Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco is a motivating, awe-inspiring, and sometimes haunting true story of one young woman’s life as an outcast and a target for bullying throughout most of her childhood and teenage years. Jodee is an amazing young woman who time and time again finds herself ostracized, teased, spat upon, and sometimes physically abused by her peers for many small reasons that basically amount to the same thing – she’s different, she has the courage of her convictions, and she isn’t willing to participate in petty cruelty to make and keep friends. This autobiographical book chronicles Jodee’s struggle to find herself and her self-confidence, despite being constantly bullied and living with a painful (albeit secret) physical deformity; and it candidly explores the deeply personal experiences which helped shape one damaged young woman into an amazing adult and a nationally renowned advocate for bullied children everywhere.
There is a lot I could say about this book, and as I read it I found myself trying to put into words the emotional impact Jodee’s story has had on me, and on the hundreds of thousands of people who have read her words or listened to her in-school presentations. Like many kids, I was a victim of some bullying in high school. Unlike Jodee, I was never physically assaulted, terrified to attend school, or forced to undergo counterproductive therapy to resolve my “social problem”, but I was teased enough that even as an adult just thinking about some of the kids in my high school can send my self esteem plummeting through the floor. The impact that bullying can have on a person is long lasting and often devastating, and I can only imagine the courage Blanco must possess to create such a personal and haunting piece of work. At times I found the dialogue in the book to be a bit forced, but overall I was drawn into the story almost immediately, and finished the book wanting to read more.
John Bradshaw, the author of the New York Times bestseller Homecoming stated, “This book could save your child’s life. It’s a must-read for parents, educators, and everyone concerned with the health and well-being of our children.” When I first read this statement on the back of the book, I thought for sure that Bradshaw was exaggerating for the glory of a cover quote – but now that I’ve read it, I have to say that I completely agree with Bradshaw’s statement. If you are a mother, a student, a former bully, a former outcast, or someone somewhere in between, this is one book that you cannot afford to skip. Jodee’s story has changed many lives, and since its first publication in 2003, Blanco has become a leading expert and advocate for anti-bullying programs across the country. For more information on Jodee’s three-part anti-bullying program called It’s NOT Just Joking Around! (INJJA), please click HERE.
3 COMMENTS
Safariluv
14 years agoSounds like a really important and inspiring book for readers, especially youngsters feeling liek outcasts. Thanks for the review!
Lori
14 years agoThis was a good book, read it a long time ago.
SassySweetChic
14 years agoHello!!
I found you through the Wednesday Blog Hop!
I have a giveaway going on right now! More to come as well!
Hope you have a good week!
Elizabeth