Press Reviews

• Social Work with Groups

  Creative, accessible, and well sequenced, "Friendship and Other Weapons" is a good example of a curriculum that is easy to implement and to customize for a group (even for older girls). Ideas for customizing a session are included. The parent involvement expecatation is an effective practice that affirms the family's investment in the group. The use of activities, processing, and journaling are clear indicators that this is a solid group work program (what the author called a "real friendship" group)... "Friendship and Other Weapons" is one of the best curriculums I have encountered. It embodies the value of the group to enable members help themselves and one anoher. I highly recomment this book for any level practitioner. I can see it working especially well in a school or community center. It is adaptable for younger girls or middle schoolers.

• Leadership Focus

  Friendship and Other Weapons aims to help young girls cope with bullying... The book is based on thought-provoking discussions, engaging games, strength-discovering exercises, and confidence-boosting fun with hands-on activities.

• Reclaiming Youth International

  Signe Whitson's book Friendship and Other Weapons is a comprehensive skill-based curriculum of activities designed to teach young girls how to be confident, and proud of who they are... Whitson's book goes a step further as she has developed many thoughtful and dynamic skill-based group activities that support young girls.

• Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls

  Friendship and Other Weapons has a wealth of new activities that teach young girls how to navigate the dark side of friendship and stand up to bullying. With clear, simple instructions and powerful points to make about friendship and aggression, this curriculum is a must have for anyone working with young girls. I can't wait to try out some of the activities!

• Nancy Gruver, Founder, New Moon Girls magazine and online community, www.newmoon.com

  Want a proven way to help girls feel powerful enough to stand up to friendship bullies? This is it. The variety of activities reaches girls with different learning styles. The positive approach equips both parents and teachers with the tools they need to help girls assertively call out and reject friendship bullying.

• Trudy Ludwig, best-selling author of My Secret Bully

  Friendship and Other Weapons is a wonderful resource for educators, counseling professionals, parents, and group leaders who wish to address bullying and instil pro-social friendship skills in girls ages 5--11. I highly recommend it.

• Families Magazine

  This book is a very practical guide to the forms that bullying can take, and how to prepare girls to recognise and resist it... Organised as a 12 - step programme for a group, it is also enlightening for parents: I found the 'bully ban' assertive statement suggestions very helpful. A great resource.

• Mums Like You Blog.

  What we liked about this book is that it not only gives a new perspective on bullying but also provides practical advice and coping strategies for parents of school-age girls. Moreover, if there are no group activities dedicated to bullying in your school or community, parents can adapt each activity for one-on-one discussion at home.

• Children's Webmag.

  I like this book a lot. It gives the adults plenty of ideas for next steps and it even has sample letters to send home so that parents can understand and can join in at home. It is an honest, open method to promote individuality and negate bad, biased attitudes. Well worth having on the school and youth club book shelves.