Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks: A Real Girl's Guide to Getting Through the Day with Smarts and Style

by Erika V. Shearin Karres

Book Overview

Bullies. Cliques. Peer pressure. Teenage girls have had enough Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks is the first book to give teenage girls the lowdown on everyday issues in today's tough girl world, from gossip to gangs. Girl guru "Dr. Erika" has talked to more than 1,000 girls about the major issues in their lives and compiled lots of fun and useful information to help smart girls empower themselves against mean chicks:
First Facts...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580629334
• ISBN13: 9781580629331
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Adams Media Corporation
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.4" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

Amazing!!

This book was awesome!! It put everything that happens at school into perspective for other people. I even did a book report for English on this book. So I decided to include part of it in this review, on this book in which I highly recommend: One of her most inspiring books is Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks. In this book, Dr. Erika explains how cruel young women are to each other. Her audience is mainly geared for middle or high school girls. She describes the stereotypes of most "mean chicks" of every school and ways to handle their behavior. She also uses several forms of sarcasm such as when she is mentioning how to deal with a "teaser." After someone has been teasing you, Dr. Erika's advises you to "record on paper what's being said, word for word, and by whom, when, and where. When someone asks `What're you doing?' you reply, `I'm documenting what's going on. Just in case this ends up in court. My dad says, `You always have to have the facts first.'" Her sense of humor continues as she writes about stereotyping people in which "Labels are for soup cans and sunscreens, not for people." Dr. Erika also includes references from other fields such as science. She labels different cliques as "alpha," "beta," and "gamma." Her friendly tone creates a more personal relationship between the reader and the author. The novel is full of motivating quotes and stories made by young girls who are spreading kindness to our society. Dr. Erika also includes fun filled quizzes so readers can find where they stand with the "mean chicks" and how to make situations better.

A Must-Read for Tweens/Teens and Their Parents

"Please don't let anyone get in your way!" So starts Erika V. Shearin Karres' book MEAN CHICKS, CLIQUES, AND DIRTY TRICKS. This is some of the best advice you will find, but doesn't even compare to the rest of the advice that Ms. Karres gives throughout this book. Part of being a girl is getting used to the "in" crowd, snobs, bullies, teasing, cliques, gossip, backstabbing, and more, whether during school hours, or on your own time. It is the one thing that makes being a female extremely tough, and easily compares girls to wild animals fighting over the tiniest thing. Split up into 10 Chapters, MEAN CHICKS breaks female predators down into various groups, and writes about each separately. Chapters on The Bully, The Snob, The Gossip, The Traitor, The Teaser, and so on, feature quotes from young girls who have been bullied in the past (this feature alone will have tweens and teens interested in this book, as they feel as if they are being spoken to by their peers, as opposed to a parent/teacher/guardian), stories about girls who have overcome bullies, quizzes, resources, and an all around survival guide to help tweens, teens, and their parents deal with the problem civilly.As someone who has been bullied non-stop in the past, I found this book to be extremely empowering, yet uplifting at the same time. I even starting crying a few times when reading the true stories from girls who have been bullied, as I could relate to them so well. Ms. Karres' breakdown of each type of girl is entirely accurate, and will have readers nodding their head in agreement with her comments about The Bully, Traitor, and so on. Parents with a tween/teen girl who is being bullied should definitely purchase this book, as it will be a helpful guide for both YOU and your child. Don't miss MEAN CHICKS, as it is a necessity.Erika Sorocco

This Book is Helping Me Alot

My Mom gave me this book to read because I have had alot of problems as a teenager just dealing with all the social drama and fighting that goes on. Every week there are fights and disagreements and I find so many girls can be cruel and get jealous and hurt each other. I really like this book and it is helping me. I feel like I'm reading about my own friends and the kids in my school with different names. Dr. Karres also explains why girls act the way they do and gives good ideas for how to act and what to say when kids act out and get really mean or think they are better than anyone else. I tried a few ideas in this book and they really work! I am also learning more about why I act they way I do sometimes and get in sad or down moods because of all the things that go on with kids around me. I think this is a very good book and everyone should read it. I wish they would teach kids this stuff in school so there wouldn't be so many problems.

Wonderful Book- I Use It With My Students!!!

I teach in a middle school and was lucky to read Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks -- I am using the many terrific tips to help guide students who are often very upset about the difficult and upsetting social episodes they encounter -- and Dr. Karres' explanations, approaches, and advice in this book are exceptional!! The book includes writings from girls in need of real-life down-to-earth objective and educated help for tough situations in dealings with peers ( who can be nasty and hurtful)and they are answered so beautifully, with both logic and sensitivity. I've covered some of the excellent empowerment tips with my students and they love them!! This book is an esteem-builder and empowerment bible for girls from elementary through high school (probably even adults!!) and parents, too, can learn alot here for assisting their children through the social rocky roads of the girls' world. Tips on dealing with all personality types, behaviors, and issues --from bullies and teasers to groupies and newcomers on the block -- being in good moods and bad moods -- are included PLUS the book has a section called "Cool Tools" listing additional resources. This is great for teaching girls they can own their power and do have choices to attain further support; they are not alone and can learn how to cope with and overcome tough people and relationships! I invite my students to look at my copy of the book ( I keep it on my desk) and they rush up to grab it! This book is a double winner.

The Perfect Gift for any Girl

Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks is the perfect gift for any girl and is exactly what all girls (whether in elementary, middle, or high school) need to read. In today's schools there is so much competition and jealousy between females. Dr. Karres's book outlines the different types of "tough chicks," whether it be the snob, the gossip, the bully, the traitor, etc. and offers an insightful look at the reasons behind why some girls act the way they do. Not only will this book help girls understand each other, but also it provides practical advice on how to problem solve and develop strategies for dealing with difficult relationships. This book empowers girls by teaching them how to be proactive peacemakers and form friendships that will last. The wisdom offered in this book will save girls from a lot of frustration and unnecessary disputes by simply applying the advice and strategies provided. I wish I had read it back when I was in school and am sending a copy to my young cousin as an early birthday present.