The Wild Wild Web

Gr 5—8—"Break the chain and stop the pain" is a repeated message about the triangular relationship between bullies, victims, and bystanders. Part of a "Code of Conduct" for the "Wild, Wild Web," this rule joins two others: "If you wouldn't say it face-to-face, don't say it in cyberspace," and "Tell someone." These rules are delivered by a nerdy but charming 20-something narrator who sings and dances his way through a middle-school classroom and travels via special effects to various destinations. At a picnic area, he acts out an analogy of a bully being the match, the victim the charcoal, and the bystanders the lighter fluid in most bullying incidents. The informative and entertaining program also interviews adolescents about their cyberbulling experiences and interjects captioned commentary by educators and other experts, including Dr. Phil. In the segment about telling someone about a cyberbullying incident, viewers are encouraged to gather evidence, such as using a screen capture of malicious messages or images to show a parent, counselor, or trusted adult. The endearing narrator and easy-to-remember "Code of Conduct," repeated in song and graphics, make this a must-have program for middle school audiences.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia Jr. Sr. High School, NY