Book excerpt: When you're the target of snubbing or teasing at school, it's easy to feel like everyone else has a group of friends and you're the only odd one out. The reality is that gossip and rumors hurt everyone, and often, even the most popular girls feel alone. Making your way through junior high and high school isn't easy, and it definitely requires more than the right shoes and lip gloss. You'll need a cool head and the confidence to be yourself in the face of serious social challenges. This workbook will help you deal with cliques, teasing, and gossip, and show you how to avoid getting caught up in this hurtful pattern of behavior. Coping with Cliques also includes key strategies for sticking up for yourself, maintaining your self-esteem even when others tease you, and finding friends who like you for who you are. The exercises in this workbook will help you to: •Handle Internet gossip and teasing •Stop feeling like you have to be sexy •Be assertive when necessary to gain respect and confidence •Find true friends and stop being hurt by friends who leave you out