This book was an emotional roller coaster. I know that I mentioned earlier that I don't usually read more than one book at a time, unless it's one print book and one audio book. But with Dear Bully, I had to put it aside for a while and pick up another book, because the stories in this book were evoking such strong emotions that I couldn't keep reading through my tears.With that being said, I am incredibly grateful to have read this collection. As the title implies, the book contains stories from 70 different YA authors (including some of my favourites, like Lauren Oliver and Megan McCafferty) about their own experiences with bullying. As a formerly bullied kid myself, it would have been amazing to read this book when I was 13 and know that some of my favourite writers had struggled with the same issues, and to know that I was not alone. I can only imagine the strength that a book like this can provide to a teen that is currently being bullied.The stories are divided into sections: Dear Bully, Just Kidding, Survival, Regret, Thank You Friends, Insight, Speak, Write It and, finally, It Gets Better. The first section was the hardest for me to read, as authors penned letters to their own bullies, recounting their experiences. Just Kidding and Survival were also equally heart-wrenching, and then regret told stories of kids who were bullies, and what they wish they'd done differently. By the end of the book, the stories become quite empowering, encouraging teens to speak out against bullying and, stories of writers who took their bullied experiences and turned them into bestselling novels.Dear Bully is a book that could really make a difference in a teen's life; however, if you've shared in any of the experiences in the book, have a jumbo box of Kleenex handy. Trust me, you'll need it. Review also posted at: http://writergrrlreads.blogspot.ca/2012/05/dear-bully-70-authors-tell-their.html
