Books Direct

To This Day is the book of the YouTube-sensation spoken word poem of the same name by Shane Koyczan. In this edition, the poem is lovingly illustrated by thirty artists from around the world, several of whom contribute anecdotes about their own experiences with bullying at the end of the book. Each artist illustrates a section of the poem in their own style, creating a wonderfully eclectic whole.

The book includes a Preface in which the author shares his own experiences of being bullied as a child. The Afterward tells the story of the poem. A list of resources is also included at the end of the book.

I was first introduced to this poem when my thirteen-year-old daughter brought the YouTube video home from school. She was deeply affected by it, as was I. I think most of us have experienced bullying to some extent, but we often feel like we are the only ones. I had a really bad time going through high school, and I remember thinking that everyone would be better off if I wasn't around. Fortunately, I pushed through and made it out the other side. I went on to be successful in my job and at university, and I now have a wonderful husband and two beautiful (in more ways than one) daughters. So, please remember, you are never alone. You are not the only one going through hard times. If you need help, please seek it out. It will be worth it in the long run. As Shane Koyczan says, "We are graduating member's from the class of we made it."

I got this book on loan from the library.

See my full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2014/10/to-this-day-by-shane-koyczan.html