Stopbullying

A new review by David Williams

StopBullying (2026) is one of those books that instantly feels warm, thoughtful, and genuinely useful. Aimed at children aged 5 to 9, it provides an invaluable guide for teachers, educators, and parents who are looking for practical ways to help children feel understood, included, and emotionally secure.

What makes the book particularly stand out is how naturally it speaks to children. Instead of talking down to them or turning emotional development into something heavy, the book uses humour, imagination, and simple exercises that children immediately connect with. The result is a collection of 14 methods that are fun for educators and children to use while quietly teaching empathy, confidence, and self-awareness.

The program was created by Gülten Eminovski, whose experience working with children shines through on every page. 

She writes:
“I developed a program called StopBullying, a practical set of tools and methods to help prevent bullying among children. This toolbox contains methods I have taught twice a week to children in the preschool year (age 5–6) since 2009.”

You can feel Gülten´s experience throughout the book. These are not abstract ideas pulled from theory alone. They are methods that have been tested in real classrooms over many years, which gives the whole book an authenticity that is hard to fake.

One of the most memorable of the 14 Methods is the “Glasses Method.” Children are taught that we all wear our own invisible glasses, meaning that no two people see the world in exactly the same way. The exercises around this are clever and easy to grasp, especially the use of the famous face-vase illusion created by Danish psychologist Edgar Rubin. Some children see two faces, others see a vase first. Suddenly, children understand that different perspectives are natural, not wrong.

The “Pee Method” is another glorious example of how brilliantly the book communicates difficult ideas in ways children actually remember. The message is simple. Thoughts and feelings need to come out. If you keep them bottled up, it hurts, just like holding in pee. Children laugh at it, of course, but they also understand it immediately.

Then there is the “Blue Elephant Method,” which might come with one of the loveliest exercises in the book. Children are asked to imagine and draw a blue elephant. Every drawing turns out differently, and that difference becomes the lesson itself. There is no perfect elephant. No one’s imagination is incorrect. It gives children a sense of ownership over their thoughts and creativity while teaching them to respect the individuality of others, too.

The book is packed with such golden nuggets. Each method encourages children to accept themselves while becoming more understanding of other people. Children learn that someone behaving differently does not make them strange or wrong. It simply means they experience the world differently.

The philosophy behind the program is explained clearly in the book: 

“StopBullying is an educational and well-being program designed for children aged 5 to 9… The program consists of 14 methods that help children build a bridge between thoughts, emotions, behavior, and the body — supporting their ability to understand themselves and others.”

Another strong aspect of the book is its focus on emotional awareness and mentalization. Children are gently encouraged to stop and think about their feelings instead of reacting automatically. 

As the book explains: “StopBullying also draws on research in mentalization — the ability to see yourself from the outside and others from the inside.”

What is especially refreshing is that none of this feels clinical or academic when you read it. The exercises are playful, straightforward, and surprisingly easy to bring into everyday classroom life. Teachers and parents do not need specialist training to understand the methods or use them effectively.
The inclusion of case studies and recommendations from educators and parents adds another layer of reassurance. You get a real sense that these methods have made a positive difference for many children over the years.
In the end, StopBullying feels less like a traditional educational 

manual and more like a toolbox for helping children navigate friendships, emotions, and everyday life with a little more kindness and confidence. It is practical, imaginative, and full of heart. But, most importantly, it treats children’s emotional worlds with real respect.

StopBullying by Gülten Eminovski will be published by Snepryd Publishing and is available on Amazon

Pre-orders and further information are available via the publisher's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/snepryd_publishing/