SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About TLT
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • A to Z Book Lists
    • Book Review Policy
  • Teen Issues
  • Middle Grade Mondays
  • Programs
    • TPiB
    • Tech Talk
  • Professional
    • Teen Services 101
    • Things We Didn’t Learn in Library School
  • MakerSpace
  • Projects
    • #SVYALit
    • #FSYALit
    • #MHYALit
    • #Poverty in YA Lit

November 16, 2012 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Book Review: Uncool, a Girl’s Guide to Misfitting In by Erin Elisabeth Conley

November 16, 2012 by Karen Jensen, MLS   1 comments

The Unrules:
  • Be kind to your fellow misfits.
  • Believe that black is a color suitable for any occasion, worthy of even being added to the rainbow.
  • Think.  Be.  Think and be different.
  • Throw caution to the wind.  Take chances with fashion, hobbies, hopes, and dreams.
  • Be OK with wearing things that your mother, grandmother, or nosy old neighbor thinks are ugly.
  • Don’t be afraid to look weird.
  • Write a blog.  Make a documentary film.  Publish a zine.  Learn the accordion.  Build a radio-controlled blimp.
  • Express your individuality in a healthy, creative way.
  • Let your inner geek speak- whether it’s through music, art, science, origami, circus school, or whatever.
  • Do something slightly risky (but never dangerous) every once in a while.  Take up the sport of spelunking (cave exploring), or invite your gym teacher to join you for lunch.
  • Have patience with people who are different from you.  (You know, the ones who are so “normal” they’re practically clones.)
  • Find something to believe in, a worthy cause of sorts.  Volunteer and invest some genuine spirit into it.
  • Feel free to pop over to the Dark Side, but don’t move there.
  • Orbit Planet Normal in your mother ship, but don’t inhabit it.
  • Don’t change just because someone else thinks you should.
  • Know that even though you may misfit, there is always someplace you are welcome in the world.

Uncool, a 2009 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, is a fun and active read for teen girls who are always faced with the pressure of fitting in and bending to the whims of everyone’s opinions, whether it’s the media or family and friends.  When you know that you are not stepping to the same tune as everyone else, life is always difficult, and the humor that runs rampant throughout the book helps give girls already anxious about issues like appearance, clothing, cliques, and being themselves a lift and an easy way to navigate through some of the tougher waters.


Containing recommended book lists and playlists, Mad Libs for thinking through issues, and activities for handling situations in non-confrontational ways, Uncool engages readers into making active insights into the world around them.  It encourages the inner weirdness in all of us in a positive way, without shining rainbows and glitter over the negatives of middle school and teen life.  A lack of an appendix for additional resources (websites or readings), and its nonstandard size are the only negatives for adding it to a library collection- at 4 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches it’s perfect for a teen to carry around in a purse or backpack unnoticed, but it’s going to be hard to keep track of on traditional library shelving.
I can definitely see using this in library programming, paired with fiction books such as the ones listed on our Top Ten Books Dealing with Body Image, or with programs on self esteem, or as part of “spa days” for teens.  Get some of the Mad Libs or other writing activities blown up, create a playlist on your iPod with some of the recommended songs, and go to town for your program opener.  Lead with a discussion of where things stand in books and media before creating body salts or killer robots for crafts.
Some totally “Uncool” role models to share with teens:
Daria, from the awesome animated series from Mtv
Lisa Simpson, from the Simpsons animated series
Georgia Nicolson, from author Louise Rennison
Kat, from the movie 10 Things I Hate About You
Bridget Jones, from the books and the movies
And let us not forget one of the coolest Uncool people out there, Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Share your favorite “Uncool” female role models for us in the comments.

Filed under: Adolescent Development, Book Reviews, Girl Power, Teen Issues, Teen Nonfiction, Uncool, Zest Books

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

February 2013

Book Review: Holy Spokes: a biking bible for everyone by Rob Coppolillo (with a TPiB)

by Karen Jensen, MLS

November 2012

Book Review: Queer- The Ultimate LGBT Guide for Teens by Kathy Belge and Marke Bieschke

by Karen Jensen, MLS

November 2012

Book Review: Regine's Book, a teen girl's last words by Regine Stokke

by Karen Jensen, MLS

October 2012

Book Review: Dear Teen Me edited by E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally

by Karen Jensen, MLS

January 2015

Serving Full T.I.L.T.: Sarcasm, Spice and Everything Awesome: The Developing Teen by Rebecca Denham

by Karen Jensen, MLS

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

One Star Review, Guess Who? (#187)

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Ellen Myrick Publisher Preview: Fall 2023/Winter 2024 (Part Five – Berbay, Cicada & Creston Books)

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Recent Graphic Novel Deals, Late May 2023 | News

by Johanna

Heavy Medal

And now there are 38: May Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Suggestions

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

A Case for Fun and Games, a guest post by Andrew Auseon

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Trying Something New: SPEED ROUND w/ Marla Frazee, Doug Salati, Dan Santat, and Amina Luqman-Dawson

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

January’s Debut YA Authors on Their New Year’s Resolutions

"Reverie" Author Started Writing His YA Debut in High School

YA Authors Recast Their Problematic Faves

Cover Reveal & Interview: UNEQUAL by Michael Eric Dyson and Marc Favreau

Three July 2021 YA Debut Authors Open Up About Their Protagonists

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Stephsco says

    November 16, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    I love this! Willow is a great example, too. It seems like the geeky kids and the wallflowers usually end up with the most interesting lives as adults. 🙂

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023