Youth Books

This is by far the best book of stories written with teens in mind. I've been a youth leader for the past 11 years and I use this book often. In fact, this past weekend I loaned it to an 18 year old high school senior to use for our lock-in worship. He said he started reading the stories and couldn't stop! He said he was going to get a copy (but I should't tell anyone.) I told him to keep my copy and he did. Buy one for you and one to share. You will not be disappointed!!

I highly recommend this book to all teenagers and everyone else, also. I reviewed the manuscript in an early form, and I'm pictured on the front cover, along with my brother and other friends...Reading the stories made me laugh and cry, they were all very touching. It's a great book.

This book was an inspiration to me. I am going through a lot of hard times right now and this book has helped me see that my problems aren't as bad as I thought they were. One of my favorite stories would have to be "Miracle at the Mall" on page 314. There's always a different way God lets people know he cares and loves us. I look forward to future books by Alice Gray. Also, I would like to thank the people who allowed their stories to be published.

THIS BOOK IS A GREAT READ FOR TEENS.THE STORIES ARE FUNNY,HEART
WARMING AND AT TIMES SAD.MOST OF THE STORIES TEACH VAUABLE LESSONS ON LIFE.MY FAVORITE STORY IN THE BOOK WAS DUMP BOY.THE LESSON THE CHILDREN LEARN AT THE END WAS REALLY TOUCHING.ANOTHER
FAVORITE WAS A POEM CALLED MAKING SARAH CRY(WHICH WILL HAVE ALL
YOU SCHOOL BULLYS WISHING FOR A SECOND CHANCE.BUY THIS BOOK AND LOVE THE STORIES JUST LIKE I DID.YOU WON'T BE DISAPPIONTED.

Man....I dunno where to begin with this book. Yeah its that awesome! I've just started reading it and I'm abt 80 pages into it but lemme tell ya , Its just as good if not better than the rest of them in the "Stories 4 the Teens heart" series! I don't think the stories are just for teens either , anyone can read them and they are sure to enjoy them. The stories talk about real life situations and how others have coped with them. This book can really cheer a person up and help them out. I hope anyone who veiws this would read it and enjoy it! Best wishes to all ya'll out there!

I loved this book. I actually thought it was better than the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul books. This book is quite uplifting. It is trully a great read!

This book is wonderful! Filled with inspirational stories - some of them tear jerkers - and a correlating Bible verse after almost every story. These are real life stories from real life people, and they really make you think!

I was headed for some or most of these things. Being a teen my self i could relate to all of these things and the feelings in the stories. These stories made me veiw things from a different side. Like my parents i was having fights with them. I thought that they were against me fully. Well after readin these stories i learned the hard way that my parents weren't against me they were with me and only trying to protect me. If you are a teen and in trouble, have questions, or anything else i FULLY recomend this book for you.

This is an awesome book to read anytime and anywhere! Full of a variety of types of stories such as ; uplifting , inspiring , teaching and so much more! This is the type of book most kids , teens and even adults would love to read! Stories that we can relate to in life and that we can enjoy. These stories are garunteed to make any one with a heart (which is everyone) laugh , cry and smile. After reading a few of these stories you will have a whole new positive veiw on life.
I highly recommend you buy this book and I hope you enjoy it! ^_^

Great stories in this book! The stories deal with EVERYTHING a teenager goes thru and then some.

For teens that aren't usually big time readers, this book is great. Short stories that hold their interest....and keep their interest. Maybe they will go on to read more often? :)

I first read this book when I was 11 or 12, circa 1962.

It was so appealing that I adapted it into a play for a 7th grade book report. My teacher, the doughty Mrs. Kerrigan, took me to task for not reading a REAL play. I held my ground, however, and insisted that the dialogue and imagery made it as actable as any "play" could be.

Here I am, lifetimes later, still chuckling over this little masterpiece.

If you like Jean Shepherd's "Christmas Story", you will love this book!

Many times reading this book I related it to my own childhood in the 1980's. It's amazing to think that this was written in the 1950's, about the author's childhood in the 1930's. It's also hard to believe that such normalcy could have taken place in an era when we never hear about anything but misery. Unbelievable as well, is that happiness and life carried on without the direct interference of the New Deal. This book is truly a gem that will bring you back to the forts and treehouses we used to play in.

I'm sure that mothers and daughters will enjoy the book as well, but fathers and sons will get the most from it. I first read a borrowed copy of this book at age 10 back in the 1970s, and I loved it. Its praise of living leisurely, making your own fun, spending time with friends rather than parents, even doing nothing at all, seemed to validate my own boyhood lifestyle. I never forgot the book and finally bought it for myself from Amazon 30 years later.

The book is now more than 50 years old, yet it seems strikingly contemporary because the trends that Smith spotted in the 1950s (structuring children's playtime, always trying to teach and "improve" our kids, being a "pal" to our kids) have only accelerated since. Smith treats everything with nostalgia and humor, making every page a joy, if a tiny bit sad.

I now have a baby boy of my own, and I'm going to save my copy for him to read, years from now. I strongly recommend this book to young fathers, and fathers-to-be.

This book should never be out of print. A glorious, accurate dipiction of childhood from a boy's perspective. We can all relate. Sweet and innocent: when he talks about smoking "weed," it was real weeds from a back lot! When duct tape was the most valuable thing on the planet and an abandoned lot was a wonderland, it will all come back to you.

What a wonderful little book! Very short, only 124 pages, and I think the best word to describe it is - bemusing. I was charmed by the writer's account of his childhood in the Roaring Twenties. Written in 1957, so many of his observations on parenting (and he had two of his own) are certainly true today. We micro-and macro-manage our children. Are they ever left to their own devices any more? I do remember one of the things he did, running a needle under the skin of my finger. I have a note in my copy that says this book should be given to whichever of my children's children reaches 6 first.

This book is not just a mega dose of good news, but is a resource rich exposé on where the good news is being generated.

Reading "And Now for the Good News", you are made aware of the limits of corporate media coverage and informed on projects and people who are making positive change, and then empowered to get involved. This book allows all of its readers to be a part of the solution.

Simple energy,small passions,life.We manifest it.Know that our needs are ONE,not few.At a time when our good graces seem under continual assault,this author reminds us of everyday fulfillment.You most likely do these tasks within your own life.But then,that's the GOOD NEWS.I have been able to share this information with friends,associates,and,children in need of a jumpstart in goodness.

And Now for the Good News... is a nonfiction testimony presented to counterbalance the seemingly unending torrent of dismal news that pours from television, newspaper, and internet sources day in and day out. Good news ranges from a major new study (the 2005 Human Security Report) revealing that political violence has sharply declined worldwide since the early 1990s, to the record high life expectancy rate found in the U.S. (77.9 years), to a decline in illegal drug use among U.S. teens (down 23.3% in the last five years with reductions in every drug, including alcohol and cigarettes), and much more. An intellectually, emotionally and spiritually uplifting testimony featuring meticulously documented sources, highly recommended as an antidote to CNN depression.

And Now for the Good News in a society mostly focused on bad news, is news, indeed. Badly needed news at that. What Al Gore does with his video on healing our planet, Sue Ray does with this book to bring into balance our distorted world view. As she says in her book, "how we frame the issue matters." Citing examples of what has already been accomplished gives us the heart and impetus of wanting to do the same. Words are worlds. Instead of focusing on the word `fight' in "the fight against global warming," let us focus on the words `help' and `healing' in "help our planet heal itself." Read this book. It will restore your faith in humanity.

What resonates with me is the conscious creation / law of
attraction aspect of this inspiring book. We get what we focus on, so it
makes sense that what we chose to pay attention to on the news
affects each of us on many levels. Why not pay more attention to the
positive events and people in the world? This book is a great reminder that there are many people in this world creating positive change that benefits us all.

This book is an excellent read. It skillfully takes you through what many ww2 vets experienced. I found it both factual and entertaining, in fact it was hard to put down. I highly recomend "And Youth Was Gone" to any one who enjoys a well written novel. Bill Keim is an excellent storyteller!

After reading this book I developed a new understanding of what happened during the war. In history class you only learn the facts about what happened, but to hear someone's thoughts and feeling brought this into a whole new light. I also have a new veiw on the army. My father was in the military and his veiws were and still are different from what I read. I was raised with his stories of Vietnam and saw things through his eyes. Now I can say this book has opened my eyes to a new understanding on the military. It was excellent because I now am gaining more knowledge on both sides to create my own veiw.

Overall, this was one of the best books I have ever read. Not only history part informatial but the story of the young man and his life just pulled me into the book. I started reading and within 3 days I was complete. I am glad I had the chance to read this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am quite glad I invested the time. I'm all for Ambrose, but Keim provides a detailed and personal account of one soldier's experience during the war - from enlistment to return - rather than skimming the top off many soldiers' memories. Although the result doesn't have the historian's polish, I feel that I gained a different kind of understanding of 'the greatest generation' from this fellow.

All of us who attended elementary school can smile as we read of the experiences of the main character Bill Kress and the significant others who helped to instill the moral and social values through his adolescence. Bill Keim blends these friends and family members skillfully through the book especially moral and ethical situations in the military. You are bound to accompany Bill Kress, step by step, with such emotion you can feel your hand on his shoulder, from basic training to the end of WWII. You feel all the emotions of life, love and death. Gripping!!!

Bill Keim's first person story of growing up before, during and after the WWII war years was both witty and poignant. I daresay anyone living in that era can relate to most, if not all, the experiences of the not quite fictitious Bill Kress which run the gamut from sorting out parental feelings, the opposite sex, war, love and friendship. Keim's description of the events of the D-Day invasion are profoundly moving and could only have been written by someone who experienced the event first hand.

A thoroughly captivating story from cover to cover.

It's hard to find the perfect balance in teen fiction, where there is the right amount of realism, a strong dose of God that isn't cheesy or over the top, and suspense / action to keep things going. Melody Carlson is nobody new to the world of teen books, having already put out three other wildly successful series (TrueColors, Notes From A Spinning Planet, and Diary of a Teenage Girl), and with Bad Connection, book one in The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series, Carlson does not disappoint.

In Bad Connection, we find Samantha McGregor, a high school girl whose father is dead, mother wants nothing to do with Christianity, and a brother who is constantly in and out of trouble with the law. Samantha is the only one in her family holding on to God, and that's when she receives a vision. A girl from school, Kayla, disappeared a week ago, and now Samantha thinks she's seeing clues from God about her whereabouts. Samantha has to work with her dad's old partner, Ebony Hamilton, to unravel the clues and find Kayla before it's too late.

The first concern that anyone might have in reading this story is the use of the spiritual gift of receiving visions from God. I was a little nervous going in to the story, but found myself pleasantly surprised with the care and Biblical use of the gift that Carlson portrays here. She even includes an article from John Piper's Desiring God talking about visions, how it was used in the Bible, and to be careful about just trusting a dream or feelings, but to turn to the Bible to find guidance from God. Parents who are extremely concerned may want to read the book for themselves first to see what they might think.

As this is a series for teens, there are some rather dark moments in the story. Issues of kidnapping come up frequently, and may be frightening for some younger readers. Other moments include a scary situation in the middle of the Arizona desert where Samantha might be attacked, and another spot near the very end involving terrorism on an airplane.

Samantha does go on a couple of dates in the book, and Carlson usually tends to fall on the side of saying that dating is okay, but not a sort of hop around to anyone sort of dating. She doesn't go to the side of courtship however. Carlson usually has characters who put up a lot of standards before they go on a date, such as whether or not to kiss or hold hands. While in this book, dating is not the point or being argued one way or another.

The story moves along very nicely, given us just the right amounts of mystery and suspense to keep us going. Definitely for readers who look a good mystery with a strong spiritual overtone.

As a young teen, I can proudly say that teens will love this book! Its topic of spiritual gifts is something that not many are willing to take hold of; yet Melody Carlson is an amazing writer that has been gifted herself. A veteran in writing stories, Carlson takes the reader on a journey that begins on page one till you fold the back cover over.

Samantha McGregor becomes a larger tool for the Lord than she could have ever imagined. She has suddenly begun to have dreams involving a classmate,Kayla, who has disappeared from the local town. After being scarred enough to do something about the dreams, she soon realizes that they aren't just dreams...they're prophetic dreams. With the help of her father's old police partner, Ebony, Samantha begins to realize that these dreams are Kayla's only hope for safety. Can she get to her in time?

Samantha's pure heart and honest tone are easily relatible for teens. Carlson doesn't sugar-coat anything that Sam does. She has faults, doubts, and even has to deal with the anger towards Ebony due to her father's death on the job. This book is a must have for any teen Christian or not.

Samantha McGregor is your normal, average, everyday teen girl. Except for one thing: she gets visions from God. She uses her unique spiritual gift to help out others in need. In this book, Samantha sees visions of one of her classmates who has been missing for several weeks. Everyone seems to think that Kayla has just run away from home, but Samantha sees her being tied up and in danger. She turns to the police for help to save her friend. But what if this is just her imagination working overtime?

First things first. This is not a Christian version of "Medium." Yes Samantha can see supernatural visions of the present and glimpses of the future. But she is very quick to defend that this is as a spiritual gift from God. I really enjoyed this book. It's a unique type of teen fiction and Melody Carlson handles it superbly. The storyline was excellent. I didn't know what was going to happen and was really awed by the twists and turns throughout the book. I liked how you have would the plot dealing with Kara and Sam's visions but also have Sam living a normal teen life. Sam is not portrayed as a someone who tries to flaunt her powers, instead she only wants to help out others. At times it'd be creepy seeing what she saw. I have no idea what I would do if something like this ever happened to me. She also acts very mature for her age in dealing with the police. The situation that Kara eventually found herself in, unfortunately, is all too real and there are many girls that have fallen prey to men like that. A good precautionary lesson mentioned there. I would highly recommend this book for teens. Melody Carlson has proved again that when it comes to teen fiction, she is the best author.

This is a mixed review. 'Bad Connection' is a novel geared toward teenage girls and I am not one. I am the father of one and was asked to read the book by my daugher.

She loved it. She thought that it was a great book and is going to buy the next one in the series. I thought that it was ok. She would undoubtedly rate it as a five star book and I would call it a three, so I am compromising on four.

The story features 16 year old Samantha McGregor, who has received a gift of visions from God. In this case, she has a dream about one of her friends who is missing. She goes to the police with the information that she has and ends up being included in the investigation.

It is undoubtedly a fun book for teens. It deals with things that interest them. This book does not contain any inappropriate language, scenes, etc. It is based on a Christian worldview.

When my daughter asked me how I liked it and I told her that it was ok, she was shocked that I didn't love it. For that reason, I would recommend it as a gift for teen girls.

If God gave you a vision, would you trust it?
Samantha McGregor knows that Kayla Henderson likes to break the rules, considers partying an "extracurricular" activity, and can't stand her parents. Fine. That's Kayla's thing. Samantha's not even suprised when Kayla goes missing. Hadn't she been saying she was going to take off, to go meet her online "boyfriend" in person? It might not be the smartest move in the world, but Kayla would be okay. She always was.

Then the vision comes...and reveals that Kayla is far from okay. Samantha freaks. Was her vision from God or just imagined? If Kayla's really in danger, what can Samantha do? Only one person can help her: Detective Ebony Hamilton, her father's former colleague.

Now this unlikely pair must work against the clock--and the system--to patch together the truth and find Kayla...before it's too late.

Bad Connection is an excellent book full of laughs, suspense, doubts, and even a little romance that I guarantee you will love if you give it a chance.

A Christian based series for all ages that I recommend is Dragon Spell by Donita K. Paul.

Some other Christian books I recommend for more mature teens or adults: Ten Thousand Charms (Crossroads of Grace Book One)by Allison Pittman, Winter is Past by Ruth Axtell Morren, Beauty For Ashes by Dorothy Clark, Child of the Mist (Book One of These Highland Hills)by Katleen Morgan, and Wings of Morning (Book Two of These Highland Hills)by Katleen Morgan.

This is a wonderful book. I discovered Joyce Meyer recently. I found this book to be helpful and encouraging. Changing your thoughts is very important for anyone who is self critical, discouraged, depressed, etc...It's a choice and encouraging to know there is a choice instead of just listening to negative internal dialogue. God is the best choice. Love, Truth and Light...
JER 29:11

I got the adult edition Battlefield of the Mind and it is awesome. So I was pleased to receive this book quickly and in great shape. I am so excited to see if my teenage daughter gets out of it what I have gotten out of the adult edition!

This book is very good and very enlightening.
It reveals the ills of our minds and how to deal with it appropriately...

This book helped me to get to a better place in my life, and I would reccommend it to any teenager trying to get close to God but feels conflicted about how they should conduct thier life. The language and ideas are geared for teens and there's no way that you can be a new Christian and not read this book. It's a must read! Be blessed.

I received a teaching once that basicly said that when you get right down to it the Devil really only has two methods for tempting us: 1. Pressure 2. Pleasure. The Devil has three maxims which allows him to pull this off : 1. You (your own thoughts, bad habits, exc.) 2. The environment (Government, religious oppression, the systems of the world, exc.), and 3. Other people. Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield Of The Mind" is mostly geared at the one maxim each of us have the most control over (You, yourself, your thoughts, and YOU).

Joyce masterfully explains how that old Advesary The Devil works by waiting for the right moment (he`s not only a parasite but he`s also a predator). He waits to see where your weak, when your most vulnerable moment is, and he waits for that moment to attack. The Bible says "Resist the Devil and he will flee from you." Perfect example is Luke chapter 6, The devil waits for Jesus to be 40 days and nights in the wilderness before he attacks. He didn't come the first day to attack him when our Lord was at his strongest. Oh no, our advesary doesn't play fair; he bides his time and waits for your weakest moment and attacks. Jesus resisted him and the devil fled from him (for awhile). Best thing is we have victory through our risen Lord this very day if we claim it. Joyce does a great job of illustrating this in this book(though I don't know if she used the Luke example I used above or not).

I really got a lot of insight from this book. For example, one of the concepts in the book (in my own words) was "what comes out of your mouth had to originate in your brain." Sounds simple enough , but Joyce had a masterful way of describing every thought we commonly have today and referring it to biblical passages. About half way through the book I began to realize that the grumbling, griping, complaining, and various other human emotions and thoughts I have are not uncommon to our time. The children of Israel went through these same emotions and they are all recorded in Gods Word. I used to ponder how stupid these people must have been, but now I can see myself in them. It really was a humbling experience! Many of us make the same mistake over and over again and ask God, "Why don't you do something?" Truth is God has always been willing to help us. We are the ones who get in God's way by not bringing our thoughts into the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Read this book and find out how you can change and train your mind to shut the door on The Devil and how to allow God to do what he's always been willing to do. BLESS YOU!!!

Hebrews 13:5b "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

P.S. This book comes in many formats. There's the traditional version, teen version, devotional version, exc. It doesn't matter which one you use. Just read one of them. You will be blessed.

This is a fun book, more of a browse and skim than a read. That's a good thing. Lots of facts and figures (factoids?) about turning and being age 30. Perfect gift material. Plus, it's a little square of a book, so it sits unobtrusively wherever you want, and the design is great, too.

Sent to my nephew on his 30th birthday. He enjoyed it.

What a fun book! My first 30th birthday party was a hit with this creative book. We couldn't stop passing it around the party. It is an absolute treasure of a book. A perfect gift...so enjoyable and very reasonable...and it makes 30 seem so young. Go out and buy your copy now.

Fantastic book. Makes the perfect birthday gift for anyone turning 30.

Not every famous person is an instant millionaire by 30, nor do they shrivel up and die of old age. This book is filled with hilarious facts about the famous and not-so-famous 30-something crowd. A great read and a sobering reminder that turning 30 isn't the end of the world. My friends and I really enjoyed it.

I represent a private, non-profit organization that provides evaluation and tutoring services for children K-8. We strongly believe in professional development in order to maintain a high level of competency in the field of education. When our teachers have an opening in their schedule, they select books like this to review, to reflect and to write a summary, which is submitted to me for review and professional credit. Our entire teaching staff has found this book to be a good resource.

As a new resource teacher for my school this was one of the better books I found to help me with real life solutions to teaching learning disabled children. This was a great book for explanations of various learning disabilities and set exercises to use in class for all age groups. I work mostly one on one, but found the activities and strategies easily adaptable for individual use.

I am a preservice teacher and am studying special education. I saw this book on Amazon and was intrigued by the low price. I was so surprised when I received it. It is a wonderful resource for anyone who works with students with LD. It covers the whole gambit from identification, to characteristics, to strategies. It really is a complete handbook and for the price you can't find a better deal. I have found this resource much more useful than my textbooks on LD that cost me upwards 70-80 dollars. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book!

I found this book to be useful and very informative concerning special education. It covered testing, laws, terms and definitions. I've been using it to study for the Praxis Special Ed exams and feel that I will be well prepared.

Very informative. Very good reference for those taking the alternative route to teaching certification. Contains practical scenarios on how theories in education are applied.

You'd expect the director of Kanakuk Kamps to know a little something about kids, and this book by Joe White doesn't disappoint. White shares the lessons he's learned from years of interaction with tens of thousands of other kids as well as raising four of his own, and some lessons he's had to learn the hard way. The book is solidly founded on Scripture as the foundation upon which to build a family and Joe clearly communicates that his number one goal as a father is to pass a legacy of faith in Christ to his children. The practical steps to accomplish this goal make up the various chapters in the book and over half the book is just practical resources and material for parents to use with their own children. Nothing earth-shattering in this book, but you won't be unaffected either. Joe White is serious about training young people and serious about grounding them in God's Word - your parenting will be challenged by Joe's commitment to this great cause of being a father.

My wife and i have read this book and tried to apply it to the raising of our five kids. It was a great guide for us and we have bought numerous copies to give to friends. Buy it, read it, apply it, give it away. Great job Joe.

This book is amazing! I've been using it for 7 years now and it is chalked with fantastic relational tips, as well as incredibly practical ways to train your child and give them a firm faith based on the Bible. Very easy to use. Joe White has done all the hard work of creating devotions, and choosing age appropriate passages of the Bible for your children to memorize. Our three year old memorized Psalm 23 in it's entirety, and we were shocked. I never would have even attempted to teach her had it not been for this book! Don't go on without it!

I am now buying several more copies of this book to give away. I was so excited when I finished reading this book that I wanted everyone else I knew to have it too! It is so down-to-earth and practical that I feel like I may actually be able to integrate some of the ideas into our busy lives with our two young sons.

I picked up this book because I've had the pleasure of knowing the author and his family. I've recommended it to every parent I know because it proved to be such a invaluable resource.

Having seen first hand the success that the Whites have had raising thier family, I was dying to see how much advice he could get into a practical form in this book. I was so thrilled to see that Joe was incredibly successful in putting together a priceless tool for parents of kids of all ages.

As a full time youth worker, I talk to tons of parents that have, for the most part, given up on their dream of raising Godly kids in the world that we live in. It is possible, we are called by God to do it, and you can never start too early!

This book gives you practical advice on how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task from a man who has done it! Whether you have teenagers or toddlers, there is practical advice for you that you can begin to put into practice today.

Buy it, today, read it, tomorrow, and be prepared to reap the rewards for years to come!