Young Adult Books

I'm a gay teen who didn't know anyone who was gay and really needed to know that I was the only guy out there going through this stuff. Free Your Mind is an awesome book in many ways, because it's so full of comments and stuff from other people who share similar experiences, that it's hard to feel so alone and different after reading the book. The authors, as well, are really nice people, I've e-mailed them several times and they are incredibly friendly, supportive and loving. When I got it, I kinda hoped that Free Your Mind would provide me with all the answers... it doesn't, nothing can, but it provided me with a sense of hope, pride and one really intensely important message : I am not alone.

Thisis an excellent resource for the family with gay members, or for those who want to better understand gay teens, such as educators or social workers. It is great for gay teens also. I especially liked the sidebars which mention prominent gay people and their contributions to society. I also very much liked the chapter on community support and their suggestions on making the schools more accepting of gay students.

It was really great to read this book.. I was confused, sad, angry.. but this book teached me a lot of things.. To hear other experiences was excellent.. I cried when I saw that other people lived what I lived.. Thank you Ellen and Kate..

I bought this book for my parents and myself shortly after I came out, and I think that it was the best purchase I've made in terms of books regarding gay youth. I've lent it to several of my friends as well, when they've need help in their own coming-out process. It's just enormously comprehensive, and it's extremely interesting and uplifting too. Every gay youth should own this book.

This is simply the best book resource available for gay and lesbian young people - and those that want to give them support.

It offers practical advise not only for youth, but also gives space to parents, educators, and other adults who want to lend support to bisexual, gay, and lesbian youth. It features personal comments from teens who have been there/done that - including two persons who grew up to be instrumental in the popular XY magazine for gay teens.

While not a cure-all, this book can help young people accept themselves, make rational decisions on coming out, and deal with parents, friends, faith and religion, and many other topics... and serve as a primer for those adults who would like to help gay teens, but aren't quite sure how to go about it.

Well researched, well presented, and of all things, still current in terms of content and resources both, this book is the Bible for gayTeenresources.com

A harrowing tale of life in Occupied France that reveals, to a greater extent than anything else I've read, the experience of life Behind Enemy Lines. Some of what the author describes is so horrific that it's hard to believe he wasn't writing a movie script. But his matter-of-fact tone and attention to detail leaves no doubt as to his veracity which makes the book all the more sobering.

In spite of its grim tale, this book is a GREAT read, especially his triumphant description of the liberation of his home town of Dijon. My cynical and "hip" generation no longer ascribes great heroism to the Allied side of World War II, focusing instead on the self-interested motives of many of those nations. But DeAnfrasio shows what it meant to him, his family and his fellow Dijonnais to have the Americans and Free French forces march into their city after four years of Nazi tyranny. That moment is so powerful, after having vicariouosly experienced his suffering beforehand, that I almost started shouting for joy on the beach!

This book is a timely reminder that "tyranny" and "liberty" are not merely empty phrases used by venal politicians only interested in furthering their own careers. DeAnfrasio shows their real meaning by emphasizing what extraordinary courage it took to live an ordinary life during the darkest days of WWII. We Americans need to be reminded of this every once in awhile, since we haven't experienced occupation since the War of 1812.

I recommend this book HIGHLY!!

The wonderful endurance and courage of a young boy is both exciting and inspiring reading.

Great book! A very descriptive story about a boy growing up during the war and facing hard times. I finished the book in two days and could not put it down. This book would make an excellent movie; It's a story that needs to be told. It's definitly a story for posterity.

This autobiography is an extraordinary account of a young boy during the Nazi Occupation of France. Roger de Anfrasio captivates the reader and makes us proud that there are men like him who stood up proudly with immense courage against the Nazi occupier. I am happy to know Roger de Anfrasio and his son Dominique they both have my admiration. "A Garden of Thorns is a must" and particulalry for young people.

I have read many World War Two books...but none have been asinteresting as, "A Garden of Thorns." Having my father meetand associate with Mr. de Anfrasio, it made me like the book evenmore. It is touching and has a way of capturing you mind and it makesyou think a little more about life and what we take for granted.

Very similar to the Alice books by Phyllis Naylor. Gert doesn't get into quite as much "I Love Lucy" trouble as Alice.

Those of you prudes who dislike the Alice series because of the explicitness, won't like Butt Cheek. (I suppose the title would give you a clue to that.)

As in one of the Alice books, Gert's health ed teacher gives the class homework of using a mirror to get acquainted with their bodies. Gert slow-dances with a boy and realizes that he is really up about dancing with her. She dresses as a mermaid on the homecoming float in October and wishes her bikini top was thicker. All sweet, innocent stuff but not for religiously uptight parents.

I think I actually got into the world of a real teenager! Gert is clever with words, witty, smart, and has honest convictions and opinions. I even laughed out loud! And I'm not a teenager; I'm a grandmother who read this book in preparation for a teen granddaughter. I can't recommend this book enough.

It would have been nice to know I wasn't the only one struggling with issues as a teen. Gert tells it like only she can, and I had a lot of LOL moments and even a few ROFL. Great read. Highly recommend to any age.

Reviewed by Tabytha Joy (age 15) For Reader Views (11/07)

"One Butt Cheek at a Time" is a book referring to the phrase "Take it one step at a time." The philosophy is that not everyone has feet, and even those that do, some cannot use them. But everyone has a butt. Therefore, saying "Take it one butt cheek at a time" would apply to everyone.

"One Butt Cheek at a Time" is about a girl who goes through life learning new things. Gert hates her name, but learns to live with it. Her best friend, Adam, is gay. They have been friends for many years. Well, Adam ends up with a boyfriend, and soon starts to neglect his friendship with Gert. Gert soon has to find a way to win her best friend back. She tries talking to Adam, but he doesn't seem to understand. Gert ends up meeting new friends when she gets assigned to a group project with her worst enemy, Jenny.

Throughout the story, Gert learns new things about her body. As a class homework assignment, Gert has to look at her private parts, using a mirror. This is so that the female can recognize if something has changed. Well, Gert decides to name hers...

Overall, I would say that this book was very interesting--in a good way, of course. I say this because I've learned some new things by reading "Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves: One Butt Cheek at a Time." I really liked how the author chose to use phrases like "Holy-Mother-Of-Fake-Butter" instead of curse words. This book would be best for females fourteen and older.

Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves: One Butt Cheek at a Time should be on every parent of a teenager as well as every teenager's reading list. Amber Kizer takes us into the head of a teenager -- for real! Today's American teenagers have more in front of them than ever before in our country's young history. Kizer delightfully tours us through a few critical months in Gert Garibaldi's 15-soon-to-be-16 life, keeping a steady stream of humor without losing that corner of reality. If you're a parent and want to know why your kids act the way they do; or are a teen and need to feel like someone else has been where you are sitting: you need to read this book. Oh and if you're reading it on the bus, be prepared for folks to stare when you laugh out loud. Be advised it deals with mature subject matter. That said, every teenager is already dealing with mature subjects. Can't wait for the next installment!

I'm 37 yrs old and just recently rediscoverd this book at a used book store...I first read it when I was 12 and the movie too....The Child of Glass from Disney. I have to say it's one of the best from my childhood and enjoyed reading it again as a grown woman. I recommend it to all ages.

If you are, this book is one of your best guides. I loved this story as a child, particularly as I was a child who saw spirits. As an adult who works with spirits and those in form, I recommend this book to my clients who see spirits and want to learn how to respond to them compassionately. It is indeed a children's book with lessons from which everyone can learn.

I have read the first chapter. It is about a boy named Alexander and he thinks there is something in his barn. He is to scared to go see what it is in the barn. so he tells his friend to go see. That is all i know about my book.

I really enjoyed this book, it's really a four and a half stars. I had read some of the other Blossom Culp books first, and enjoyed having Alexander as the narrator, although I think I prefer Blossom. I loved the setting. This was a funny, exiting, and somwhat spooky book. I recommend it to pratically anyone.

Blossom Culpýs mother was born with a caul over her face, meaning she has the second sight. She sees a pink halo over Alexander Armsworthýs barn and confides in her daughter that Alexander has the ability to help the spirit trapped there.

Blossom was known was making up stories, still out of curiosity, Alexander explores the barn and finds a hurt little dog. That night he sees candlelight in the barn. The dog turns up missing the next day. Convinced that Blossom is playing a trick on him, he drags the frightened protesting young girl up to the loft with him and sees the first signs of the ghost wet footprints.

Inez Dumaineýs wealthy New Orleans family put her on a steamboat and sent her north on the eve of the Civil War. The steamboat had an accident and Inez drown. Afterward, her body was robbed of her familyýs wealth, which had been sewn into her dress. Her fervent wish is to be buried properly with her family.

Peckýs characters are vivid, the kind the reader cares about from the first chapter onward. His combination of humor and suspense really propel the story forward. An excellent story!

I found a story, quote, or fact to inspire me for every occasion in this wonderfully empowering book, which would be the perfect gift for any female at any age. I found it helpful for setting goals and kicking the occasional case of the blues. For a while, I read a snippet every morning upon awakening--it certainly gave me a "can do" attitude! Hmm . . .I should go back to that habit.

I absolutely, whole-heartedly recommend this book--one of my very favorites!

. . .A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping- stone to greatness," says Oprah Winfrey. That quote alone has me hooked to this book; and it's only one of the many phenomenal others in this great page turner. Page after page of the book is filled with inspiration and great words to live by and selections from the coolest females around.

I would recommend this book for any age. From the first to the last page, the lessons shared are a great addition to helping girls figure out how to strive for greatness no matter who they are or how they see themselves. If you decide to read this great book, you might want to also try one of the other four in the collection for fun. The other titles are: The Girls' Book of Wisdom, The Girls' Book of Love, The Girls' Book of Friendship, and The Girls' Guide to Life. So get over to your local bookstore, library, or online to get your copy!

I got lost in this book! Very inspiring!

This book signifies every success story that serves as an inspiration to all teenagers. It helps adolescents battle their fears and finally guides them on the road to confidence. By listing stories and providing quotes about success, teens who read the book, can identify themselves with the people they read about and aspire to become like them. It is a success in itself!

A superb book, indeed!

(...)

Delicious, delightful, delectable!

I'll admit I picked this because of the title, GOING NOWHERE FASTER. Aren't there times when we all feel that way?

Stan Smith has more problems than you can shake a stick at. One problem is his name - "Stan." Who names their kid Stan? But then his parents aren't exactly your normal, run-of-the-mill parents. They are another one of his problems. His dad is a crazy inventor and his mother is an over 6-foot-tall Amazon vegan who attempts to run an organic food market.

Another sore spot in Stan's life is Prarash, his mother's smelly yoga and meditation partner, who practically lives with them. There's also Chopper, the family dog who produces more "gas" than the oil fields of Kuwait. The only normal one in the family is Stan's little sister, Olivia. She's the one bright spot in his existence.

Stan should be thinking about college, but instead is working a dead-end job at Happy Video. It at least gives him the chance to watch endless videos in an attempt to prepare for what he hopes is a future in writing movie scripts. In the meantime, he is stuck riding his ten-speed, helping out in the family business, and hoping for a chance to date the girl of his dreams, Ellen.

As if Stan doesn't have enough problems, he believes he has a stalker. The victim of high school taunting and bullying, he was threatened by Ellen's ex, Chad Chilton. Now the evidence is mounting and points to Chad as the probable driver of the speeding car that almost ran Stan off the road one dark night, as well as the twisted mind that left a mutilated Barbie doll on Stan's steps. These acts of terror, plus slashed bike tires and vandalism at the Happy Video store, are sending waves of fear through the frustrated Stan.

Sean Beaudoin uses witty dialogue and hilarious descriptions to grab readers and get them cheering for poor Stan. The first person style helps readers understand Stan's above-average intelligence and his passion for movies and scriptwriting. This is definitely one I found difficult to put down once I started reading.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Going Nowhere Faster
by, Sean Beaudoin

Little, Brown
2007, 300pp
ISBN 0-316-01415

Going Nowhere Faster, by Sean Beaudoin is an excellent book. Its theme is about growing up and finding out who you are. The main character's, Stan, best friend is the most popular kid in his grade. Stan falls in love with a girl who will kiss anyone, any where. She just happens to kiss Stan's best friend, while she is on a date with Stan. These are only a few of the many problems that Stan run's into, while on the journey of growing up.

This is a funny, yet touching book. After you get to know the characters, they are easier to understand, but, despite that, there are still unexpected twists. I think this is a great book, and I highly recommend it.

*ANB*

Going Nowhere Faster
by, Sean Beaudon

Little,Brown
2007, 300p
ISBN 0-316-01415

Going Nowhere Faster, by Sean Beaudon is an excellent book. Its theme is about growing up and finding out who you are. The main character's, Stan, best friend is the most popular kid in his grade. Stan falls in love with a girl who will kiss anyone, any where. She just happens to kiss Stan's best friend, while she is on a date with Stan. These are only a few of the many problems that Stan run's into, while on the journey of growing up.

This is a funny, yet touching book. After you get to know the characters, they are easier to understand, but, despite that, there are still unexpected twists. I think this is a great book, and I highly recommend it.


A.N.B.

stan smith makes weird lists, has a weird house, a weird mom and a weird dad. it's no wonder stan himself is weird. i look up to stan's mom and wish i could be her with all of her convictions.
the characters in this book are well written from the main to the peripheral and you can't help but love them.
the mystery element in this book is shockingly funny. it makes fun of stereotypes while being a stereotype. i laughed out loud and i'll be recommending it to everyone.

1) Stan is hilarious and truly going nowhere faster than anyone I know.
2) Stan's precise descriptions of Ellen make her oh so edible.
3) It's amazing how in touch Beaudoin is with his adolescence.
4) Does there really need to be a 4 when the next step is buying this book?

Perhaps the book should be titled "Eternal Hope" for that is what the reader is offered. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one is left wondering: "What now"? Kindred spirits know that communication between the survivor and the deceased merely moves to a higher level. Only those looking for the "clues" will make the connection. Dr. Carroll, the main character, takes us on a journey of self-discovery providing the reader with hope, joy, a sense of peace and peacefullness. On the surface a deceptively simple story; on reflection an intricate story simply told. As a caregiver in a variety of settings, including a trauma unit, I have witnessed family loss throughout my career. Healing the survivors is just as important as providing care for the patient. I encourage you to take the journey!

Once in a while a little book comes along and just steals you away. Read a page or two and the next thing you know, you're gone...you're somewhere else for awhile. Eternal Journey does exactly that. It transports you to a special place where mystical events unfold and love transcends loss. Acceptance triumphs over anguish; grief grows into hope. On your journey through this book, you'll travel with Anna, a successful psychotherapist whose mission is helping others unravel and come to terms with life's mysteries. When Anna loses her closest friend Beth to cancer--the third such loss among her friends in a year--she comes unglued. Disconsolate, and trying to "get a grip" (ironically the name of her own radio talk show), she flees to Martha's Vineyard Island for a long winter week-end of healing solitude. Hoping to work through her grief alone, she discovers she is anything but alone. Inexplicably, she runs into and then keeps crossing paths with a truly remarkable individual. As she struggles to find meaning in her loss, other extraordinary "encounters" take place, until finally she realizes that love and connections never die....That life is maybe only one leg of an ongoing journey. Perhaps death is not the end of the road. Perhaps the dying process is really a gateway to another path in our travels. Like the birth process. What an affirming concept! What you'll love about Eternal Journey is that it bravely takes you where other books do not. Through the medium of storytelling, this lovely and poignant fable speaks straight to your belief systems, offering meanings unfamiliar to most outside the realm of hospice care and grief counseling. Far from being morbid or depressing, the author's message absolutely shines: it's awe inspiring and uplifting. In a word, it's hope (yes, as in "...springs eternal"). Eternal Journey is not just for the bereaved or those anticipating a bereavement. It's for all of us. Consider it a gift for your spirit, a balm for your soul. Hutton has created a wonderful imaginative journey for anyone open to life's marvels. It's a rare and fine treat.

Dr. Hutton's story is thoughtful and emotive, leaving the reader with a perspective of his/her own journey. Along with this perspective one can achieve insights into personal losses, or of losses of those close to us. A very inovative self-help book. A great book to experience! Thanks, Carol.

John C. Cooper, Divisional Director Psychiatry and Chemical Dependency Lower Florida Keys Health System, Inc. Key West, FL jonbudkeys@aol.com

Gives cause for reflection, synthesis and assimilation of one's life experiences through the parable of Anna. A tasteful blend of mysticism and practicalism which is easily digested, interpreted and applied as the reader sees fit.

Perhaps the book should be titled "Eternal Hope" for that is what the reader is offered. Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one is left wondering: "what now?" Kindred spirits know that communication between the survivor and deceased moves to a higher level. Only those looking for the "clues" will make the connection. Through the main character, Dr. Carroll, the author takes us on a journey of discovery. Dr. Carroll's pilgrimage provides the reader with hope and joy. On the surface a deceptively simple story; on reflection an intricate story told with simplicity. As a caregiver in a trauma unit I have witnessed family loss throughout my career. Healing the survivors is just as important as providing care for the patient. I encourage you to take the journey!

Castles and courts suck.


Skeeve is left with a lot more than he really wants to have to deal with, let alone just the whole court magician gig. The king bails out due to impending nuptials, and this then leaves someone's mother mad at him, not to mention a fairy godfather, of the somewhat mafioso flavor, as opposed to the Glinda flavour.

This Myth book is the fourth in the series. Like the others, this book is chock-full of marry mischiefmaking as Skeeve, the young magic apprentice, and his master Aahz, the powerless demon, continue to experience eeary adventures.

In this volume, Aahz is spirited back to his dimension just as Skeeve is being commanded to replace the king so the king can go on vacation. Now, why would a king want a vacation, asks Skeeve about one moment too late? Because of some deals that will likely cause him to be killed. Skeeve manages to extricate himself from this mess by creative use of his talents and his friends including Hugh Badaxe, Big Julie, Tanda, and Chumly.

Just as Aahz returns and the story ends, the second story line develops. In this one, Skeeve gets tangled up with the mob and the whole gang has to figure out how to get them away from Postillum, Klah, and the Bazaar at Deva.

Needless the say, there are plot twists aplenty as well as much of the quirky humor that is written in so well by the author. For instance, at one point, there is a wrestling match provided by midget wrestlers with four arms from the dimension Tue (sounds like too). So, of course, the puns commence: The team is known as the "terrible Tues" etc.

The book is great fun and will not take long to read. Pay close attention to the quotes that grace the beginning of each chapter. They are a hoot and a holler in their own right.

This is the fourth book in Asprin's Myth series and it's just as good if not better. Aahz is transported back to his home dimension, Perv, and Skeeve is left to handle his job as court magician on his own. He soon ends up with a homicidal queen, Hemlock, and the Mob's fairy godfather, Bruce, after him.

Hit or Myth is just as entertaining as the previous books in this series. Even though Aahz was out of the story for most of the book, the storyline continued to work. It allowed the reader and Aahz to realize how far Skeeve has come in his apprenticeship. It was nice to see Skeeve develop throughout the book from an apprentice to a magician in his own rite.

This was the first book by Robert Asprin I ever bought, it was the first I had ever seen and most of my friends have spent the last few years being regailed with how brilliant this guy is. The pottential this book showed made me spend ever since looking for anything written by this guy in the hope that he maintained the passion of this book. For the most part I have not been dissapointed, and I am still convinced I was one of the first Brittish people to hear of this guy.. I have one important thing left to say.... BUY THIS BOOK....

This was my first Robert Asprin book, and it will not be my last. With a quirky cast of characters including a murderous princess, a kidnapped mentor, a silly pet dragon, a war unicorn, an absent king, and the mafia, not to mention the apprentice this story revolves around, this is truly an enjoyable read.

It goes quickly enough to be a great vacation book, but don't wait to pick it up! Run out to your nearest bookstore, grab a copy and start enjoying, and laughing. You'll be glad that you did!

And for those that won't trust me and want a preview of the plot, Skeeve, an apprentice magician, is tricked into assuming the kings likeness and place on the throne, by King Rodrick himself! The king then runs away. Why? Because he's about to be married to an infinitely rich princess! Right about then the mob shows up and things really get bad from there, but if you want to know what happens next, buy the book!

Five teen girls are separated by decades but united by their love of a Nebraska farm: this focal point ties their lives together in this first novel centered around powerful female protagonists who are searching for a powerful place in the world. Letter entries explore their very different worlds and the concerns that connect them and make for gripping reading.

Hope's mom got in an accident. Ever since then she's been in a series of foster homes. Every time she goes to a foster home she takes a keepsake with her. She keeps all of her stuff in an old backpack. When her mother died, at that time, she was living at a foster home with a beautiful meadow, she took her mmother's urn and spread it across the meadow. The meadow was so beautiful! She saved a ziplock baggy with some of her mother's ashes in it. When she left that foster home, she was bound and determined to find it again. A few years after the meadow, Hope finally found the perfect family. Anna and Sarah. When Sarah wanted to take Hope to the meadow, Hope didn't realize it was the same meadow she spread her mother's ashes in.

I think that this book was really exciting and interesting. There like mysteries in the letters that "Hope" reads. It really got my attention while i read the first pages. When i started reading this book i actually didn't want to stop. I would recommend this book to other people.

The book, Holding Up the Earth, was about a girl, Hope, whose mother died when Hope was six. She went to seven foster families before she went to a lady's named Sarah. This is about how Hope overcomes her mother's death, and learns to live with Sarah. I think that this book is well written,because about every other chapter the author has a diary or a journal explaning what has happened at the farm where they live in the past. I think that this helps you better understand the book. I would recommend this book to someone who likes Realistic Fiction. As far as age groups go I would recommend this book to children ten and up because there are words that younger children probably shouldn't be reading. If you love books that will lift your spirits this is the one for you!

It is a wonderful book. How did it not get more attention?
The writing perhaps needs more detail and needs to be tightened up a bit, but there are some great lines, such as the dog "is free to wander anywhere on the farm
a sniff leads her" and some great characters. It's a fantastic tribute to the sisterhood of womanhood and to feminine links to the earth and has a wealth of ideas to
discuss (Is the missile supposed to be symbolic?).

Out of the hundreds of books I have read through out my life, this book remains one of the most endearing to me. Maybe it is the way Cleo triumphs over her life troubles and struggles that I like. Or maybe it was something that I would have liked to do as a girl-escape and make my own pathway toward learning about myself. We are reading this book in our book review group in March 06 and I am so excited to share this with my adult friends who maybe by reading it will have gained an appreciation for this young 16 year old hero.

out of all the books i have ever read,this is the one that has made an impact on me. after reading it in 8th grade, i look upon my experience with this book as if i was there with cleo, as if the story were a palpable distant memory of my own. i come back to the book often to relive Cleo's adventure.

Reading through the other reviews I notice that most are from women and how much this book impacted our young lives. I read this book over and over again (along with Cold River another survival tale). I think it was the strength in this character and her knack at learning survival skills that always pulled me in to reread it. I would still sit and read this book in fact I think I might have to splurge for a used copy.

While I was in middle school I checked the book out numerous times. I loved the book. I loved Cleo, I loved her story and her strength. I even knew the exact location of that book and what the hardcover picture looked like. Move on in time to high school and college and every so often I would scour for the book (the title of which I had forgotten but I knew the authors last name began with an 'M'.) So finally after finishing college I went back to my old town and asked to go into the junior high library. I found the book. On the same shelf, same location and with me being the last person to have checked it out.

Wonderful book that I discovered in junior high. Several years later I bought a copy and this novel has become one of a treasured few I read again every year. The central character (indeed, practically the only character for most of the book) grows so much during her experience that you remember her life changes long after you put down the book. As always, great fast-moving, realistic storytelling from Harry Mazer.