UPSTANDERS, NOT BYSTANDERS: Riverside School art teacher Ashley Kennedy, left, and counselor Ben Samara, right, collaborated on a children’s book that helps kids step up to defend others who are being bullied or teased. “Sage Stands Up” is projected for a fall release. (Photo by Anne Levin)

In his job as school counselor at Riverside Elementary School, Ben Samara sees his share of children who have been bullied. He also talks to kids who have watched others be teased and want to help, but are afraid to intervene.

It is those children Mr. Samara and his colleague, Riverside art teacher Ashley Kennedy, are targeting in Sage Stands Up, a children’s book on which they have collaborated and hope to make part of a series. A “kickstarter” campaign to raise $6,000 for a limited first run was more than two thirds of the way to its goal this past Monday — and that’s with another three weeks to go.

“It’s really about standing up for others,” said Mr. Samara during an interview in his office. “When bystanders become what we call upstanders, it dramatically reduces bullying.”

“These kids are young. They don’t really want to be bullies,” adds Ms. Kennedy. “You want those who are strong to guide the ones who might be a little lost. It’s really about kids teaching kids.”

Mr. Samara has always been a writer. At the College of New Jersey, he majored in professional writing and journalism before earning a master’s degree in school counseling. “I do a lot of reading to kids here at school, and I have noticed that the content in books about bullying isn’t always right or entertaining or accessible,” he said. “So I thought, why not do my own?”

To illustrate the book, Mr. Samara called on Ms. Kennedy, with whom he has served on committees at Riverside devoted to anti-bullying. She was on board right away. Her experience as a commercial photographer as well as an illustrator helped shape the vision for the book, which combines the two forms. Color illustrations are mixed with black and white photographic backgrounds.

“I wanted the kids here at Riverside to literally see themselves in the book,” said Ms. Kennedy. “So that’s why I used both illustrations and photography. I have illustrations of kids placed with photographs of places that are familiar, like our school hallways, so that they can identify.”

Both educators see an alarming rise in bullying, both locally and on a more widespread basis. At Riverside, they try to be pro-active rather than reactive. Posters urging children to be “upstanders” are strategically placed in every classroom and in hallways. “We work with kids so they know how to deal with the problem,” said Mr. Samara. Ms. Kennedy added, “It’s about developing empathy before an incident happens.”

In Sage Stands Up, the main character is named Sage for a reason. “It means wisdom, which is important,” said Mr Samara. “And Sage is often a girl’s name, so giving it to a boy is part of the idea of not pre-judging, and standing up for who you are. My favorite part of the book is the fact that even after Sage learns what to do in a bullying situation, he’s still scared. But at the end of the day, he follows through. This is definitely a scenario that we’ve heard about many times. So it really rings true.”

Ms. Kennedy has taught at Riverside since September 2013. Prior to coming to Princeton, she taught at a high school in West Caldwell and did commercial photography work. Mr. Samara has been Riverside’s guidance counselor since 2009.

The colleagues plan to gauge the community reaction to the book before deciding their next step, but they are hopeful that more books are in their future. They have done test readings at Riverside, with overwhelmingly positive reactions from their young critics.

Mr. Samara has finished writing the story; Ms. Kennedy still has a few more illustrations to go, this winter’s incessant snow having hampered some of her photography efforts. An initial run of 1,000 copies is projected for the coming fall.

“This is an idea we’ve generated together and hope to follow up on,” said Mr. Samara. “I think it’s addressing something that most kids can relate to.”