Bullying and Teens

     I recently finished reading two YA books about bullying:  Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and Hate List by Jennifer Brown.  The audio tapes in "13" reveal the final thoughts of a teen before her suicide and the response of her friend who feels he failed her by not recognizing how she was suffering.  "Hate List" details the aftermath of a high school shooting through the eyes of the shooter's girlfriend, students and the community.
     Bullying and the violence that can follow have become the subject of news reports.  Yet everyone agrees bullying is not new.  Is it more of a problem now? Is the bullying-related violence different now? The focus of many news reports focus on the lack of action by school officials and classroom teachers.
     In both books the authors deal with the far-reaching impact of an act of violent revenge. The bullied person not only takes revenge, but ends their own lives. Neither book offers a non-violent option to respond to bullying.
    It has been said that readers of "13" connect with the book’s message of tolerance and compassion. http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/06/13/jay-asher-thirteen-reasons-why/ and that is clearly a strength of this novel, but don't both books confirm that a violent act of revenge does disrupt the lives of bullies?