As he did for anorexia nervosa, self-mutilation and related disorders, Steven Levenkron, acclaimed author of the bestselling The Best Little Girl in the World, Kessa, and The Luckiest Girl in the World, now turns his attention to the crisis of adolescent bullying.

Walk home quickly. Don't talk to classmates. No raising your hand. And never, ever put yourself out there.

Despie Domaris thought her troubles were over when her family escaped Greece, but she quickly finds that Queens, New York, is no safe haven either. Self-proclaimed "bully bait," Despie befriends a mysterious classmate, Gary Gross, a boy who's faced his own demons by adopting a tough motorcycle-riding alter ego at school. As their tormentors turn increasingly violent, Despie and Gary must learn to cope—before hitting their breaking point.

The Bullied Heart is a deeply moving story that will resonate with teenagers and their parents alike, laying bare the crisis most pressing on young people today.