Tough! - (Weird) by Erin Frankel (Paperback)

About the Book

Sam bullies kids at school before realizing it only makes her feel worse and there are caring people who can help her change.

Book Synopsis

Sam is concerned about keeping things orderly and "cool" at school. She thinks people need to have a tough skin in order to fit in and withstand others' meanness and lack of cooperation. Sam teases her free-spirited classmate Luisa and enlists a friend, Jayla, to help. But when Sam is confronted by a concerned teacher about her bullying, and Jayla turns on Sam and befriends Luisa, Sam begins to show some heart and rethink her treatment of others.

The Weird! Series
These three books tell the story of an ongoing case of bullying from three third graders' perspectives. Luisa describes being targeted by bullying in Weird! Jayla shares her experience as a bystander to bullying in Dare! And in Tough!, Sam speaks from the point of view of someone initiating bullying. Kids will easily relate to Luisa, Jayla, and Sam, as each girl has her own unique experience, eventually learning how to face her challenges with the help of friends, peers, and caring adults.

Part of the Bully Free Kids(TM) line.

Review Quotes

"My kids and I loved the Weird series . . . the books were incredibly insightful and provoked good discussion. Well written by Erin Frankel, beautifully illustrated by Paula Heaphy, and published by the always inspiring Free Spirit Publishing, [this series] is a must-own for educators, if not parents."--Melissa Taylor, Imagination Soup

"The Weird series encourages children that are being bullied to stand up for themselves . . . bystanders to act when they see something bad happening . . . [and] children who are bullying others to reassess their actions and motivations."-- "The Children's Book Review"

One of a trio of books that present the topic of bullying from three perspectives: the bullied, the bystander and the bully. No matter what Luisa does, from wearing her favorite polka-dot boots to telling jokes at lunch, Sam declares that she is Weird! Luisa gradually stops being herself, until her mother and friends help her realize that she is wonderful the way she is. Jayla's fear of becoming the target governs her actions as she alternately stands by and does nothing and takes Sam's Dare! to participate. She eventually realizes that she has lost too much to feeling scared and befriends Luisa. From glimpses of her home life, it is not hard to see why Sam acts as Tough! as she does. But her attempts at keeping things cool are not winning her any friends, and the fact that no one is playing by her rules anymore gets her to start thinking about her behavior. While the series is slightly didactic, the well-drawn characters have real problems with (mostly) credible resolutions. Extensive back matter, with separate sections for children and adults, in each book summarizes the lessons learned and provides activities to help change ingrained behaviors. Heaphy's pen-and-ink illustrations are dotted with highlights of color that spotlight the main characters. She is a master of facial expression and body language; Sam's hoodie sweatshirt speaks volumes all on its own.While the series would benefit from a boy's version, the message is still loud and clear; this should find a home in every school library.--Kirkus Reviews

Three stories told from the perspectives of three different children: one who is bullied (Weird!), a bystander (Dare!), and the bully herself (Tough!). Each title shows readers, through the texts and the expressive ink illustrations, what each child feels. In Weird! Luisa is portrayed as a bubbly and vibrant character wearing her beloved polka-dot boots everywhere she goes. Then she is tormented by Sam, and her uniqueness and confidence become liabilities instead of strengths, and she throws away her boots. It isn't until a bystander, Jayla, stands up to the bully and returns Luisa's footwear that the book ends on a positive note with the victim confidence restored. Following the stories, nonfiction sections offer tips from each character's perspective or suggest simple group activities that model positive behaviors. Each title also has talking points and discussion questions, so readers can go back into the story and discuss what is occurring and how they might be able to change the outcome in a real-world scenario. The books stand alone as separate titles, but they're much more effective when utilized together to give a complete view of how the main characters are feeling and the outside events that help shape their roles. For example, Sam, the bully, is being taunted at home by an older brother-setting her up to then find someone that she can pick on at school. These will be useful titles particularly for schools, but also for public libraries that see a fair number of requests for character-education titles.-- "School Library Journal"

"The Weird series is a delightful three-part story that explores the roles of the bully, the bullied, and the bystander and how children can break out of those roles and be their unique, caring selves. Not only for kids, this series is a must for parents, educators, and caregivers who want to help children end the cycle of cruelty."--Barbara Coloroso, author of The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander

"This series is going to be hotter than hot. I loved, loved, loved the text and the illustrations. So simple, yet so powerful!"--DeeDee Ginns Gruenberg, psychotherapist and bookseller, Self Esteem Shop

About the Author

Erin Frankel loves telling stories of hope and wonder. She is the author of the Weird Series (Free Spirit, 2012), Remembering Barkley (Albert Whitman & Company, 2020), A Plate of Hope (Random House Studio, 2024), and Mary Oliver, Holding on To Wonder (Calkins Creek, 2025). Erin has an M.A. in English education and is passionate about teaching and writing. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is represented by Susan Cohen at Writers House Literary Agency.

Paula Heaphy is a print and pattern designer in the fashion industry.

She's an explorer of all artistic mediums from glassblowing to shoemaking, but her biggest love is drawing. She jumped at the chance to illustrate her friend Erin's story, having been bullied herself as a child. As the character of Luisa came to life on paper, Paula felt her path in life suddenly shift into focus.

She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she hopes to use her creativity to light up the hearts of children for years to come.