Experienced Writers Tackle Bullying Problem with Fast-Paced Fiction for Middle Readers

Sept. 20, 2012 - PRLog -- For Additional Information:
Jack and Mary Branson – wordauthority@bellsouth.net

In Time for October’s National Bullying Prevention Month
Experienced Writers Tackle Bullying Problem
with Fast-Paced Fiction for Middle Readers

Changing Genes
What If Somebody Else Were Wearing Your Jeans?
    By Jack & Mary Branson

A fast-paced middle reader fiction that tackles the bullying issue and uses a teen on the autism spectrum as the hero.   The book gives readers insight into why children bully, why some children are unable or unwilling to defend themselves, and the powerful role of the bystander.

After an explosion in a high school chemistry lab, a bully finds himself in the body of the boy he’s taunted unmercifully. The bully becomes the bullied as his former friends model the threatening behavior he taught them.

Summary:
Mark, 14, is the school bully who taunts anyone who, for whatever reason, cannot or will not fight back—until the day Elliott enrolls at Mark’s high school. Then all Mark’s bullying efforts focus on his new victim.  

Nicknaming him Smelliott, Mark follows close behind Elliott, mocking him and setting up humiliating roadblocks at every turn. Mark and his friends find what pushes Elliott’s buttons, and they push them often.

When Mark is assigned as Elliott’s chemistry lab partner, the bullying escalates. But all that changes the afternoon the mysterious Mr. Pierce announces that he’s their substitute for the day. Mr. Pierce turns the boys’ lives upside down, and they soon learn that the only way they can solve their “identity” crisis is to combine their resources.      

Recommendation from an Educator    

“A creative book that effectively portrays the negative effects of bullying and the pain that it causes. The authors not only have empathy and understanding for the child bullied, but they also depict the needs, pain, and sometimes terrible home lives of children who bully others. The book successfully portrays the anxieties, fears, and experiences that a child, Elliott, endures when entering a new school.

“Although the book is written for middle school learners, I would recommend that it be read by parents, teachers, and administrators as well. The helplessness felt by parents whose child is bullied is clearly demonstrated by the authors. To whom do they go for help? One would hope to the school and to the administration of the school, but that is not always the solution as is demonstrated in the story.” –Bernice Parrott, M.S. and Ed.D. in Education

   Visit their website at www.jackandmarybranson.com.  The book is available on Amazon.com: $9.99 paperback. Signed copies are available directly from the authors at wordauthority@bellsouth.net