The Bully Menace: 13 Reads Before School Starts

Kids will be going back to school in a few weeks, and for some, it will be a fresh year of torment from bullies and cyberbullies. A startling number of young people who have been bullied have taken their own lives; for others, the immediate pain of the experience can cause them to retreat into isolation.

The problem is so pervasive, experts say, that 160,000 kids stay home from school every day to avoid their bullies. About 25 percent of students in grades six through 12 experience bullying in some form, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. About 20 percent of high school students are bullied.

As part of Patch's yearlong look at bullying, we've assembled a reading list of some of the best books about bullying. They're good reads, and even children who aren't being bullied can benefit and learn more about empathy.

RELATED: 10 Tips for Managing Your Kid's Screen Time this Summer

Here are 13 books parents should consider adding to their kids' summer reading lists, plus one they should read for themselves.

Click here for the list.