cover image The Drama Years: 
Real Girls Talk About Surviving Middle School—Bullies, Brands, Body Image, and More

The Drama Years: Real Girls Talk About Surviving Middle School—Bullies, Brands, Body Image, and More

Haley Kilpatrick with Whitney Joiner. Free Press, $16 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-4516-2791-6

Kilpatrick began Girl Talk, a nonprofit peer-to-peer mentoring program that pairs high school girls with middle school girls in 2002 when she was 15 years old. The program swiftly grew from her Georgia high school to 43 states, six countries, and 40,000 members. This book is an outgrowth of the program and is based upon interviews as well as on the challenges she faced during her own “tween” years (ages 11 through 13 or grades six through eight). Though the author points out that she is neither a psychologist nor an academic (and therefore has chosen to skirt more serious issues such as eating disorders and addiction), she does provide sound advice that will help parents to support their tween daughters. Each chapter examines a particular issue (i.e., self-esteem, materialism, body image, love and relationships), and then offers guidance via “Try This” boxes. Kilpatrick’s overarching solution is to help the tween find an “anchor” activity (such as a sport or music), encourage her to give a helping hand (get her involved in volunteer work), and help her find an adoptive older sister (someone to talk to who’s been through similar experiences). With this practical guide to navigating the tumultuous tweens, Kilpatrick hopes to help downplay the drama, generate kindness, and break the “mean girl cycle” so prevalent in contemporary middle school culture. (Apr.)