Raleigh, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/21/2013 -- While many books preach the dangers of bullying to children, few help young readers examine the causes of bullying and explore viable solutions to the problem. Having already garnered rave reviews for the first book in her ‘Gran Gran Series’, Elaine Hopkins’ second chapter book for fourth grade thru middle school students helps them collectively explore how bullying develops and how it can be stopped.

‘Friends to the Rescue’ is told from the perspective of Rex – a child who has already become a friend to thousands of young readers through ‘Run and Catch your Dream’. The success of this book is realized in the Wayne County School System where copies were purchased for every child within four Wayne County Schools. Printouts with supplemental student activities to accompany schools or group purchases are also available.

Synopsis of ‘Friends to the Rescue’:

FRIENDS TO THE RESCUE is a chapter book written for primary-aged to middle school students. As the story develop, Rex sets out to uncover an uneasy concern that he has kept quiet about. As a result, his elective class began studying the causes of bullying and how to combat the national concern. The classroom settings present excellent opportunities for students to openly share their personal experiences or feelings about bullying.

Putting this book aside once you have begun reading it, is not an option. Factors surrounding bullying that the class studied in the story are:

- Recognizing bullying
- Having the courage to speak up when witnessing bullying
- How to combat bullying
- Studying why people bully others

As the author explains, bullying is a national and global concern that deserves immediate attention.

“We have a responsibility to not only address the problem of bullying, but to empower schools, parents and communities to become more involved in fighting this silent enemy that is a threat to all children. I believe that friends can bind together and use compassion and good character as their best weapon,” says Hopkins.

Continuing, “This second book not only tells a story, but also contains a number of student activities that will get young minds exploring their own behaviour as well as the world around them. It’s my hope that these will be utilized in as many schools as possible.”

The book has already attracted a string of rave reviews.

“Bullying is a world-wide problem and everyday a child or an adult is being victimized and they don’t know who or where to seek help. In this book, Elaine Hopkins has managed to capture children’s attention by providing them with tools on how to handle a bullying situation. This book shows how teamwork can help combat bullying as well as teach victims not to be afraid to tell someone that you or classmates are being bullied,” says Derek Mobley, a Sergeant with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Student Nicholas Lee Hopkins was equally as impressed, adding, “Friends to the Rescue is an excellent book. I am a middle school student and I think all of my friends should read this book. We have all seen some type of bullying in or outside of school and we should be brave enough to tell an adult. I was excited to see this school had an elective just for the topic of bullying.”

‘Friends to the Rescue’ is due for imminent release and will be available from the series’ official website: http://www.grangranseries.com – which also contains a wealth of information for parents and organizations.

About the Author: Elaine Hopkins
It could be said that Elaine Hopkins doesn’t believe in intervention. For this veteran educator, continuous improvement may be a better descriptor, for this is how she lives. Considering the many years Elaine spent compiling student-made booklets for kindergarten classes and later for her grans, it should be no surprise that she was first teacher and later author.

After early retirement, Elaine began volunteering extensively in the community as well as in schools where she also substituted. It was this particular experience of returning to the classroom that she witnessed far too many youth failing, being distracted, or not working to their potentials. Now an author, whose classroom has expanded exponentially, Elaine is spreading a message of hope and encouragement to school age children, parents and guardians alike. Her advice to parents is a reminder of their powerful influence.

Throughout her career, Elaine was blessed to experience a number of years of working with different children in different schools, churches, civic organizations and a variety of community-based programs.