While other kids were daydreaming about dances, first kisses and college, Jodee Blanco was just trying to figure out how to get from homeroom to study hall without being taunted or spit upon as she walked through the halls.

This powerful, unforgettable memoir chronicles how one child was shunned -- and sometimes physically abused -- by her classmates from elementary school through high school. It is an unflinching look at what it means to be the outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it all wrong, why schools are often unable to prevent disaster, and how bullying has been misunderstood and mishandled by the mental health community.

You will be shocked, moved, and ultimately inspired by this harrowing tale of survival against insurmountable odds. This vivid story will open your eyes to the harsh realities and long-term consequences of bullying -- and how all of us can make a difference in the lives of teens today.

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Since its release, Please Stop Laughing at Me… has enjoyed phenomenal success including heading straight to the New York Times Best-Seller list in only 48 hours. Other highlights include:

• Please Stop Laughing at Me… is now required reading and summer reading in hundreds of middle and high schools, colleges, and universities coast to coast. The book is routinely taught as part of curriculum

• Jodee’s remarkable story has been featured in such influential media outlets as: CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, FOX News, Teen Newsweek, Parade magazine, Teen Guideposts, Hispanic, Teacher Magazine and Scholastic

• Please Stop Laughing at Me… has been published in Japanese, Arabic, French, Danish and Indonesian

• Jodee’s life story has become part of a permanent exhibit at the Chicago National Historical Society. She was chosen as one of the most influential teens of her era

• Please Stop Laughing at Me…is nominated for the 2004-2005 Eliot Rosewater Award sponsored by the Association of Media Educators and the Indiana Library Association

• Please Stop Laughing at Me…was selected as a favorite by student members of Chicago’s Mayor Daley’s Book Club. The annual convention keynoted by Jodee brought a sustained standing ovation for both her and the book

• Dramatic interpretations of Please Stop Laughing at Me…are garnering state-winning awards in school competitions

• Please Stop Laughing at Me…has been selected as the One Book, One Community selection for the 2005-2006 school year in Lansing, MI. Over two thousand students will read the book throughout the school year, culminating with a keynote address in March, 2006 by Jodee

• Please Stop Laughing at Me… has become a standard among book clubs throughout the country, most especially among mother/daughter book clubs


Look for the second part of this remarkable story, Please Stop laughing at Us… expected in bookstores in Fall, 2006. The next book picks up where the first one left off – the night after the astonishing events of Jodee’s high school reunion. It includes the events of Jodee’s personal, and completely unexpected new professional life in the past several years. Practical advice for students, professionals, parents, and adult survivors is included. Please sign up for Jodee’s newsletter for notification of the publication date. Another New York Times Best-Seller is well underway!