Book Review: Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco

Please Stop Laughing At Me

by:  Jodee Blanco

Bullying is not a new phenomenon.  But that doesn't make it right.  Why do some kids bully other kids?  Why do they view it as joking around and not as cruelty?  What does it feel like from a child's perspective to be bullied?  Are there long term effects?  

Author, Jodee Blanco, has bared her soul in her book, Please Stop Laughing at Me.  She describes a life of mental and physical abuse at the hands of her classmates.  From early on in her life, she was different.  She wasn't a blind follower of the crowd.  This made her the prime target for bullying among her peers at school.  

Although she doesn't answer the questions of why bullying happens, she does give a thorough perspective of life as a bullied child.  She describes the long term effects and considers herself an adult survivor.  Jodee is a sought after speaker and expert on school bullying.  She has a day-long anti-bullying program called It's NOT Just Joking Around.  

You can visit her website, Jodee Blanco ,for more information on her program, to listen to interviews, and to read more about Jodee.  You can read the first chapter for free here.

With all of that said, I had a strange feeling about this story that I still can't put into words.  Maybe it was the painful memories it brought up about being bullied myself at school.  I don't know.  

I do think this would be a great read for any parent with school age children.  There is some profanity in the book so be aware of that before you read or before giving the book to your child to read.

 I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Whole Bible Story by Dr. William H. Marty

I received this complimentary book from Bethany House Publishers to review. 



  Because the bible is actually 66 books written in a variety of literary forms, it can be confusing to someone new to the study of scripture.  Dr. Marty wrote this book as an aid to help people who don't know anything about the bible to gain an overview.  He states in his introduction that this book is not a paraphrase and it is not a replacement for bible reading.  He goes on to say that this book tells the story of the bible in plain, simple english with very little commentary. 

This book does not include prophecy, poetry or wisdom literature, and it does not include the New Testament epistles.  There are 19 chapters and an epilogue which is the book of Revelation.  

Since I began reviewing books, this is only the second book that I have not loved.  I am not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it.  I can't pinpoint why I didn't love the book.  I did find the commentary annoying but that is just me.  This would be a fine book for someone to read as an aid while studying scripture.