by Michelle Garcia Winner and Pamela Crooke
This anime-illustrated guidebook is written for teens and young adults to learn how the social mind is expected to work in order to effectively relate to others at school, at work, in the community and even at home. Since there is relatively little information on how to talk about social information, this book redefines what it means to “be social”—and it is likely not what you think!
The book is written in the language of teens as a “get real” discussion about what really goes on inside the minds of people as we share space together. There are many practical strategies to help the reader figure out what impression they are making on others, how this affects their own emotions and what they could work on to make living in the increasingly complex social world more personally rewarding. Who doesn’t think they could improve in these skills?
From discussing the ins and outs of what it means to be a “social thinker” to figuring out texting, dating, the different levels of friendship and the many and varied emotions we experience as we relate to others, the authors describe the real world of being with other people. This includes knowing how to sometimes just “fake it” better! The authors are not trying to get every reader to find a group to hang out with; instead, they are providing information to help each person find his or her place and be appreciated by others at whatever level he or she feels comfortable with.
