Teen Health Books

This book had the information but the way it was worded was way to heavy and serious for the age group it is aimed at. They seemed to be trying too hard to sound grown up and knowlegable and just ended up making sex a boring topic.

First saw this book at a Family Life Weekend to Remember for couples (a highly recommended event). The book is part of a 4 part series, but if your kids are teens already, like ours, then it's good to just be able to buy the book that is for them.

My husband and I spent a year preparing for the coming "talk" with our oldest when I came across this series. There is 4 books in all. We have used books 1-3 and have been extremely pleased with how the content and each topic was handled. At first I was worried that some levels where a little more than I was ready for my kids to know but we went ahead and covered each topic in the book. My kids LOVED them and appreciated having all their questions answered so throughoughly and lovingly. The authors do an outstanding job communicating the love God has for them and what His intenstions are for sexuality. I highly recommend these books for children of all ages.

As a Christian Parent raised in a family that never discussed sex, I found this book (and the series) to be a great starting point. It hits all the right topics in a way that communicates a Christian view without using guilt or sounding preachy. Parents should read it themselves, then pass it on to their child. Don't wait for your child to hit puberty before you start talking about this important subject.

La Jolla Presbyterian Church uses this book as the basis forits sixth-grade sex education program. The program has grownremarkably over the last three years. To see how the book is used, go to www.datana.com/mary and use the "Sex Education for Christian Teens" link.

The teenage years are when many teens' bodies begin to radically change, and also when they start to be harshly criticized for their appearance. "Safe Dieting for Teens" is a guide for teenagers who feel the pressure of their classmates and want to shrug it off by proving them wrong. Advising against practices that lead teens down the slippery road to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, "Safe Dieting for Teens" gives sensible, wise advice effective for young adults' developing bodies. Enhanced with a calorie counting chart, "Safe Dieting for Teens" is highly recommended for community library health collections.

Reviewed by Hillary Krajewski (age 15) for Reader Views (6/08)

In a world of fad diets, super thin people, and obesity, it's hard to feel good about your body. For some people, it's even harder to find the weight that suits them best. In this book, the author stresses the importance of losing weight to please yourself instead of the people around you, educates readers about proper nutrition, and shows the importance of exercise. She addresses the problems with fad diets and eating disorders, as well as why it's harder for females to lose weight then it is for males.

This book would be very helpful for teens looking for the correct and healthy way to lose weight and keep it off. With the exercise and nutrition advice, it's not difficult to find a way to do it. There are many helpful suggestions throughout the book to keep you motivated and thinking realistically. Many teens, who are struggling with their weight, will be sure to find the correct way to lose weight, or just become healthier with this book.

I thought that many of the suggestions in "Safe Dieting for Teens" seemed like things that the average teen would be able to do. It gave very simple suggestions on many different topics. I would recommend this book to any teen looking for a solution to their weight problems. Patience is definitely needed to get through this book, since it's not quite the action-packed book that you'd expect from a topic like this. I believe that anyone who's dedicated to losing weight the correct way will find this book completely helpful and will find their perfect way to lose all their weight.

Safe Dieting for Teens by Linda Ojeda is a good, basic weight loss guide and one that I would be comfortable recommending to teens and their parents. What makes this book different from the myriad of weight loss books out there? For one, it doesn't deal solely with losing weight; the book takes into account many complex issues that face teens today. One important question, which is overlooked in many diet books, asks teens to examine their reasons for picking up a diet book in the first place. Is it because a doctor or parent has suggested that they are at risk due to obesity, or is it because they feel they should look like a super-model with a figure that has been super enhanced by computer to look skinny and fashionable. Dr. Ojeda is well aware that often the teens that have no need to diet are the ones most obsessed by it. There is an entire chapter in the book devoted to recognizing Anorexia and Bulimia, serious problems in our society.

For those that do decide they need to make weight changes, the book doesn't make promises of magical and sudden weight loss. It advises slow and steady modifications that will lead to life style changes. This is a common theme in most reasonable weight loss plans, and Dr. Ojeda's advice keeps that message upbeat and doable. She places the choices in the hands of the dieter, giving information and suggestions for taking baby steps into changes that can last a lifetime without a great deal of sacrifice. Yes, the book has calorie charts (specifically, for many of the fast food places teens frequent), but it also maintains that the teen may want to begin a weight loss program by taking stairs instead of the elevator everyday and skip the food changes completely for awhile. Her reoccurring message: It's your diet, do what will work for you. Make choices that will make you happy, not miserable.

Written in an easy to read and conversational style, the book recognizes that teens have some different issues from adults. Dr. Ojeda has taken those factors into account and has written a helpful and positive guide that can help teens make healthful life-style changes while keeping their own preferences.

Better than most of the genre, this well-rounded, conversational book will at the very least have teens thinking about their food choices. Fairly accurate information is presented on diet choices, the importance of exercise, diet balance, and fast food choices. Missing are more complete nutritional advice (beyond recommendations to get a general number of servings of food and vegetables a day), specific portion recommendations, and any discussion of how the body digests nutrients and stores energy. Inaccuracies and inconsistencies include the author's misunderstanding of the difference between nutrisweet and sucralose, and a switch in language from telling readers that there are no bad foods to a "Restaurant Food Guide" which lists foods "usually not okay (a better choice might have been "eat in moderation" or "higher in calories per portion").

Still, overall, the messages that getting up and moving is a big part of the weight loss battle, that moderation and mindfulness are the keys to success, and that self-esteem and looks are separate concepts make this a winner for teenagers concerned about overweight.

Sadly, in this genre a book can be considered good if it simply offers no harmful advice. Here is a volume several steps above that, and worth reading. This book, with positive advice and a far-reaching outlook, can help many young people if they read it, carefully consider the contents and ideas, and put the suggestions into place in their lives.

What a delightful book! The tone of this book is absolutely spot-on: helpful, empathetic, understanding, and sensitive to the preconceptions held by most teens about weight issues and how to deal with them. The author exhibits an extremely keen understanding of the challenges, questions and confusion that most teens (especially teenaged girls) experience regarding weight, body image, and weight-loss issues. This book is full of practical advice, straight talk, and usable information regarding nutrition, real-life exercise, and lifelong healthy eating habits and food choices. I would recommend this book for any teen looking for help in dealing with weight challenges and learning how to live a healthy lifestyle.

I think books like this are a great idea, especially for teens. But in my humble opinion, combining important issues that teens deal with like sex, drugs, and divorce with "god" is a mistake.

Let the facts and the issues stand on their own merit...trying to throw "god" into the mix just makes already tough issues even more confusing for teens to sort out.

I can't recommend Marcus Brotherton's BUZZ and HEAT enough to young people. Recently in our youth ministry we passed out a number of these books to a group of high school students. They couldn't put them down. It's obvious that the truth and style in which these books are written are highly relevant to youth today. They're edgy. Highly entertaining. Short enough for anyone to read. They are NOT preachy. Most of all they are thought provoking. Marcus has done an amazing job of raising serious questions and answers to serious issues. I highly recommend getting a handful of these books and passing them out to any youth that you know. They will read them. And better yet, they'll deeply consider the truth presented there.

Having worked with youth for over two decades, I'm grateful when a book hits where a teen lives in a relevant way. BUZZ strips away the hype to get real about what drugs and alcohol really do in the live of any person. It offers an alternative message that teens will not only "get", but be able to live.

Suzanne Eller, author and speaker to teens
Real Teen Faith

Captivating the interest of teenagers and reaching them in a deep way is not an easy task. Many authors have tried and it is my opinion that Marcus Brotherton has accomplished this task with this book, Buzz. Brotherton's radical magazine-like style is challenging, creative, educational and entertaining. Buzz delivers a Christ-centered message about substance abuse in a modern thought provoking way. The style of the book keeps you engaged and looking for more. With stylish pages and a dynamic style, this book will keep teens reading and thinking. Buzz is not too long and the content is to the point and uses a language that teens can relate to. It is clear that Marcus Brotherton has spent extensive time with teens in youth ministry and understands the intricacies of the challenges and temptations that teens face on a daily basis. Brotherton says it like it is - there is no dancing around the issues and the facts in this book. He understands how teens think and helps them to come to discover how they think as well. If you know a teen or young person who is, or might be, struggling with substance abuse like alcohol or drugs, do them a favor and give them this book.

As a high school teacher who had the young man profiled in this book, I found it to be very enlightening into the dangers too many people fail to see, both in education and outside education. Mrs. Crandell, with the help of Cynthia Cutts, bares her soul and reveals intimate details in order to sound the clarion for others. Her personal anecdotes are illuminating, but the more substantive portion of the book is the concrete advice regularly sprinkled through these anecdotes in the form of "I wish I'd known..." information boxes. These, combined with the "Drug Charts & FAQs" at the back of the book, make this a helpful guide to add to a parent's arsenal.

Lost and Found is an interesting combination of a heart-wrenching personal story and invaluable information on teen drug abuse. The story is so enthralling because it could so easily happen to any average teenager. This is a must-read for all parents and adults who work with youth. The book is packed with useful information, and the author's writing style makes it a captivating page-turner, easy to read in just a few hours.

This book is a must read for all parents. It is well written, compelling to read and very infomative. Don't make the mistake of thinking your children are too young to worry about drug use or that it won't happen to your family. I could completely relate to the author and saw many similarities in our families. This book is full of information on early warning signs, resources, and how to prevent drug abuse with your own children.

You'll want to read Lost & Found in one sitting because it captures you from the beginning. This book is both heart-breaking and uplifting since Christy shares the story of her son, Ryan, and how they hope his experience will help other teens and parents. It is a sobering look at teen drug use and how most adults are unaware of how many teens are involved.
My favorite part of the book is the "I wish I'd Known.." sections that give facts, resources, answers and advice for parents of all teens. I definitely recommend Lost & found to all parents and people who work with teens.

I bought this book for my 11 year old granddaughter. All of the book was fitting for her except the last section on sex. Her mother and I both felt she was too young to read that section. So, we have not given her the book yet. Will probably wait another 12 months or so.

Kim Cattrall, who left home at sixteen to go to acting school in New York City, won a Golden Globe for her role as Samantha in the Sex and the City television show.

Cattrals writes in a chatty style for late tween and teenage girls about sex, bodily changes, boys, parents, school, self-esteem and a whole lot more in this frank, down-to-earth book. The book is easy to navigate, well laid out with pictures of herself as a child and adult as well as gloriously done illustrations.

Quotes and nuggets of wisdom from Cattrall, such as, "I kind of wish dating could be renamed "getting to know you." That would take a lot of the pressure off." help make this book a handy roadmap for navigating adolescence and puberty. Girls can identify with the author because she writes in a conversational style that draws you in and speaks openly about her own challenges and feelings during her teen years from her fifty-year-old perspective.

Most women will appreciate the autobiographical information and remember their own teen years with joy and some sadness. The writing is easy-to-understand, thoughtful, intelligent and sometimes quirkily funny.

Glossy, thick pages and a wide 8" x 8" layout make this a simply gorgeous book.

Coupled with Cattrall's writing style and Martha Richler's illustrations, this is a book that every young girl would enjoy having in her bookcase for years of candid support and advice from a driven, successful woman.

Armchair Interviews says: A must-have for girls twelve and up. It augments a mother's or other female role model's advice for girls and even young women.

I was so pleased to find this book! I mentor a young teen girl and read this book aloud to her during our weekly sessions over a period of several weeks. She loved it and it was a great way to start some good conversations on some subjects that sometimes confuse or intimidate girls entering womanhood. Several other mentors are being encouraged to use it with their girls. A great find.

As the Romanov family is one of favorite subjects in history I picked up this book. While it was a great story (historical fiction account), I didn't like that the author towards the end of the book portrayed Rasputin in a good light. However, the author did a great job and should be commended on all her hard work researching the family and everything surrounding them during their time.

This book is a work of art! It combines science fiction, non-fiction and fiction to create a wonderful tale, another perspective of the Romanovs! This book is not just for teens!

THE CURSE OF THE ROMANOVS by Staton Rabin is an absolutely spell-binding story of Alexei Romanov and the Russian Revolution.

The story begins in Russia in 1916, where Alexei Romanov is the hemophiliac heir to the Russian throne. As a hemophiliac, Alexei cannot stop bleeding, and the only person who can seem to heal him is Father Grigory, otherwise known as Rasputin. So many of the Russian people despise Father Grigory and spread gossip about his drinking and womanizing, but Alexei's mother, the Tsarina, comforts Alexei by telling him that these are all lies and that Father Grigory is their dear friend.

Alexei believes his mother, until one night when he hears a conversation between his mother and Father Grigory that challenges everything he has been told. Not knowing where to turn, Alexei confides in his cousin, who decides to murder Father Grigory. But killing Father Grigory is not as easy as it appears, and when Alexei fears for his own life, he flees to the year 2010, using a method that Father Grigory himself taught Alexei.

In the future, Alexei meets a distant relative, Varda Rosenberg, who is currently working on a cure for hemophilia. When Alexei learns about the Russian Revolution and the fate of his family, he is determined to travel back to the past and rescue them from a horrible death at the hands of the Bolsheviks. With Varda's help, Alexei travels back into the past in a desperate attempt to save his family, his honor, and his way of life. But will he be able to change the course of history?

Staton Rabin somehow mixes the genres of science fiction and historical fiction to create a novel unlike any I have ever read. So much of the story is fact-based that you will find yourself believing every word. Rabin captures the voice of a young Alexei so well, as the book is written in diary form. At the end of the novel, author's notes clear up any misconceptions and separate fact from fiction.

So many stories have been written about the Romanov family, including the Disney movie Anastasia (Family Fun Edition w/Bartok the Magnificent). But Rabin's take on this famous story is so different than all of the others, it is definitely worth reading!

Reviewed by: Amber Gibson

i remember being a pre-teen, leafing through many books written for young women that followed an "our bodies ourselves" format. these books were ok, but never what i was really looking for. i didn't want information on how to ask boys to dance or how to apply lipstick- i wondered where the chapters entitled "when you don't feel like the rest or the girls" or "but what if i don't like boys?" were.

what a great help it would have been to have this book! the format is "hip" but not patronizing. while this book affirms the importance of pride and self-respect in queer or questioning young people, it also devotes pages to the concerns and dangers many queer teens face (safe sex, how to begin dating, facing intolerance). transgender issues and stories have their own chapter, as do homophobia and coming out. descriptive paragraphs are broken up by small autobiographical blurbs by young people describing their experiences with the topic at hand, and by smaller essays.

this book is a great place to begin for youth who are GLBTQ, questioning, or who would like to better understand their queer peers and friends.

This is an awesome book. I bought several that I use with a group of high school students. It's very informative and easy to read. Also has step-by-step suggestions for coping with issues such as homophobia, harassment, and coming out. An invaluable resource.

This book is a must-have for any Library shelf that serves teens. It is written in a style appealing to teens and includes short, one or two page summaries of ways to cope with the many issues teens face when questioning their sexuality. It also provides excellent, current resources for teens, from crisis lines to 'safe' (moderated) chat sites. I especially enjoyed the section dealing with 'coming out' to parents and family. It provided experiences from other teens who have (the good, the bad, and the ugly), and also possible responses parents might have when a teen tells them he/she is gay. In addition, it listed possible, respectful ways to respond to less-than-accepting parents. A fantastic compilation of stories, insights, and resources for teens.

This is a marvelous book for youth and adults alike. It is full of information and fun things to do with your dog as well as good training ideas. I would highly recommend it for experienced dog people as well as the new dog owner. We have used many of the ideas with our 4-H dog club and they have enjoyed reading it too.

This is a wonderful new book! It's organized in a fun and clever way that make it easy to follow and relate to one's own experience. It's chapter divisions are based on a person's school career:

Parenthood, Preschool and Kindergarten, Elementary School, Avoiding Detention, Health Class, Vet School (Health Problems), PhD in Obedience, Finding Your Roots (Dog Instincts), Extracurricular Activities (Sports and Cultural Experiences), Civics Class (Community Service and Good Neighbors), Field Trips (Traveling), and Fine Arts, Home Economics, and Shop Class (Crafts, Recipes, and Fun)

The writing is for older children, and I would recommend it for 12 years and up, although a high level fourth and fifth grader would be able to handle it just fine. And of course, it's very enjoyable reading for adults, as well!

One of the great things about Head of the Class is that it isn't just about teaching dogs the commands. As noted above, it covers all areas of dog ownership so that teenagers and adults alike will get all they need to raise their new pup in a positive and humane way. Jan Wall, author How to Love Your Dog

I have three mature Boxers, and this book was a big help. It's well constructive and easy to follow. Clear instruction with pictures and stories. Great! Thanks

it's an o.k. book, it's very helpful too for sexually abused teens!

This book is an excellent resource for teen survivors of sexual abuse, their parents, teachers, and counselors. I teach 7th through 12th grade adolescents within a state hospital setting. Many of the teens I teach are survivors of sexual abuse, and I have used this book as a resource for them for the past several years. The book is written in very straightforward language and in a readable format. It includes realistic discussions about feelings and easily usable suggestions for dealing with those feelings and other aftereffects of sexual abuse. I feel the authors treat the book's readers with respect and intelligence, never preaching nor talking down to them. Another outstanding book on this topic I also provide in my library for my students is: How Long Does it Hurt? A guide to recovering from incest and sexual abuse for teenagers, their friends, and their families, by Cynthia L. Mather.

This book is an excellent resource for teen survivors of sexual abuse, their parents, teachers, and counselors. I teach 7th through 12th grade adolescents within a state hospital setting. Many of the teens I teach are survivors of sexual abuse, and I have used this book as a resource for them for the past several years. The book is written in very straightforward language and in a readable format. It includes realistic discussions about feelings and easily usable suggestions for dealing with those feelings and other aftereffects of sexual abuse. I feel the authors treat the book's readers with respect and intelligence, never preaching nor talking down to them. Another outstanding book on this topic I also provide in my library for my students is: How Long Does it Hurt? A guide to recovering from incest and sexual abuse for teenagers, their friends, and their families, by Cynthia L. Mather.

Professor Birmaher's book represents the latest in scientific understanding and clinical approaches for recognizing and responding to Bipolar Disorder in children and teens. A researcher of note, Professor Birmaher has been able to translate the most up-to-date research data into a supportive, simple and effective text for concerned parents and others wanting to take the best course of action. The inclusion of clear and detailed diagnostic advice, treatment and management strategies, and test instruments makes 'New Hope for Children and Teens with Bipolar Disorder' an accessible foundation text for both new and experienced clinicians working with young people.

Dr. Birmaher has been treating kids and adolescents and doing research on pediatric bipolar disorder for many years, and speaks from both clinical experience and from research findings. Contains current info on treatment, and many tips for how parents can get the help their children need and reduce stress and increase flexibility. One of the best books available for parents on the topic.

I am not the parent of a child with bipolar disorder, so I cannot comment on how useful this book is for parents trying to help a bipolar child. However, as a general reader, I found this book to have good basic information. It was easy to read, not at all too technical for the non medically trained person. In fact, I thought that at times the author could have gone into more detail on particular topics.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for easy to read, entry-level info on pediatric bipolar disorder.