Adolescence
The Changing Adolescent Experience: Societal Trends and the Transition to Adulthood, edited by Jeylan T. Mortimer and Reed W. Larson, examines the social, economic, political and technological changes in the 21st century that will affect children as they grow into adulthood. Scholars weigh in on emerging societal issues – such as the Internet, health care and criminal justice policies, and the changing dynamics of transition between school and work – and predict how they will affect the way adolescents make the transition to adulthood. 280 pages. $24. Cambridge University Press, 40 West 20th St., New York, NY 10011. (212) 924-3900, www.cambridge.org.
Disabilities
The Journal of Social Work in Disability & Rehabilitation, edited by John T. Pardeck, sets out to expand the knowledge of social workers and human service professionals in working with and helping people with disabilities. Its articles focus on social policy, research, theory and practice, while presenting an overview and comments on recent Supreme Court decisions regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act. 102 pages. $60. The Haworth Social Work Practice Press, 10 Alice St., Binghamton, NY 13904. (800) 429-6784, www.HaworthPress.com.
Education
Powerful Reforms with Shallow Roots: Improving America’s Urban Schools, edited by Larry Cuban and Michael Usdan, is an in-depth case study of six urban school systems that underwent governance changes during the 1990s. The book theorizes that increased political and organizational effectiveness will increase academic achievement, but concedes that in many instances it is too early to tell if the improvements are sustainable or were actually caused by the bureaucratic changes. Nevertheless, the case study approach is useful for policy-makers and educators intent on improving academic performance in urban schools. 180 pages. $23.95. Teachers College, Columbia University, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027. (212) 678-3929, www.tcpress.com.
The School Buddy System: The Practice of Collaboration, by Gail Bush, examines the use of collaborative, goal-oriented discussions among educators. Divided into three sections, the book offers strategies for librarians, teachers, administrators and policy-makers. The first section provides a background on collaborative activities in various school systems; the second presents a framework for setting up collaborative relationships; and the final section provides 40 discussion prompts to help initiate collaborative projects. 149 pages. $33. American Library Association, 50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. (866) 746-7252, www.alastore.ala.org.
Maximum Mentoring: An Action Guide for Teacher Trainers and Cooperating Teachers, by Gwen L. Rudney and Andrea M. Guillaume, provides support for mentors who are helping to groom future teachers. Its guidelines for one-on-one mentoring and supervision of student and beginning teachers are sprinkled with advice and useful exercises. It also reviews teacher development and strategies to maintain a successful relationship. 176 pages. $29.95. Corwin Press, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. (800) 818-7243, www.corwinpress.com.
Emotions
Coping With Grieving and Loss, by Sandra and Owen Giddens, attempts to help teenagers deal with the death and loss of loved ones. The book offers suggestions from experts on how to get through the various steps of the grieving process, as well as stories and suggestions from teens who have dealt with such losses. The teens discuss issues such as dealing with the funeral and with the final stage of the grieving process – acceptance. 124 pages. $26.50. The Rosen Publishing Group, 29 East 21st St., New York, NY 10010. (800) 237-9932, www.rosenpublishing.com.
Girls
Coping with the Beauty Myth: A Guide for Real Girls, by Stefanie Iris Weiss, is a guide and workbook for teenage girls, helping to dispel feelings that they need to look like models in order to be considered beautiful. The book relies on the theme of inner beauty, while examining the beauty myth and discussing its problems and consequences. 96 pages. $26.50. The Rosen Publishing Group, 29 East 21st St., New York, NY 10010. (800) 237-9932, www.rosenpublishing.com.
Health
Coping with Diabetes, by Pat Kelly, is a helpful resource for teenagers who have been diagnosed with diabetes. The author uses simple phrasing and terms to explain what diabetes is and what to do after a diagnosis. Kelly stresses that diabetes need not affect a young person’s goals or future plans, and that he or she should go on to live full and productive lives. 160 pages. $26.50. The Rosen Publishing Group, 29 East 21st St., New York, NY 10010. (800) 237-9932, www.rosenpublishing.com.
Juvenile Justice
The Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice, edited by Marilyn D. McShane and Frank P. Williams III, examines the state of juvenile justice by looking at the theories and practices of the juvenile justice system. The volume is composed of more than 200 articles by 140 experts in the field, who condense extensive information and make it understandable for youth workers or anyone interested in juvenile justice. The articles insightfully provide historical context for the many issues covered, to help better understand contemporary ideas and practices. 416 pages. $125. Sage Publications, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. (800) 818-7234, www.sagepub.com.
Nonprofits
Budgeting Your Way to Financial Stability, by Debra Ruegg, Terry Fraser, Anne Howden and Susan Kenny Stevens, is a hands-on financial guide for managers and board members at small and mid-sized nonprofits. This is a useful guide for understanding, strengthening and taking full advantage of the budgeting process, boosted by worksheets and a CD. 114 pages. $29.95. Larson, Allen, Weishair & Co., 220 South Sixth St., Minneapolis, MN 55402. (612) 397-3301, www.larsonallen.com/publicservice.
Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-Based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity, by Susan Kenny Stevens, is a valuable tool for nonprofit and foundation officers, using the life-cycle approach to study nonprofit capacity. It describes the seven stages of the life-cycle model and relates that model to the problems that most commonly stall organizations in their development. The authors also show how to use the life-cycle approach to create capacity-building programs. 140 pages. $34.95. Stagewise Enterprises, 1160 Tonkawa Road, Suite 15, Long Lake, MN 55356, www.stagewiseenterprises.com.
Sexuality
How Can We Talk About That? Overcoming Personal Hang-Ups So We Can Teach Kids the Right Stuff About Sex and Morality, by Jane DiVita Woody, strives to turn parents into credible sex educators for their children. Working from the premise that many parents don’t take an active role in educating their children about sex because of their anxieties about the subject, the author first tries to help them overcome their own hang-ups. She then guides them toward creating an open and honest dialogue with their children about sex. The second part of the book provides information about what parents should teach their children about sex at the different stages of adolescence. 324 pages. $17.95. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Sex Etc. Teaching with Sex, ETC.: Articles & Activities, compiled by Nora Gelperin, is a manual for sex educators that is based on articles written by teens for teens, with activities for building classroom discussions about those articles. The manual is intended to supplement existing sex education programs. It also offers other resources for sex educators. 161 pages. $25. Center for Applied Psychology, Rutgers University, 41 Gordon Road, Suite A, Piscataway, NJ 08854. (732) 445-7929, www.sxetc.org.
Service-Learning
Service-Learning: Student’s Guide & Journal, by Robert Schoenfeld, is a guide for youth who want to improve their communities through volunteering. It provides information on how to set up a service-learning project and a journal to keep track of progress over a 10-week period. The guide also profiles youths who have been particularly successful at initiating positive changes. 43 pages. $4. Guide & Journal Publications, 5235 South Graham St., Seattle, WA 98118. (206) 722-1988,
www.servicelearn.com.
Substance Abuse
Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment in the United States, edited by Sally J. Stevens and Andrew R. Morral, examines trends in adolescent drug abuse as well as successful treatment approaches in a wide variety of backgrounds. The book provides educators and professionals with thorough descriptions of successful treatment models, but at the same time is simple enough for youths to read. 296 pages. $39.95 softcover, $59.95 hardcover. The Haworth Social Work Practice Press, 10 Alice St., Binghamton, NY 13904. (800) 429-6784, www.HaworthPress.com.
Youth Development
New Directions for Youth Development, edited by Benjamin Kirshner, Jennifer L. O’Donoghue and Milbrey McLaughlin, is a journal that explores youth participation in activities that empower adolescents to participate in decision making in various situations (such as political organizations). Using succinct, reader-friendly language, the authors show how youth participation is essential to youth development, and challenge readers with numerous suggestions for making it happen. 123 pages. $28. Jossey-Bass/A Wiley Imprint, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Videos
Dating
The Dark Side of Dating, produced by TMW Media, covers the dangers of dating, in a swift, no-nonsense manner. With a female narrator guiding the way, the video briskly deals with the harms caused by gossip, unprotected sex, alcohol and “date rape” drugs. Words such as gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis and genital warts are not soft-pedaled as a warning of what can go wrong. But, in equal measure, the video shows that dating is an important step not only in youth development, but in long-term personal development. It comes with a teacher’s guide. 19 minutes. $59.95. TMW Media Group, 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Suite 101, Venice CA 90291. (800) 262-8862, www.tmwmedia.com.
Divorce
Healing Wounded Hearts, produced by Lone Star Productions, is a probing yet highly viewable look at divorce and its effects on children. The video’s tone is set by Elizabeth Hickey, director of the Mediation and Divorce Center in Salt Lake City, when she says, “Listen to the real experts on divorce – the children in your living room or on the playground.” What follows is a crop of tow-headed, jug-eared youngsters who do not mince words about bearing witness to the break-up of their mothers and fathers. The kids show the harm of the common tactic of one parent pitting a child against the other parent, as one child says, “I came from both of them. If one is a bad person, then there’s something wrong with me, too.” This quality video aims for openness and healing for fractured families. 28 minutes. $125. Aquarius Videos, 5 Powderhouse Lane, P.O. Box 1159, Sherborn, MA
01770. (888) 440-2963, www.aquariusproductions.com.
Emotions
Real Life Teens: Teen Anger, produced by TMW Media Group, explores the roots of teen anger and seeks to help teenagers deal with it. Teens tell viewers that teen anger usually stems from problems at home or an array of frustrations and stress. If these feelings and emotions are not addressed, they say, teens become angry and express discontent in ways that include fights, substance abuse and truancy. The teens suggest ways to cope with anger, including talking to someone you trust about your emotions, and avoiding the emotional buildup that can lead to destructive behavior. 20 minutes. $59.95. TMW Media Group, 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291. (800) 262-8862, www.tmwmedia.com.
Education
Through New Eyes: Examining the Culture of Your School, produced by the National Educational Service, helps educators to examine their school’s culture – the assumptions, beliefs, values, expectations and habits that shape how its people think, feel and act – from a critical perspective, in order to make positive changes and better educate youth. The video shows two types of school culture though the “new eyes” of a teenage boy. A facilitator’s guide helps educators lead a four-hour workshop. 32 minutes. $174.95. National Educational Service, 304 West Kirkwood Avenue, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404-5132. (800) 733-6786, www.nesonline.com.
Gangs
Homeboys: Life and Death in the Hood, produced by Active Parenting, realistically examines the life of gang-bangers and the consequences of that life. The video interweaves a series of interviews from members of two rival gangs. They discuss all aspects of life in the gangs, from why they joined and what they get out of it, to the violent acts in which they participate. The video gives examples of interviewees who were killed by gang violence or are serving long prison sentences. $79.95. 28 minutes. Active Parenting Publishers, 810-B Franklin Court, Marietta, GA 30067. (800) 825-0060, www.activeparenting.com.
Sexuality
Caught in the Crossfire: Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents, produced by Films for the Humanities and Sciences, looks at the thoughts and emotions of children raised by gay or lesbian parents. The director, a lesbian mother, was prompted to make this video by questions posed by her own daughter. Seven children, ages 8 through 16, express their feelings about their parents’ sexuality – feelings that range from anger and resentment to acceptance. The children talk about how they felt when they found out about their parents’ sexuality, how they have to come to terms with it and how they deal with it on a
daily basis. 27 minutes. $129.95. Films for the Humanities and Sciences, P.O. Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543. (800) 257-5126, www.films.com.
Substance Abuse
True to the Game, produced by the Independent Television Service, is based on a autobiographical teleplay by Tawana Thompson (now 21) when she was an inner city teenager. Authentic school settings, a gifted young cast (with supporting roles filled by the likes of Earl Hyman, who played Bill Cosby’s father on “The Cosby Show”) give this video a real-life shudder accompanied by some real-life questions and answers: Why do teens carry guns? How do drugs and guns interact to result in violence? What are the many nonviolent ways to protect yourself from danger? A character named Tisha embodies the fears and worries of a youth beset with poverty, identity problems and a survival instinct that makes her the favored street transactor for a ruthless drug dealer. Her sensitivity, gift for writing poetry and basic moral character nearly save her. Her positive relationships with a teacher and peers register meaningfully, as Tisha begins to comprehend what her world could be if her environment were different. But she is gunned down. The video is fearless in saying how the environment could change with the
collaboration of involved parents, school and community authorities. This intense video is appropriate for middle schoolers and up. 57 minutes. $99.95. Guidance Channel Company, 135 Dupont Street, P.O. Box 760, Plainview, N.Y. 11803. (800) 99-YOUTH, www.guidancechannel.com.
