE, 19 Feb 24

You can stop bullying: Stand by or stand up?

Review by Whaea Robyn, Year 5 and 6 Teacher, and pupils at Owhata School

In this illustrated choose-your-own-ending book, Elizabeth witnesses John getting bullied and readers make choices, with each story path leading to a different consequence.

Workplace, 19 Feb 24

How to be an ally: Actions you can take for a stronger, happier workplace

Review by Kim Sanderson, People Experience Lead

This book humanizes diversity and inclusion and facilitates greater empathy, teaching us that every individual can learn about the imbalance in opportunity and work to correct it.

Primary & ECE, 17 May 23

The Gubyllub

Review by Kate Fox, Primary School Teacher

An easy-to-read rhyming story about Rose, who used to be a bully, and how she found her way back to being kind.

Intermediate & Secondary, 6 Apr 23

Tama Sāmoa

Review by Shahrane'e Fa'avae, High School Counsellor

A resource for teachers of Pasifika students to gain insight into how the world looks and feels for them.

Workplace, 3 Apr 23

No hard feelings: Emotions at work

Review by Jenny Knight, People and Organisational Development Coordinator, MHF

This book is a visual exploration of how to embrace emotion at work and become more authentic and fulfilled while staying professional.