It's just another day at school and all around you are the usual players. Each table in the lunchroom has a different bunch of kids sitting at itthe jocks, the music and arts kids, the emos, the science nerds. Every time people get together it can be called a group, but there seem to be definite rules about who belongs where and who does not. When people form groups with rules and expectations for members, the groups can be called cliques. Cliques have the power to include and exclude. That in-crowd of girls over there make up a clique. You know, they're not necessarily the prettiest, or the smartest, or the most athletic. Not all of them have important parents or families with money.

But, somehow, every boy wants them to notice him, and every girl wants to belong to their clique. They're the ones who decide what it's cool to do, what to wear, and what to be interested in. So how does a clique decide who belongs and who doesn't? Why can clique members be nice to some kids while victimizing or completely ignoring others? Where exactly does that power come from? If you want to know the ins and outs of cliques, this book can help.