How Rude! is a serious etiquette encyclopedia that’s so much more than just a manners book. It’s a book teens will want to read—because it keeps them laughing, doesn't preach or talk down to them, and deals with issues that matter to them the most.

The tradition of his best-selling Bringing Up Parents, Alex J. Packer blends outrageous humour with sound advice as he guides readers through the mysterious world of etiquette and manners from A ("Applause") to Z ("Zits"). He starts by explaining why etiquette is important—because people who know how to handle themselves in social situations come out on top, get what they want, feel good about themselves, and enjoy life to the fullest. It explains why using good manners makes life easier, not harder!

In 480 pages, this revised and updated edition of Packer’s 1997 classic by the same name describes the basics of polite behavior in all kinds of situations. Hundreds of questions and answers cover everything from dating to breaking up, thank-you notes to table manners, ethnic jokes to social cliques, and more. Teens learn how to be a host with the most (and a guest with the best), what to do (and not do) when going online or waiting in line, how to deal with rude relatives, how to act at the mall and the concert hall, how to make introductions… even who invented manners.

Michelle Garcia Winner, the Founder of Social Thinking, says:

"How Rude! is a book that 12- to 20-year-olds can easily read themselves, be amused by, and more importantly, learn from. While not written specifically to people with social learning differences or challenges, it’s is packed with explicit and direct presentation of social concepts. This is a helpful book for any teenager."

About the Author

Alex J. Packer, Ph.D., is an educator, psychologist, and award-winning author of numerous books for parents and teenagers including Slaying Digital Dragons: Tips and Tools for Protecting Your Body, Brain, Psyche, and Thumbs from the Digital Dark Side. Alex is sought after by the media for his provocative commentary on manners, child-rearing, and substance abuse prevention, and has led workshops and lectured widely across the United States and around the world. He received his Ph.D. in educational and developmental psychology from Boston College and his master’s degree in education from Harvard.