That's Awkward!: The Shy Guide to Embarrassing Situations

By Megan Cooley Peterson

Embarrassing and awkward situations happen to everyone. But to some people, everyday situations can feel awkward and embarrassing. From going to a new place for the first time and joining a new sport team or club to tripping in the cafeteria and walking around with your pants unzipped, the book holds to the tools and coping mechanisms to deal with and move on from these situations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: May 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9780756564728

Megan Cooley Peterson

Megan Cooley Peterson is a children's book author and editor. Her book How To Build Hair-Raising Haunted Houses (Capstone Press, 2011) was selected as a Book of Note by the TriState Young Adult Review Committee. When not writing, Megan enjoys movies, books, and all things Halloween. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and daughter.

Book preview

title and author

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER

TITLE PAGE

CHAPTER 1: THE TRUTH ABOUT FEELING AWKWARD

CHAPTER 2: FINDING THE RIGHT TOOLS

CHAPTER 3: SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF

CHAPTER 4: SCHOOL SLIP-UPS

CHAPTER 5: BEING THE NEW GUY OR GIRL

CHAPTER 6: WHEN THINGS GET WEIRD WITH FRIENDS

CHAPTER 7: TEASING AND BULLYING

ASK FOR HELP

READ MORE

INDEX

COPYRIGHT

BACK COVER

CHAPTER 1

THE TRUTH ABOUT FEELING AWKWARD

Actress Jennifer Lawrence shot to fame in the blockbuster movies The Hunger Games and X-Men. She also became well known for her many awkward moments—in public! Lawrence has tripped on the red carpet at movie premieres and awards shows. She even fell on stage while accepting the Oscar for Best Actress!

How does Lawrence navigate awkward situations? With humor! When she fell at the Oscars, Lawrence picked herself back up, collected her trophy, and made a joke to the audience. Backstage, reporters wanted to talk about her fall more than her award. Lawrence poked fun at them—and at herself. She turned her stumble into one of the most charming moments in Academy Awards history.

Can you think of an awkward moment you had recently? Everyone, from movie stars to athletes, feels awkward and embarrassed from time to time. If you’re someone who is considered shy or quiet, these awkward moments can be especially difficult. Learning more about these situations and more about yourself can help make them a little more tolerable.

picture

AWKWARD OR EMBARRASSING?

What is the difference between an awkward situation and an embarrassing moment? Aren’t they the same thing? Not quite.

Any situation that draws attention to you when you don’t want it or aren’t ready for it can cause an awkward moment. An awkward situation involves a social setting, such as school or the store. When something uncomfortable happens, such as a fall, people don’t know what to do or say. The person at the center of the awkward moment might turn red or start to sweat. The people watching might look away or laugh nervously. Why? Because often they feel awkward on behalf of another person. This is called empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand how someone else is feeling and imagine how they feel.