Youth Books

Great book! I enjoyed every chapter. It not only let's you smell the roses from your childhood since I lived in Polk County Florida during these times, but it definitely lets you smell the orange blossoms!

I went to High School with Bobby. This is a great book of the small town of Auburndale, Fl. It's fun reading. I can assure you that you will laugh a lot if you put yourself in his shoes.
I recommend it highly.

Although just a bit younger, being from "Inwood" between A-dale and Winter Haven, I know/knew some of the people mentioned in the book. I also have some of the same memories growing up in the area. I went to Winter Haven High School because back then we had a choice. Today I would be going to A-Dale High. I enjoyed the book very much. I don't think Bobby Braddock and I ever met but we do share friends and what it was like grow up back then. It is a time gone for good and that is tough to face sometimes. We had quite a few talented people in music come from Auburndale and Winter Haven.

I was on TV once, flogging a book, when the interviewer, a Terry Splendid-looking mannequin of a guy who could read without moving his eyes but not without moving his lips, got the 30-seconds-and-counting signal from the control room. "We're about out of time, Mr. Adams," he said, hefting my 700-page book as if he were guessing the weight of a hooked mackerel. "This is quite a tome you've created. Could you tell us, in a few words, what you were trying to say in it?"

The answer came to me in a split second, like lightning from the night sky, and I threw it straight to Terry quicker than a baked potato from the oven: "I was trying to say, in three or four hundred thousand words, what a great songwriter named Bobby Braddock typically gets said in three or four hundred. A beginning, a middle, an end. A story, a narrative about original sin."

The red light on Camera 1 was blinking. "That's all our time, folks, see you tomorrow!" Splendid's image vanished from the monitor, to be replaced in an instant by a commercial about Rolaids. Terry and I both looked like we could have used a couple.

Those of us who write long for a living are filled with envy for the likes of Bobby Braddock, the masters of writing short. And so it is with green-eyed admiration that I report the recent arrival of Down in Orburndale, a finely paced, 271-page, growing-up-Southern memoir by--you guessed it--Bobby Braddock, the quiet man behind the words and music of some of George Jones and Tammy Wynette's greatest hits.

If I could write songs half as well as Braddock writes books--this first one, at least--I wouldn't have to worry about my obscurity in the field of long prose. I'd be rolling in clover. The boy from post-World War II Auburndale, Florida, has got the knack, short and long. This book is a confessional of lessons learned from a fully-spent youth, remembered with humor, pain and unflinching honesty.

Bobby Braddock has written an exceptional book -- a portrait of an artist as a young man, if you will. So much honesty about a part of America that is gone. So much honesty about a boy who grew up there and would go on to become one of America's great songwriters. He sees the humor of his darkest moments, and I'm still laughing just thinking about those moments. The book ends just before he makes his fateful journey to Nashville, and fame and fortune. I can't wait to read the sequel. If braddock the bumbling, stumbling boy-to-man is such a hoot, then Braddock in the weird wild world of the Nashville Music bizz is bound to be a classic!

Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine October 2002 VOYA
Growing up in San Jose, California, Arturo Rodriguez and his brothers and sister endured an abusive father, their parents' unhappy marriage, and their father's absence after he returned to Mexico. Rodriguez coped as best he could, but his drinking and drug use, in the wrong place at the wrong times led to his incarceration in California's prison system for young offenders. Against all odds, he put his past behind him, married and had a family, and worked hard to overcome injustices and start a successful business. After his retirement Rodriguez began writing about his life and his family. This book is sequel to East Side Dreams (Dream House, 2001, published in Spanish as Sueños del Lado Este. In this second autobiographical book, he writes about childhood pranks and misdeeds, his mother's near fatal illness, his parent's divorce, the birth of his first child, and how his parents even eventually became friends.
The writing here is unpolished but sincere in true, and the reminiscences and descriptions are vivid and true to life. Neither how he grew to understand his father and other relatives whom he loved despite their flaws. His message for young readers is clear. It is possible to survived and overcome injustices and hardships. Rodriguez maintains a Web site at www EastSideDreams. com and invites readers to visit, view his picture alum, and perhaps send him an e-message. He will answer.-Sherry York Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine

The Midwest Book Review. May 7, 2002
East Side Dreams by Art Rodriguez is full of energy and the struggles that the author himself endured while growing up on the east side of San Jose, California in 1966.
I enjoyed reading this inspirational novel derived from the memories of a teenager who is now a mature and successful businessman.
East Side Dreams has been translated into Spanish to reach the Spanish speaking population in the United States.
As I read the troubling times of Art Rodriguez I couldn't relate to many of his predicaments, but I certainly felt compassion toward him and thanked God for my "normal" life. Mr. Rodriguez touches your heart as you read his passionate book of self-taught lessons.
As you read East Side Dreams, which captures the hopelessness of growing up with an unpleasant childhood, keep in mind that this life drove the author to his true passion-writing!
The author, Art Rodriguez has been honored by the New York Library System to be on the "2001 Books for Teenage List" for his book East Side Dreams. He was also given "The Mariposa Award-Best First Book" at the Latino Literary Hall of fame for this same book. Bravo! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and encourage young readers to read it, as there are plenty to learn from this book. It will bring tears to your eyes.

James A. Cox
Editor-in -Chief
The Midwest Book Review.

East Side Dreams is the debut book and memoir Art Rodriguez, of a Latino American who survived growing up on the rough side, at odds with a dictatorial father, and once an inmate of the California Youth Authority -- a prison system for young lawbreakers. Reflections on both happy and miserable times of his childhood, growing up, learning maturity and finally making a comfortable life for himself fill this heartfelt and revealing personal testimony. Highly recommended reading for young adults, East Side Dreams has justly earned the distinctions of being named the "Best First Book of the Latino Literary Hall of Fame", and has been honored as one of 200 Best Teenage Books in the United States by the New York Public Library System.

My son who is 21 came home with this book and said Mom you have got to read this book it is so good. So I said o.k. mejio let me read it! When I started to ready it it brought back so many memories (I grew up in the East Side of San Jose) and most of the things he was talking about I lived it. I laughed and cried and could not put down the book. This is a great book for all ages. After I got done reading it I gave it to my Father to read and he enjoyed it too.

Art Rodriguez takes us to jail with him so that we never need to go. He sits us next to him in his cell with nothing left to do but sit and remember. We try with him to connect the memories to being imprisoned, but there is no connection at all.

Although Art had an abusive father, he never once cites this as a reason for his violent behavior. He was a kid that made poor choices and got what he deserved. He blames no one but himself, and it is with this realization of responsibility that Art turns his life around. He went from street punk to a successful business man, a supportive father and an award winning author. He shows us that people can change and that bad mistakes are not the end of your life unless you allow them to be. Art Rodriguez is the silent roll model all troubled children are looking for.

This book is a great experience for audiences young and old. Buy it and read it.

Growing up in Brooklyn certainly has it's own cachet, but I, a female, growing up in Massachusetts at the same time as E B, found so much that was familiar. The book is a wonderful treatise on growing up anywhere, but E B and his friends are so special that I didn't want to finish reading it. It was a splendid "read".

The book really took me back I grew up in East Flatbush in Bklyn in the 50's. It was a little before my time but I did remember alot of the places he talked about. I recommend this book to anyone it is fast reading,enjoyable and you just feel like your part of EB's many friends. I just emaied a few of my old friends an am passing the book on to one of them and telling the rest to go out an get a copy you won't be sorry. I wish there were more books like this out there I tell my children all the time about how great it was to grow up the 50's.

Gave a great deal of insight into the development of friendships and lifetime committments. "Bobby saves Jerry" and they remain friends for a lifetime. Just beautiful---Would love to see a sequel to this book. Interested in knowing the stories of the characters as they matured, including their successes, joys, heartaches and disappointments.

EB exceeded all of my expectations, and I am a very discriminating reader. It's a charming memoir of a very special time, and of a group of kids that everyone can see a part of themselves in. The backdrop of Flatbush, Brooklyn of the 40s and 50s adds a wonderful, nostalgic touch. How great to read something touching and good in today's times of turmoil and questionable ethics. I recommend it whole-heartedly.

I grew up in a small town, but I married a boy from Brooklyn who went to St. Vincent Ferrer. For 40+ years I have heard the stories of that life and those times, and it was a thrill to have it all documented is such a charming and factual manner. Bert Kemp put on paper what my husband has told me through the years.

This is a great book for young black males. It has short biographys of several different black males who made it in spite of their challenges in life. It was positive.

Now, here's something we don't get everyday: a handsomely-presented portrait of several young Black men whose backgrounds vary in profession, background, region, and sexual orientation. We're treated to crisp, black-and-white photographs of these men accompanied by a few autobiographical notes. The stories they have to tell never fail to intrigue. I bought this on a whim a few years back, and it's been a nice addition to my library. Definitely recommended.

this book prove that all young black guys aren't how the media try to make them out to be.

The personal narratives and excellent photography make this book the perfect gift for any young African American. It is truly inspiring to read the words of the next generation and learn how they are coping with success in spite of the racism and negativity that is so prevalent in the 21st century. It is a perfect companion to AS I AM. The only draw back is that Mr. Okwu didn't provide contact information for these talented, handsome young men.M-E-O-W!

In a time and age when young, african-american men are not portrayed in the best light, J. Okwu provides an illuminating and insightful look into the lives of 40 of these men. Not only is his writing superb, but his artistic eye and layout design are quite impressive. I have passed along the book to a number of young, african-american men in my life. I hope Face Forward will inspire them as much as it did me.

I enjoyed reading this book. Crawfie (as she is nicknamed by the princesses) uses a chronological framework to look inside the royal family. She shares about their daily routines and relationships within the extened family. It starts around the time Elizabeth is 8 or so and goes through her teen years. It gave me a better understanding of Queen Elizabeth than I had from only seeing Helen Mirren in The Queen (2006). It's not the kind of book you'd read to a child who loves princesses. It is written from one adult to another, but a young teen on up would probably enjoy it.

For fans of the British royal family, this book is a must-read. While it may be a trifle dated and decidedly unsensational, the book holds a unique place in the now vast array of books about the royals because it was the first to break the rules and reveal details of life behind the gilded doors of Buckingham Palace. "Crawfie," who cared for Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret for 17 years, was completely cut off by the royal family after the book was published, but the book itself lives on as a kind of time capsule of royal life before the press declared open season on the royal family.

Truly, this book is a national treasure and even the Queen should cherish it (apprently, she does not). After reading it, I have new-found respect for Elizabeth II and her family. No where else would you find such wonderful detail of the lovely lives these little girls led. Its also very revealing to see another side of the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII. I couldn't put it down and was left wanting more!

absolutely fascinating story of Nanny Crawford which brings to life how the Royal Family live. I cannot understand why the Royals thought it was disrespectful to write this and cut Nanny Crawford off for the rest of her life. I wonder what the real reason was?

A lovely portrait of royalty as it used to be, painted in the words of a woman who devoted years of her life to royalty's service. "Crawfie," as a very young Princess Elizabeth nicknamed her new governess, had no idea when she accepted the post that she would be staying for more than a short time. She'd come to help the Duke and Duchess of York begin their little girls' education, after which Miss Crawford fully intended to take up the classroom teaching career of which she had always dreamed. She wasn't planning on growing to love Elizabeth and Margaret as she did. Nor had she any clue that one of her charges would someday sit on England's throne.

The interlude Miss Crawford planned to spend with the Yorks lasted until after Princess Elizabeth's marriage. As a member of their household, she experienced history first hand when the abdication of King Edward VIII - otherwise known as "Uncle David" - forced her employers to give up their private, comfortable, family-centered life. She kept their daughters out of harm's way during the frightening war years that soon followed; and after the war's end, helped the family that by now considered her indispensible in guiding its "little princesses" from adolescence into womanhood.

Charming, but in no way saccharine, this recently re-released book provides invaluable insight into the character of the woman who has reigned for more than half a century as Queen Elizabeth II. Not by any means just for "royal watchers"!

This extraordinary memoir is back in print! Scholastic re-issued it recently. Look for ISBN # 0439163897.

The book The Lost Childhood is a great Holocaust book! It gives a great description of the horrible things that happened to the Jewish people. This book alone should tell you why teens should learn about the holocaust because I would never want any thing like this to happen again, and we are the future. It makes people realize that you should stand up for what you believe in and don't let people put other people down when they don't even know them.
This book is about a young boy who had to live through the Holocaust being Jewish. It tells how his mother, sister, and himself lived without knowing what happened to their father (husband), and how they went without being known as Jews. This book is very good because you get to know how it felt to be treated badly when you did nothing wrong except practice the religion you believe in. In this book they had very hard times from being sent to no one knows where to always running and hiding when they saw Germans. If you are interested in the Holocaust, this is a great book, but even if you are not this is a great dramatic adventure.

this is the best World War Two story told.. I never liked history books but after i read the plot, i knew i had to read it. its true about what the person above said about reading it at night and you will not put it down until u finish it. I stayed up nights until 12, 1am to finish reading it.. i recommend everyone to read this even if you arent a fan of history. it will change your opinion.

This is a very interesting book. This book is about a boy and his mother and his sister. They are all Jews, who servied the World War 2. The boy's name is Yehuda Nir. This is a hair-raising story.
Yehuda is the son of an affluent carpet manufacturer in Lwo'w, Poland. He has a nanny to take care of him and a German cook for him. He is only 9 years old. After the war started and they were forced into a smaller apartment.
Within the two years, the tide turns and the Nazi are again incontrol. Many Jews are seized on the streets, imprisoned, and executed. Yehuda's father is murdered. The family moves. Nazis sercure situations in Warsaw. His mother works as a domestic for a wealthy German playboy, catering orgies and meeting important Nazi officials.
Now their lives are turned upside down. They were living in a time where one had to be careful. They have to trust one another. Then finally there was a up rising in Warsaw. This is why I find this book interesting it is very good.

This page-turning memoir by Yehuda Nir, a New York City psychiatrist, tells the story of his family's experiences during World War II, as it masqueraded as Christians and hid from the Nazis. Nir's fascinating, well-written narrative operates on several levels. These include: the grim adventures of a boy, his sister, and their mother who are caught in a historical nightmare and are trying to survive; a psychiatrist describing how different members of his family coped with the stress of hiding in plain view; and the experiences and impressions of a normal boy growing up in an abnormal world, shadowed by the possibility of disclosure and death.

Amazingly, this bleak but inspiring story is also laced with humor. Laugh-out-loud moments are provided by the Russians, who bomb Warsaw with heavy parcels of non-parachuted food, destroying the homes of their Polish allies; and flustered German nurses near the war's end, who are distracted from detecting that Nir is Jewish by the aggressive lewdness of his fellow prisoners. Steven Spielberg, get that into a movie!

It's truly a shame this book is out of print, since it provides an accessible human slant on the important subject of Jewish experience during World War II. In my opinion, the unavailability of this book illustrates a sadly common condition in today's book industry, with editors throwing money at worthless blockbusters but not supporting books like "The Lost Childhood", which could become an adult perennial and a basic text in high school and college curriculums with just a minor marketing effort.

Finally the book to popularize Yoruba culture has arrived! A MUST for any serious santero or babalawo, this is the New Testament of Santeria to Migene Gonzalez-Wippler's Old. Told by a master storyteller, this book explains traditional Yoruba society better than any dry text could. One learns through the eyes of the author as a child what polygamy is really like, about obscure herbs/ebbos, and how the language is really spoken. Buy it now.

Toyin Falola's "A Mouth Sweeter than Salt" is a memoir of the first 13 years of his life in Nigeria. Readers will find a fascinating account of his upbringing in an extended family which was Christian, but polygamous, influenced by English colonialism, but more by Yoruba tribal traditions. Fascinated by trains, he recklessly boarded one as an adventurous youth and found himself stranded in a far-away Muslim city, where he supported himself as a "stick-man" guiding a beggar who faked blindness. Returned to his family by benevolent postal workers, he subsequently aided his grandfather in trying - unsuccessfully - to combat the abuse of a poor farmer by corrupt and exploitive tribal leaders. All in all, this book affords insights into African childhood which will absorb the interest of anyone previously familiar only with American or European experience.

I just finished reading the masterpiece, A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt:An African Memoir, Toyin Falola, University of Michigan Press, 2004. This book is truly brilliant. It made me laugh, scream, and cringe. It is a superb combination of critical African oral discourse, brilliant analysis of modern African history, and lucid exploration of the making of the Nigerian state. I hope you will obtain your own copy and recommend it to others.

Olufemi Vaughan
Professor of African Studies & of History
Associate Dean, Graduate School
SUNY, Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11794-4433

Falola's memoir, A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt, is a "must read" for anyone seeking to gain deeper and serious insights into the mind of the true African child. The author gives the reader a breath taking, bird eye view of the cultural panorama of the Yoruba society, and the implications of growing up in its most complicated and sophisticated city of Ibadan. The uniqueness of this book lies in its ability to transcend academic and cultural boundaries. It is as good a history book as it is a novel; social scientists will find it valuable and educators will find it to be of great relavance. It is a story of life and of living. It is indeed a celebration of youth and its rites of passage. Humor, wit, and readability add color and lucidity to all pages of this book. Wild, weird, wide, and even scary at times, this is a memoir that will stand the test of time.

Growing up in Nigeria in the years around independence provides good material for a personal memoir. These must have been extraordinary times, full of hope and expectation for the emerging new country. For a growing teenager though, the issues were closer to home. Falola, well known scholar of African history, has used his personal experiences to create a rich innovative kind of memoir that combines his growing up during that time with events in his community and the country as a whole. The resulting book gives the reader vivid insight into a complex society with its intricate traditions, in particular those of the Yoruba culture. Falola writes an easy accessible style, often addressing the reader directly. He demonstrates his narrative skill and an ability to impart local events with gracefulness and humour. He demonstrates how the use of proverbs, idioms and traditional imagery has remained part of everyday discourse by interweaving sayings into his narrative. "A proverb is regarded as the 'horse' that carries words to a different level, investing them with meanings...".

Falola's account suggests that he was already at the age of 10 a curious youngster and an astute observer of people, relationships and events. His early fascination with trains led him to experiences beyond his age level that were to influence his standing in his family and community. After an unplanned train ride and its aftermath, that created upheaval in the family, he was transplanted to another branch of his family in a more rural sector of Ibadan, the city-state in Nigeria's south-western region. Not having taken notice of the hierarchical structure of his polygamous family, he realized only then which of his "mothers" is his birth mother. There he also learned to connect with the rich traditions of the local people who have maintained much closer links to their past than those in the urban centre. For example, children are given an additional name by the family, a praise name (oriki). This name should establish a link to a real or imaginary hero of the past. Such names should enhance the young person's deep character and his ambition to emulate the past bearer. Like a young detective he tracks an old woman, different from any he had seen in the neighbourhood. When he is finally confronted by her, the outcomes are an important lesson for his life and future. These early influences shape his thinking into his adult life.

While the chapters stand as independent stories or essays, they flow together easily as a portrait of a person in his time and place. He merges the memories of his childhood with his comprehension of circumstances as an adult. Understanding of his roots and the culture instilled in him led him to study the cultural traditions of the Yoruba people and the history of the land. His reflections on how the two religions, Islam and Christianity managed to co-exist with the rich African traditions are as pertinent today as they were during the sixties. So is his criticism of the trend among the younger generation to denigrate their own culture in the face of western influences. [Friederike Knabe]

As a 50+ adult, I still enjoy reading good fiction written for children and teenagers. And after reading this book, I quickly ordered it and the next one in the series for my two teenage nieces. The books in the On Tour series are wholesome and enjoyable reading and will hold a teenager's attention. Although they are aimed primarily at readers in their early teens, I highly recommend them as gifts for any teenage girl (and for any grown girl that still enjoys teen fiction).

I read this book, and I thought, I have to read the next one! I read the second book too, The Back-up Singer, and I can't wait to get the others! These books are amazing! I can really relate being a teen with a band! I would really reccommend there books!

The On Tour books are so cool. Jenna Rose finds herself completely out of her element when she moves. The kind of people she always hangs out with don't want anything to do with her and the ones who do are freaks! Parker, the hottie freak, thinks she's perfect for his band. If Jenna joins the band, will she lose her chance to get in with the people she wants?

It's not a new theme, but the twists to this one gives it a fresh spin and makes it one of my favorite books ever!

WARNING: THIS BOOK IS ADDICTIVE!
Me and my friends all found that starting this book is addictive. You start reading and you can't put it down for anything. You can spend an entire day without even realizing it.

Jenna Rose kinda flows through life, getting whatever she wants without much effort. Then she moves and is faced with who she really is! Can she let the people who want to get to know her see who she really is-- and then will they still want to be around her? Or should she compromise who she wants to be just to get in with the crowd that she wants to be in?

Awesome start to what's going to be a great series!

What is 14-year-old Jenna Rose Brenley to do after moving to a new town and a new high school? With her father being the new pastor at a nearby church in Ohio, Jenna Rose is automatically given the title as `the perfect Christian girl,' when all she really wants is to be accepted as a normal teenage girl by the `in' crowd at Highland High. Moving into her new home, she is accompanied by a boy by the name of Parker Blevins who is helping the new family get settled in. She finds herself instantly attracted to the witty and very cute boy who is still a bit clueless of the flirting that is going on. Jenna finds herself going crazy trying to figure out why he hasn't made a move on her, or at least acknowledged that he is the least bit interested in her. After being invited to come with him to watch his band practice, she finds that his friends are well, different. Her struggle for popularity is getting harder by the day and Jenna finds herself willing to do anything to be accepted. After deciding to try out for the dance team, she meets Jamie Valentin, a jock, who is actually showing a lot of interest in her. Liking the attention, she begins flirting and making him struggle to just get her name. After a while it gets intense and she finds herself in an uncomfortable situation where she even a little scared. After pointing out her discomfort, Jamie agrees to leave her be but then threatens to do the unthinkable. Soon after that, rumors begin to spread and she is immediately made the laughing stock of the whole school. Though Parker's friend try to comfort her, she finds herself pushing them away because they are not exactly her type of friends, and she even finds herself taking her anger out on them. She is mad at God, her father, and even Parker and the rest of the group for absolutely no reason at all. After admitting her wrongs, accepting the group, and forgiving herself, she finds that she had had friends all along who had loved her and tried to make her feel welcome. She even finds herself wanting to grow into a stronger Christian and accepting the Lord as her savior.
This is a wonderfully written book that I didn't want to put down. I found myself picturing the details that I found on every page. As I neared the end of the book, I was mad that it had to ever end. I laughed, I cried, and I could relate to all the problems each teen in this story faced. I am looking forward to reading more of this series and more from this author. I recommend this book to any teen who has ever questioned their relationship with God.

Evver wonder what life was like on a Colorado ranch back when the West was still young? This book will make you feel like you were there. Well-written and hard to put down.

This book is a real sleeper. Actually, this book made me lose sleep because I couldn't put it down. Excellent writing about growing up in the West on a homestead/ranch. Entertaining. Don't miss it!

If you've ever wondered what life was like growing up on a Western ranch or homestead, read this book. It's an authentic glimpse into the Western life, a life close to nature and close to the bottom line! But a life rich in freedom and living! Great stories, good reading - what more could you ask for?

If you like anecdotal stories about life in the late 1800s/early 1900s, you will like this book. It tells the story of a family that moves from the central ozarks of Missouri to Northwestern Colorado in the 1920s. It is autobiographical in nature, but the author is a superb storyteller and the pictures he paints of life in and around Craig, Colorado during the Great Depression are poignant and vivid. (True for the telling of the trip from Missouri to Colorado, as well.) Anyone who is interested in Colorado history, life during the Great Depression, or simple human interest stories about real poepl in real life will enjoy this book. For those who are not related to the author, the brief sections about family geaneologies might be a little boring, but these are a small part of the book and do not detract from the overall book. If you are from Northwest Colorado, who knows? Your name might be in the book (or at least one of your ancestors). There are also a few stories dating before the life of the author concerning events that were told to him by the people involved.

Mr. Irby's book tells it like it was with a generous dose of humor. It also has some great genealogy info. You can really feel the cold of those winter nights, the hardships and the good times they all had. A hard book to put down!!

Dr. Lynn Ponton has been treating adolescents for many years and through this book has attempted to chronicle the key lives and issues that have influenced her views of teenager psychology. Presenting a range of often likeable characters, Dr. Ponton does an excellent job of showing the intelligence and resilience of her patients while at the same time demonstrating how parents can feel angry and confused about how to parent their teen. The book illustrates all the main issues surrounding adolescents, eating disorders, drugs/alcohol, sex, and abuse, as well as analyzing the complexity of mother/son, mother/daughter, father/son, and father/daughter relationships.

If I had to offer one criticism of this book, it would be that Dr. Ponton's language (particularly at the beginning of the book) tends to be extremely clinical and often presents a layer to wade through to find her point. Although we live in the era of the pseudo-psychological talk show, and some of the language will be familiar, parents and teens seeking answers to a problem may find this quality of the book off-putting. Conversely, I think this book would be of intense interest for other therapists who are interested in seeing various past and current adolescent theory put into practice by a skilled practioner. The stories of the teens and their families are compelling to all audiences, however, and I cautiously recommend this book to a large audience.

Dr. Ponton writes an unusual book that gives voice to troubled teens and their families, using their engaging stories to teach about contemporary adolescence. As the reader eavesdrops on these lives through absorbing narrative, accounts of therapy, thoughtful reflection and application to relevant issues, and analyses of family interactions, important facts and facets of adolescent development and devlopmental issues are learned almost effortlessly. The book is engaging and at times exciting, as we come to know these teens and their struggles. The variety of teens and adolescent problems profiled is impressive--from the general need to explore and define the self (Jill) to gang involvement and aggression (Evan and Cecilia), from drugs and sexual activity to self-mutilation, depression and anorexia nervosa. Readers also learn about mental health services, and how therapy helps adolescents and families grow and change. This is a terrific book for parents, educators, any mental health field worker, or teens themselves! I used this book as a supplemental reader to a course I taught in adolescent development at a major university where I am a doctoral student in clinical psychology. Students loved it, and several bought copies as gifts for their parents or other family members. I will be using it again for a section of Adolescent Development I will be teaching in spring semester, 1999.

I loved this book- although a little technical, it provided a wealth of information about how parents and teens should intereact around the topic of risk taking. I have found it useful in talking to my own teenage daughters.

I found this book to be very interesting and easy to read and recommend it to other parents. Dr. Ponton uses colorful examples from her work with teens to explain the motivations behind some of the dangerous and not so dangerous things our kids do. Moreover, she makes the important argument that teenage risk taking is a normal part of development in our culture. I felt like I was in better shape to relate to and understand my teenager after reading the book. Her other book on adolescent sexuality is also good.

The author weaves her creative skills of writing and her intellectual skills into the "Mona Lisa" of books. It pulls you in, in the first paragraph.