Building Empathy Through Literature & Letters
Connect students across geographic regions to combat bullying and discover their shared humanity through conversation and a penpal correspondence.
A Three-Part Project
📚 Shared Reading Experience
Students from different regions read Right Back at You at the same time, exploring with their class themes of bullying, empathy, and connection.
🎤 Virtual Author Visit
Join author Carolyn Mackler in a virtual session where students from these two schools share anti-bullying solutions from their communities.
✉️ Cross-Regional Pen Pals
Students correspond with peers from different geographic areas, discovering commonalities despite their differences.
About Right Back at You
A powerful middle-grade novel by Carolyn Mackler told through letters between Talia (Western Pennsylvania, 1987) and Mason (New York City, 2023) - two seventh graders who discover that bullying transcends time and geography. Luckily, so does friendship!
The Story
When Talia and Mason find a mysterious way to communicate across thirty-six years and three hundred miles, they're both skeptical. But as they share their experiences being bullied, they form an unlikely friendship and realize they have more in common than they thought.
The Impact
Through Talia and Mason's correspondence, students explore universal themes of bullying, resilience, and empathy while learning that connection and understanding can bridge any divide - whether it's time, distance, or differences.
Ready to Build Empathy in Your Community?
Join schools across different regions as we encourage students to become part of the solution to bullying through literature, discussion, and meaningful connections.
Join The Right Back at You Project Today