The Bully

The Bully (2002), a young adult novel by Paul Langan, is part of the Bluford series of interconnected novels, which take place in a fictional under-resourced California school called Bluford High. The Bully depicts issues such as poverty, bullying, and violence while promoting values like empathy, moral fortitude, and emotional vulnerability.

Langan, a white author from suburban New Jersey, developed the idea for the series and went on to write, co-write, and edit many of the books. Langan came up with the concept while conducting outreach programs with youth in an under-resourced area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Noting the teenagers’ “resistance to books,” he wanted to write novels centering Black and Latino characters while modeling positive decision-making (Campbell, Jessica. “Behind Books for Urban Students, an Unlikely Author.” The New York Times, 29 Mar. 2011). The series features a style accessible to reluctant or struggling readers and covers themes like guns, theft, and pregnancy.

Published and distributed by Scholastic, the 22 books in the Bluford series have sold millions of copies; millions more have been donated to under-resourced communities and schools.

This study guide refers to the 2007 Scholastic edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss high school bullying.