"My brother-in-law is a paramedic and has responded to several suicides, or attempts by pre-teens and teenagers. It's heartbreaking and needs more awareness!" 

- Gretchen

BFF: A Story About Bullycide deals with the suicide of a teenager. It was written with the intent that readers, whether they be teens or parents of teens, will talk openly about this issue in order to gain more awareness and prevent tragic deaths.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says that suicide is the second leading cause of death for kids aged 10-14, and that in 2020 (most current stats available), 581 kids aged 10-14 and 6,062 young people between the ages of 15-24 took their lives, while the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says approximately 157,000 American youth between the ages of 10-24 are treated in Emergency Departments across the U.S. each year.

If you are a teenager (or even a pre-teen or adult) who struggles with thoughts of suicide or know of someone who does, please tell somebody. If you don’t have a person you trust to talk to, please either text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline online, or call them at (800) 273 - TALK. People are available to speak with you at any time of night or day confidentially and for free :^).

If you are a parent of a teenager, please learn the suicide warning signs that your child may be exhibiting. The Jason Foundation has many resources and can provide educational materials to teachers and youth workers to create a suicide prevention curriculum.

BFF: A Story about Bullycide intends to provide another avenue to explore, consider, and discuss these difficult topics with a vulnerable age group. It can be used in pre-teen and teen book groups, as part of classroom curriculum, for adults who may want to better understand the danger of bullying, or simply as stimulating literature for pre-teens and teens.