Randi Rosenberg
Book Title: Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip,
Boyfriends and Other Realities of Adolescence
Author: Rosalind Wiseman
Publisher: Three Rivers Press, New York
Copyright: 2002
ISBN: 1-4000-4792-7
Book Details: Soft cover, 315pages
Summary: Queen Bees and Wannabes is an excellent resource for school counselors and
parents of daughters. Rosalind Wiseman delves into the realities, trials, and tribulations of all
girls growing up, particularly during adolescence. In the book, Wiseman presents a poignant
theme of social hierarchy in relation to such topics as cliques, popularity, teasing, gossip, parties,
and of course, boys. The book also alludes to parenting styles and how they relate to where in the
hierarchy ones daughter might fall. The detail in which Wiseman uses to describe the social
hierarchy is eminent to the rest of the book. Queen Bees and Wannabes offers wonderful advice
to parents about what to do and in some cases, what not to do when handling ones daughter in a
social context. This book really works to help school counselors or parents identify those crucial
social roles. The book also helps take the guesswork out of what role your daughter might covet
and offers suggestions and solutions for each role. Queen Bees also offers appropriate movies
and resources to supplement ideas given by Wiseman.
This books strengths are that it really struck a cord with me, a woman (we were all
adolescents once) making it easy to relate to. The touch of warm-heartedness with which
Wiseman writes makes reading it a pleasure. On the other hand, the book left me wondering
about the boys; Queen Bees and Wannabes really focuses its attention on dissecting girls.
Overall, it was a super read and I would highly recommend it.
Format:
Chapter 1: Cliques and Popularity
Chapter 2: Passport from Planet Parent to Girl World: Communication and Reconnaissance
Chapter 3: The Beauty Pageant: Who Wants to Be Miss Congeniality?
Chapter 4: Nasty Girls: Teasing, Gossip, and Reputations
Chapter 5: Power Plays: Group Dynamics and Rites of Passage
Chapter 6: Boy World: The Judges and Be Judged
Chapter 7: Girls Meet Boy: Crushes, Matchmaking, and Birth of Fruit Cup Girl
Chapter 8: Pleasing Boys, Betraying Girls: When Relationships Get More Serious
Chapter 9: Parties: Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll
Chapter 10: Getting Help
Grace Notes: Before You Go
Movie List
Resources
Good Organizations and Their Websites
Purchasing Information: Barnes and Nobles, $14.95