Please Stop Laughing at Me: One Woman's Inspirational True Story

This book was not an easy read for me, either as a woman or a mother. It is the memoirs of the author, who endured bullying from 3rd grade up through high school. This bullying was not merely kids being obnoxious-there was emotional and sexual abuse, as well as physical violence. Ms Blanco, however, not only survived but thrived. She became a well-known author and advocate, and even wound up being friends with the folks in the "in crowd" who abused her. Reading it, I couldn't help but cheer for her-but this book still left me with some questions. 1. Where were the adults while all of this was going on? Didn't even one teacher sense anything, or notice that this little girl was scared? 2. Ms Blanco fulfills every bullied kid's revenge fantasy of becoming attractive, well-off, and well-known. But what about hurting people who are average-looking, lacking in confidence, and living paycheck to paycheck? How do these folks find healing? Is success the only form of wellness? 3.Ms Blancos former tormentors become her friends-and she even ends up in a love relationship with one of them. Is winning over your abusers the answer? And what have you really won? I hope that readers will learn how to overcome traumatic childhoods-but that they also think about these questions.

Jodee Blanco was bullied through about half of her school years. She was told kids will be kids and that there was something wrong with her. Years later, she went to her high school reunion and discovered, like many bullies, her tormentors had no idea that what they did was a big deal or how it had affected her. Please Stop Laughing at Me is Jodee’s story. It’s sometimes shocking, but also sometimes familiar. It’s a huge reminder that our actions affect others, and often in ways we never realize. I recommend this book for anyone who has children or deals with kids on a regular basis.

As a plus size girl most of my life I can completely relate to this story. Being bullied is never Ever fun. It hurts a person in many ways. These days there are even suicides because of cyberbullying. Its never ever okay to bully, read is story its amazing. It shows you that bullying doesn't have to get the best of you, it make you stronger inside and out. Don't let someone bully you tell someone if you are. This book really gets to you. Its awesome and emotional.

I read this book many years ago. my take away when i think of it now is that she tried so hard to be in the popular group rather then realizing all you really need in life are good friends. no one should be treated poorly but it is my feeling that there would have been less hard feelings if she had given up the idea of having to be part of the popular group.

Blanco's storytelling enables her to make deep connections with her readers on an intimate level. She carefully treads the line separating activism and vicitmization. Her heartbreaking story validates the feelings of all those who were victims of abuse as children, while at the same time endorsing forgiveness and understanding toward the abusers. She demonizes no one, humanizes everyone. One who reads Please Stop Laughing at Me cannot help but feel compassion for those involved, the victims and the abusers. A must read for all high school students and especially for adults recovering from childhood abuse.

I wasn't bullied in school, but I definitely wasn't well-liked either. I found this book a great insight to the author's mind and heart, but felt that perhaps it went a little too deep.While I know bullying is a problem, I often wondered throughout this book why her parents or school faculty or someone didn't intervene in some way.

Two groups of people should be reading this book. The first group is people that work with children and teens. The second group is teenagers.If you've ever been an outcast, you can totally relate to this young woman's story. If you've been on the "fringes" of popularity, trying desperately to fit in, you'll recognize some of the people in this book.The book is an easy, yet painful read. It isn't really a deep book; it doesn't analyze or find any solutions, which bothered me at first. But then I realized, Jodee isn't trying to find a solution to bullying, she's just making us more aware of what happens. She's educating us, through this story, and that could lead to solutions.I feel Jodee is very brave, for putting this story in print. I'd like to see a follow-up to her story, a "what happened after it was published" sort of book.

This book wasn't the greatest book ever written, but I think it gave a vivid look in the eyes of a child that was tortured by her classmates. You always think that the kids that get teased are the really ugly kids that look different(not being mean here) but in real life, any child can be a target.I was teased a little bit as a child, but nothing like this. My heart goes out to Jodee and I'm happy to read that she is doing so well. The last chapter about the reunion really shows just how insecure most people can be. A lot of bully don't realize what they are doing and how much it can affect the victims life.I really wish they had more anti bully programs in schools. I have heard that they really help, and if they can help one less child from living like Jodee, then they are worth it.

Like other reviewers I want to start by saying that I abhor bullying and bullies.In my profession it is something I will not tolerate,and as a consequence I don't find bullying,on the whole, a problem.However,I appreciate that the British and American education system is very different and this book illustrates how vast those differences are.The relentless quest to be seen as 'cool' is part of the problem,as is the very strict hierarchies within the school system,the geeks, the jocks, the nerds and so on all vying for position.I find that really sad and a bit pathetic.This is not as paramount in our education system, with the geeks,nerds and cool kids seeming to get along quite well, we seem to more tolerant about different groups and individual differences in our society.Though I am of course aware that there are exceptions to this rule.I am only writing as I find.This is not a well written book,for someone who clearly rates her intelligence and achievements I would have expected the writing to be so much better.The author goes to great pains to convince us and herself that her bullying started as a consequence of her kind and compassionate nature towards others.Reading between the lines I think she could have been bullied because of her superior and holier that thou demeanour,which was misguidedly fanned and fuelled by her parents.Not that I am saying she should have been bullied for having those personality traits,but you can't help but think her over sensitive and dramatic nature left her unable to cope with the usual taunts of childhood.I am not talking of the more severe forms of the author's bullying,but for the most part the incidences were relatively mild.Most of us have suffered the rejection and isolation of our peers but just got on with it.The author has a sense of entitlement that rendered her unable to cope with insults of her peers.I would love to have heard her peer's version of this abuse.It is very much a one sided account.I downloaded this book when it was a freebie,no way would I pay this hefty price tag, especially as the author gives no practical help for victims of bullies,though she will run a paid workshop on aspects of bullying.All in all,an ok read but a little self absorbed and very subjective.

I was interested enough to read this book till the end ( without being distracted by other books) so it did hold my interest.however I found it a bit one dimensional.I think this may be for me because I am British and so found it hard to identify with USA school life.I was struck by the difference of school life vs holiday life which was puzzling.As a book about bullying I dont think it offered any solutions - perhaps thats the sequel? I think if I was a bullied schoolchild I would think, reading this, that I had to battle through, and find not much comfort.I did like the way in the kindle text, people had highlighted several quotes that appealed to them

I have no personal experience of bullying or being bullied, but this book is amazing. How our kids grow up is the most important thing in the world. I'm not a parent yet but hopefully one day will be and I am so glad I read this book. What an inspirational story and what an amazing strength!

Good read

Fantastic read to give an insight into bullying. Hopefully it will continue to touch the hearts of those affected over the years as well as to help give an understanding into the effects that bullies have had over those poor people affected