The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

April 4, 2011
Robbins follows her previous book, The Overachievers: The Secret Life of Driven Kids, with this insightful and timely look at the current state of America's teenage wasteland commonly known as "high school." Robbins follows the lives of seven students across the nation with very different and unique personalitiesâfrom "the gamer" and "the band geek" to "the popular bitch" and "the new girl"âas well as interviewing hundreds of other students, teachers, and counselors from a range of public, private, urban, rural, technical, college prep, and arts schools to prove what she calls her "Quirk Theory:" that "Many of the differences that cause a student to be excluded in school are the identical traits or real-world skills that others will value, love, respect, or find compelling about that person in adulthood and outside of the school setting." Robbins's keen eye shows us how the eternal adolescent struggle between individuality and inclusion lures many studentsâand teachersâinto a mindless "groupthink" about what is conventionally popular and acceptable behavior. At the same time, she shows how the qualities that set her subjects apart from their classmates are the same qualities that make them stand out in positive ways. She ends with an effective list of tips for parents, teachers, students, and schools on how to support and encourage students who value "original thought and expression."

May 15, 2011

Already known for providing readers a new angle on a familiar subject—e.g., college sororities (Pledged, 2004), obsessive students (The Overachievers, 2006)—Robbins now applies that same incisive inside scoop to the lives of high-schoolers who feel...different.

In schools across the country, thousands of students often feel "trapped, despairing that in today's educational landscape, they either have to conform to the popular crowd's arbitrary standards—forcing them to hide their true selves—or face dismissive treatment that batters relentlessly at their soul." The author introduces what she calls "quirk theory," the idea that outsiders thrive after high school for many of the same reasons that they were misfits in high school. Fully immersing herself in the lives of a wide variety of "outsider" students—including the "band geek," the "artsy indie," the "loner" and the "gamer"—Robbins demonstrates the ways in which their "quirk" is a good thing. This likely won't be news for many readers who have long survived high school, but it's a useful reminder to all of us to discover and encourage the quirks that make certain students exceptional. Robbins offers real hope to adolescents who must realize that "it gets better" is far more than wishful thinking. The author has a gift for writing fact like fiction—she reminds us what it was like to be in high school and helps us relive all the anxiety and angst—and the students and their stories are thoroughly engaging. The author also includes a helpful appendix, "31 Tips for Students, Parents, Teachers, and Schools."

These stories are not just entertaining but important, reminding us to celebrate our quirks and those which we see in others as well.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from April 15, 2011

High school is perhaps one of the toughest social environments American teenagers experience. A student can be considered an outcast for the slightest deviation from the norm set by popular kids, parents, and even teachers. Robbins (The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids) here explores how and why students divide one another into groups. She considers the different groups to which students are assigned by their peers and, shockingly, by teachers and how these labels affect them, and she issues challenges to the seven main subjects of the book (six students and one teacher) to get them out of their comfort zones, out of the "cafeteria fringe," and on to meaningful and rewarding experiences. Robbins follows her subjects for a school year, tracks their progress with her challenges, and shows how the very traits that marginalize students in high school often lead to success after graduation. VERDICT An excellent overview of the complex social environment of high school, told in an accessible and often humorous and touching manner. High school students as well as adults, especially those who are or were part of the "cafeteria fringe," will enjoy this book. Very highly recommended.--Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY

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