Cliques: Eight Steps to Help Your Child Survive the Social Jungle

In the first book to focus on the traumatic effects caused by cliques in our schools, an acclaimed parenting-advice team offers a fresh perspective and an innovative eight-step program to turn around the culture of cruelty that torments all students.

There have always been "in crowds," but today's social pressures force children into explosive, destructive, and even life-threatening situations. No matter what role your child plays in this schoolhouse drama--clique leader, victim, or innocent bystander--this book is a must-read. Giannetti and Sagarese have honed in on this little-understood phenomenon and come up with insights that parents can use immediately. Read Cliques to understand:

* Who the clique leaders are in your child's school
* What you can do NOW to help your child avoid abuse
* Times during the day when cliques are visible to adults
* Where in your school you should start to lobby for change
* Why your "innocent bystander" may not be so innocent
* How you can rid your child of bully-like behavior

Cliques is more than just a manual for cheering your child on--it brings hope and a truly comprehensive understanding of adolescent society to the millions of families struggling against this divisive force. Within its pages, you will find the tools you need to make a difference.

Charlene C. Giannetti is the author of six previous books, most recently Who Am I?...And Other Questions of Adopted Kids. The mother of two teenage children, she lives in New York City.

Margaret Sagarese has written ten books. She is the mother of a teenage girl and lives in Long Island, New York. Together, they host a weekly on-line chat on iVillage's Parent Soup. They also cowrote Parenting 911 and The Roller-Coaster Years, which was named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 1997.