Blubber by Judy Blume (1974)

Judy Blume’s 1974 middle-grade novel Blubber focuses on the complex social dynamics of a fifth-grade class as they begin to mercilessly bully one of the girls among them. The story is told through first-person narrator, Jill Brenner, as she joins in on the bullying and gets wrapped up in the drama that results from it. She learns valuable lessons about people getting what they deserve and about the harm she’s helped to facilitate.

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Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick (1993)

Freak the Mighty tells the story of two boys—a slow-learning giant and a genius in a disabled body—who become friends, share adventures, and defend themselves against bullies and social rejection. The novel explores themes of bullying, friendship, and loss.

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Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (2000)

Stargirl is a young adult fiction novel published in 2000 by the American author Jerry Spinelli. In a coming-of-age narrative, shy eleventh-grader Leo falls in love with Stargirl, a free-spirited newcomer at Mica High. When his fellow students turn against Stargirl—and Leo—he pressures her to become ordinary like everyone else. Over the course of the novel, Leo learns the importance of staying true to yourself.