Amazon.ca:Customer reviews: Odd Girl Speaks Out: Girls Write About Bullies, Cliques, Popularity and Jealousy

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on April 20, 2004

When someone say's to you, "Oh! They're just jealous. Give them time. They will come around, 'Do you question your sanity?'"
And, isn't this another way of telling you that you are flawed, that you should feel ashamed of yourself, and that you need to give up being who you are - or else?"
"Odd Girl Speaks Out," is a wonderful book, written with 11-22 year-old girls in mind. But, every woman can get something out of this, because by age 8, and for the rest of our lives, we are socialized with these 3 unspoken rules:
1. Don't Compete;
2. Don't Outdo; and,
3. Make the guys more valuable to you, than girls could possibly be.
We are also socialized to not directly confront conflict, especially with other girls.
And we learn, at an early age, to base our worthiness upon hanging onto our best girlfriends, at the price of our own worthiness.
I'm so glad to have read this book, because each letter, written by the 11-22 year-old contributors, reminds us that Girl Power is not about seeking legislative rights, although I wouldn't want to reverse what our foremothers have given us.
Girl Power also is not about blaming men for what we haven't succinctly communicated to them.
Girl Power is about facing the reality of the darker side of being girls. It is where we stop seeking targets in other women/girls, to make them look worse than we feel about ourselves. Allgirls are socialized to believe that power for girls is limited, and that if the other girl has it, she has taken away all the possibility for her to have power.
What troubled me, though, about this book were 2 things:
1. Never did the author explore how girl bullying is passed on between the mother/daughter wounds, and the decisions that mother make about what society expects of them.
2. Throughout this book, Simmons advocates girls changing schools when things are overwhelmingly difficult. The problem with this is: You are leaving with yourself. Whatever wound you have, whatever disempowering habit you created in reaction to being attacked is something that you will express at the new school, until you overcome your fears, and develop skills to defuse and deflect negative energy that is coming towards you, from others.
That being said, I still appreciate reading this book, and knowing that Simmons is brave enough to turn her own experiences into helping millions of others around the world.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Barbara Seaman

Forget Diamonds-ODD GIRL is a girl's best friend.

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 5, 2004

It's obvious that the ODD GIRL books have helped dry the tears, and restore the equilibrium, of millions among the undeserviedly abused. Thanks to Rachel Simmons, we pick ourselves up from the floor and soldier on.
But there is more. ODD GIRL SPEAKS OUT has the power to unleash a spring of creativity in those who " make art." whether it be writing, music, painting, or theatre.
True story: Several children in a fourth grade class volunteered to write an opera. But they were stumped. One girl happened on a copy of ODD GIRL SPEAKS OUT. She couldn't put it down . She instantly got the idea that "betrayal" could be their operatic theme. All of the kids" got it,' and the more they looked in the book the more great ideas they had for the plot, the characters, the music, the stage sets. : BUBBLING BETRAYAL was the name. It was a big hit, and many in the audiences said that it was like a grown- up opera in its depth and emotion, yet it dealt with the real life experience of kids.
So for those among you who want to write truthfully and from your heart, -first read this book!. ODD GIRL SPEAKS OUT could "light your pilot" as it already has for one fourth grade class.

Helpful

Siggy

Odd Girl Speaks Out

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 5, 2004

This book is a collection of writing, written by girls who have been hurt or hurt others. As I read, I felt as if I was that girl, and if it happened to me. Sometimes I would stop and read a story, and realize that happened to me as well. These are stories anyone can relate to.
One story, that was special to me, was a story about a girl who was left out of a birthday party. That particular author's story jumped out at me. (See this story in Odd Girl Speaks Out, pg 12).
If you have felt pain from other girls, I recommend this book. It shows that you don't have to suffer alone.

Helpful

Mrs. Nadine Drucker Antopol

There's An Odd Girl Inside All Of Us!

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 9, 2004

Terrific book...one for everyone to read! There's an odd girl inside all of us and the stories told in this book tell the tales. I especially can relate to the story beginning on page 12....I remember exactly how I felt when I was not invited to a party....this young author tells it like it is! This is a MUST READ!!!

Helpful

Michigan Mom

Helpful conversation starter

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 21, 2007

Verified Purchase

This book was recomended by my 6th grader's school counselor after she started making some questionable friend choices. We moved to a new area about a year ago and my two middle school daughters went from a very conservative charter school to a tight knit small town public school. My youger (6th grader) daughter has had a more difficult time adjusting and this helped a lot. My older daughter has always been the over-achiever, and expects the same of her sister. This book hleped a lot even within their relationship as I would consider my older child a "queen bee". This book helped my daughter open up to me more because it was easier for her to start a converstaion about something she read in the book, that happened to someone else, and it would lead us into things she is or has been going through. I read Queen Bees and Wannabes while she was reading this and it seemed to work out well, gave us a common thread and set the stage for planned conversations, something difficult to do well with girls this age.

7 people found this helpful

Dee Hodson

Don't be a parent who doesn't get it...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 10, 2007

Verified Purchase

It is inevitable that our daughters will experience some sort of emotional bullying. Prepare yourself and the ones you love by reading this book and understanding the dynamic.
This book helped me to see how my natural reactions
"Well Ill just speak to her parents" WRONG
"Honey Just talk with her and it will work out" WRONG
"She is such a rotten kid! How can she do that?" WRONG

WRONG WRONG WRONG
Sigh.
It hasn't changed since we were young- its only better enabled by technology. In any case- information is the best weapon. Read this with your daughter before it happens- you may be able to avoid heartache.

13 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Created a dialogue between my daughter and me. She ...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 12, 2017

Verified Purchase

Created a dialogue between my daughter and me. She is entering 8th grade in a new school. She said at times it was a little depressing it the things she could relate too.

2 people found this helpful

ScienceDiva

Great for a teacher/mom

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 27, 2013

Verified Purchase

I actually bought this for my daughter who has looked at it but that is about it. I am hoping that it is because she really hasn't faced bullying as of yet. I know it is just a matter of time because everyone gets bullied sooner or later. I enjoyed the personal narritives more that the author's comments. I think that this book does a good job of showing all points of view and helping girls to see that they are NOT alone. Now if we can just STOP the bullying...

Brown eyed girl

Worth the read, but not as helpful as expected

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 31, 2010

Verified Purchase

The stories shared in this book definitely let girls who are being bullied know they are not alone. In that respect it is helpful. However, it doesn't really contain any information in how to deal with female aggression. I also maybe would have liked to read more success stories from girls that had been bullied and are now leading productive and happy lives.

8 people found this helpful

Jill J Cordoni

Must read for all with daughters

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 13, 2013

Verified Purchase

In today's age of social media, cliques - this is a must read. I thought the way Rachel presented the ideas and theories around situations and what causes these behaviors was very insightful.

Jill Cordoni

5 star		63%
4 star		23%
3 star		3%
2 star		4%
1 star		7%

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