Charlene C. Giannetti

There have always been the "in-crowds" and outsiders among adolescents, but today the social castes of the American high school are proving to be more incendiary, destructive, and even life?threatening to students than ever before. From playgrounds to senior-high parking lots, kids of all ages need more help than ever in navigating the cruel pressures that can be inflicted by these groups. The first book to hone in on this problem, Cliques provides hands-on strategies for parents facing this ubiquitous, volatile issue, including:Why stepping in to "quietly take care of the problem" won't workHelping the child who doesn't fit inDisarming bulliesGetting bystanders involvedTeaching toleranceLeading by exampleLobbying for changeMore than just a manual for cheering your child on, Cliques brings hope and a truly comprehensive understanding of adolescent society to the millions of families struggling against this divisive—and sometimes permanently scarring—force. About the Authors:Charlene C. Giannetti is a journalist and the author of five previous books. Her articles had appeared in national publications, including The New York Times and Working Woman. Also the mother of two teenage children, she lives in New York City. Margaret Sagarese has taught young adolescents and has written many books. She is the mother of a teenage girl and lives on Long Island, New York. Together, Charlene and Margaret host a weekly on-line chat on iVillage's Parent Soup. They also cowrote Parenting 911 and The Roller-Coaster Years, which was named on of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 1997.

For the 20 million parents of 10- to 15-year-olds, The Roller-Coaster Years is a lively guide to mastering the ups and downs of early adolescence. Every parent knows about the terrible twos and the brooding teens, but few have anticipated the wild ride of these magical yet maddening years that can provide all the thrills and chills of a carnival ride.Now, drawing together the latest information from experts, supported and advised by the National Middle School Association, and with surprising insights from the authors' own surveys of parents, teachers, and the children themselves, The Roller-Coaster Years covers every facet of the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of early adolescents, including:ò Appearance Anxietyò Distractibilityò Fears and Other Emotionsò The Battle for Independenceò Sibling Rivalryò Success in Schoolò Friendship and Peer Pressureò Sexual Awakeningò The Lure of Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcoholò The Promise and Peril of Electronic Mediaò Sticky Questions About Your Own Past