The Survival Guide to Bullying: Written by a Teen (Revised edition): Written by a Teen

by Aija Mayrock

Overview

NEW, updated edition! Written by a teenager, this kid-friendly, inspiring book is filled with advice, tips, and strategies for how to deal with bullying.

NEW, updated edition! Written by a teenager who was bullied throughout middle school and high school, this kid-friendly book offers a fresh and relatable perspective on bullying. Along the way, the author offers guidance as well as different strategies that helped her get through even the toughest of days. The Survival Guide to Bullying covers everything from cyber bullying to how to deal with fear and how to create the life you dream of having. From inspiring "roems" (rap poems), survival tips, personal stories, and quick quizzes, this book will light the way to a brighter future. This updated edition also features new, never-before-seen content including a chapter about how to talk to parents, an epilogue, and an exclusive Q&A with the author.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545860536
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/30/2015
Edition description:	Revised, Revised
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	193,752
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Aija Mayrock is a bestselling author, poet and writer. Her first book The Survival Guide to Bullying was published by Scholastic and her second book Dear Girl was published by Andrews Mcmeel. Aija has performed her poetry at venues like Madison Square Garden, the Microsoft Theatre, United Nations, SXSW, and Town Hall. Aija graduated from New York University.

Table of Contents

My Gift 1

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 Because You're a Normal Kid 20

Chapter 2 The Old You: Stuck in an Act 29

Chapter 3 The Real You: Out with the Old, In with the New 40

Chapter 4 Getting Help: Becoming Your Own Superhero 56

Chapter 5 The Dark Tunnel 72

Chapter 6 Battlefield Scenarios: Surviving in the Trenches 84

Chapter 7 #Cyberbullying: Pressing Delete 101

Chapter 8 Being Happy Again 120

Chapter 9 Benefits of Being Bullied: Finding the Light at the End of the Tunnel 130

Epilogue 137

Q&A with Aija 141

Hotlines 149

Acknowledgments 151

About the Author 153

Editorial Reviews

06/22/2015
“I know what it’s like to be hated for no reason... and to feel alone with no end in sight.” Mayrock’s debut, first self-published as an e-book in 2014, offers earnest advice for those struggling with bullying. Quizzes framed as chat exchanges, bullet points, and Mayrock’s “roems” (rap poems) help walk readers through types of bullying, surviving “in the trenches,” self-acceptance, and taking action when necessary. Readers may recognize their own struggles in her emotionally charged verse (“I’ve been broken/ Bruised/ Stabbed and subdued/ Submerged in darkness/ Told there would be no light”), and while Mayrock acknowledges that her suggestions won’t instantly solve readers’ bullying problems, she offers a range of ideas (such as embracing hobbies, expanding social circles, and unplugging from the Internet) that may help make the light at the end of the tunnel feel a bit closer. Ages 10–up. Agent: Jay Kramer. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Survival Guide to Bullying

"Practical, moving, and deeply kind." - Kirkus

From the Publisher

10/01/2015
Gr 4–7—In this revised edition of a self-published title, Mayrock, a college freshman, draws on her own experiences as a victim of bullying in middle and high school in order to help other teens. Her first-person voice is conversational and encouraging, and she offers practical survival tips (verified by experts), such as the importance of asking for adult help. Only occasionally does the advice veer into platitudes (for instance, "a war isn't won overnight"). The format and design are occasionally distracting, but on the whole, each chapter is useful as a guide to stand-alone topics, such as coping with cyberbullying and handling fear, making this a good title for young adults to consult in a moment of need. Some of the practical advice includes letter writing (penning a letter to loved ones about bullying situations), accepting oneself, and embracing creativity. Mayrock clearly relied on these steps herself; her creativity can be seen through the poems interspersed throughout. Each relates to the topic of the given chapter and conveys the raw emotions and reality of bullying. VERDICT This slim guide will be a ready resource for young people.—Ernie Cox, Prairie Creek Intermediate School, Cedar Rapids, IA

School Library Journal

2015-08-26
Author Mayrock, a teen who was bullied for many years, offers tips and inspiration to others in her position. Advice is presented in short, visually appealing chapters. Exercises, lists, drawings, and pull quotes are interleaved with text, and blue, bolded lettering emphasizes key lines. Each chapter opens with a heartfelt "roem"—a term the author has coined for her rap poems—in type that emulates handwriting set on a lined page. Creativity, Mayrock explains, has been one of the most powerful tools in her healing process. Throughout the book, suggestions are helpfully broad-ranging, from nitty-gritty safety tips (if you go to a party, make sure you have a trustworthy ride home) to internal affirmations (bullying is never your fault). One of the most effective chapters invites readers to identify traits bullies target and reframe them as positives; the author describes her own quietness, creativity, and long, thick hair as examples. The author writes transparently from personal experience, and some of the specific emotional impacts or bullying tactics she describes might not be wholly universal. Nevertheless, her advice is varied and her compassion, genuine enough that readers are bound to find plenty of applicable nuggets as well as a wealth of encouragement. Practical, moving, and deeply kind. (Nonfiction. 10-18)

Kirkus Reviews