Uncool: A Girl's Guide to Misfitting in

by Erin Elisabeth Conley

So you didn’t make the cheerleading squad. You wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those too-short pleated skirts anyway. Fact is, you’re not the same as everyone else. So what’s wrong with that? An insightful and comedic commentary on misfitting in, Uncool shows just how cool being uncool can be. Including stories and quotes from real teens, creative activities for alternative thinkers, and much more, Uncool is the independent girl’s guide for getting through the horrors of clone-happy high school.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

Reviews

[Carly Whitaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book so much my daughter enjoys reading it and I see her more happy ,and more energetic every single day.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Publisher's Summary: For teenagers who didn't make the cheerleading squad or simply wouldn't be caught dead in one of those too-short pleated skirts anyway, this insightful assortment of stories and quotes from real teens is a must-have for getting through the horrors of clone-happy high school. Featuring analyses of what "cool" really means, creative activities for alternative thinkers, trendy fashion pointers, and good old-fashioned cool-kid advice, this often comedic commentary on the conundrum of not being one of the gang—whether a little darker, a little brighter, a bigger laugher, or a bigger loner—shows just how cool being uncool can be.
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I ordered this book through Scholastic book orders using my bonus points. I am hoping that the book proves helpful to my tween readers entering middle school. Learning to embrace who you are can be a difficult lesson to learn when you feel insecure about yourself, and Uncool seeks to assuage any difficult feelings that arise. Full of helpful lists (songs, books, movies) and writing exercises, the book is a quick read at less than 100 pages. However, it just might be the salve for those who are beginning to feel the twinges of being on the outer circle looking in. My one complaint about the book was the literally the last sentence. Listing "New Mindset Mantras," the author writes:
"-Those who know me best, love me best.-Only 'fools' fit in. -I won't let mean people get me down." All of those are great messages for impressionable readers. But the last mantra, in my opinion, sends the wrong message-no matter how tongue-in-cheek it was meant to be: "-My good friends Ben and Jerry will always be there for me."

[Arminzerella · Rating 1 out of 5]

I ordered this because of a review I’d read, and I was initially excited about it – it’s this tiny magenta book with a watercolor-esque picture of a girl in a long skirt with shiny Mary Janes and a tattoo (or henna tattoo) on her right calf (very appealing). The only sign from the cover that it might not be quite the guide that teens will gravitate to is the “Psst! Includes: real-life quotes from real teens” in the lower right corner. That doesn’t seem like the best marketing-to-teens technique. I guess it’s a small gripe, but honestly, am I supposed to be over the moon that real teens said real things in this real book? Erin Conley’s voice is also slightly off; she does ok when she’s just being herself, but every now and then she throws in one of these teenage buzzwords (fugly, sucky, humanoid, peeps, parental unit, ‘sure we’ve all felt the slap’). And it’s just so…obvious. For a book that’s telling kids it’s ok to be your own person, to be uncool, it’s trying too hard. Some of the activities aren’t things I can really see teens getting into, either – like the map where all the different cliques sit in your school cafeteria one (they’re encouraged not to draw anything that might offend someone during this exercise). I think there’s probably some good stuff buried in here somewhere, but a lot of this is going to be familiar or even preachy for the intended audience, and I’m not sure they’ll stick around to unearth the good parts. I was expecting something different, honestly.

[Mikaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty cool. Misfitting in is amazing and I actually learned something. (gasp) actually that's not true but i took something from it. Let's just say I'm going to wear black a lot more and be more spontaneous. like wearing the plaid shirt to school and stuffs.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pocket-sized book about being female and uncool during school years. Includes books, music and movie recommendations, activities, worksheets and ideas for increasing your uncoolness or releasing steam. Interesting reading, but not really anything new or revolutionary.

[Sabina Musa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this book. I learned that its okay to be different. It also full with sense of humor. This book was priceless