In this follow-up to titles such as Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities (2004) and The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids (2006), Robbins once again examines the lives of contemporary young people, focusing this time on "the cafeteria fringe," or teens who don't fit easily into groups. As in her previous works, Robbins doesn't break new ground here, and her "quirk theory" is familiar from both academic studies and age-old parental consolation: "The differences that cause a student to be excluded in school are the identical traits or real-world skills that others will value, love, respect, or find compelling about that person in adulthood and outside of the school setting." This time, though, Robbins interacts directly with her subjects, following individual teens (and one young teacher) through an academic year, issuing challenges to each to stretch beyond his or her role as "the loner," the "band geek," and so on. Grouped loosely into chronological chapters, the personal stories alternate with sections with titles such as "Why School Uniforms Don't Erase Cliques" and "Why Groups Don't Get Along," which discuss research about teen physiology, psychology, and group dynamics. While the mix creates a sometimes repetitive, unfocused whole and Robbins' thesis feels almost like common knowledge, the individuals' stories she shares are both sobering and inspiring, and readers will come away with a deeper appreciation for individuality and the courage and resilience it takes to survive the current high-school jungle. A final resource section offers valuable tips for both teachers and parents to confront their own biases about popularity and help nurture creative, confident teens.

Already known for providing readers a new angle on a familiar subject—e.g., college sororities (Pledged, 2004), obsessive students (The Overachievers, 2006)—Robbins now applies that same incisive inside scoop to the lives of high-schoolers who feel...different. In schools across the country, thousands of students often feel "trapped, despairing that in today's educational landscape, they either have to conform to the popular crowd's arbitrary standards—forcing them to hide their true selves—or face dismissive treatment that batters relentlessly at their soul." The author introduces what she calls "quirk theory," the idea that outsiders thrive after high school for many of the same reasons that they were misfits in high school. Fully immersing herself in the lives of a wide variety of "outsider" students—including the "band geek," the "artsy indie," the "loner" and the "gamer"—Robbins demonstrates the ways in which their "quirk" is a good thing. This likely won't be news for many readers who have long survived high school, but it's a useful reminder to all of us to discover and encourage the quirks that make certain students exceptional. Robbins offers real hope to adolescents who must realize that "it gets better" is far more than wishful thinking. The author has a gift for writing fact like fiction—she reminds us what it was like to be in high school and helps us relive all the anxiety and angst—and the students and their stories are thoroughly engaging. The author also includes a helpful appendix, "31 Tips for Students, Parents, Teachers, and Schools." These stories are not just entertaining but important, reminding us to celebrate our quirks and those which we see in others as well.