Abuse
Emerging Practices In the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, by David Thomas, Christine Leicht, Candy Hughes, Amy Madigan and Kathy Dowell, profiles effective and innovative child maltreatment prevention programs. Featured programs include Fathers and Children Together, an organization working with incarcerated parents in Kentucky, and Healthy Families Arizona, a program for at-risk families with newborns. The publication is part of the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information’s initiative to promote greater visibility for prevention activities. 80 pages. Free. National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information, 330 C St. SW, Washington, DC 20047. (800) 394-3366, www.calib.com/nccanch/prevention/emerging.
Male Victims of Same-Sex Abuse: Addressing Their Sexual Response, by John Preble and A. Nicholas Groth, provides a structural framework for working with and understanding male victims of sexual abuse. Relying on simple explanations and anonymous anecdotes, Preble and Groth take readers through the basics of victimization and traumatization, human sexual nature, and the strategies, relationships and patterns of sexual offenders. “Male Victims” paints with broad strokes, and is an excellent precursor to more scientific literature on the topic.128 pages. $17.95. Sidran Press, 200 E. Joppa Road, Suite 207, Towson, MD 21286. (410) 825-8888, www.sidran.org.
Activism
Much Remains to be Done: Ruth Chance and California’s 20th Century Movement for Social Justice, by Claire Gorfinkel, describes the life of a prominent activist for social change in California during the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. The book focuses on Chance’s early years, including her work at the Rosenberg Foundation, which produced initiatives for youth in the juvenile justice system, runaways and youth in rural farming areas. An insightful read for any aspiring activist. 95 pages. Free. Rosenberg Foundation, 47 Kearny St., Suite 804, San Francisco, CA 94108. (415) 421-6105, www.rosenbergfdn.org.
Behavior
Teaching Self-Control: A Curriculum for Responsible Behavior, by Martin Henley, gives teachers a comprehensive curriculum to teach self-control and responsibility. The book has ready-to-use lesson plans that actively involve youth in learning 20 self-control skills (such as controlling impulses and demonstrating patience) and are designed to be integrated into school subject areas. 188 pages. $27.95. National Education Service, 304 W. Kirkwood Ave., Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404. (812) 336-7700, www.nesonline.com.
Early Childhood
Early Childhood Programs for a New Century, edited by Arthur Reynolds, Margaret Wang and Herbert Walberg, is a collection of essays that evaluate knowledge about the effects of early childhood programs (such as educational, family and health services) during the first eight years of a child’s life. The book is broken down into three parts: preschool education and care, early school-age programs and practices, and national investment. Increasing investment and participation in early childhood programs and making advances in the understanding of the effectiveness of these programs – such as the realization that timing and duration of the intervention matter – are presented as emerging trends. 400 pages. $28.95. Child Welfare League of America, 440 First St. NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20001. (301) 617-7825, www.cwla.org.
Education
Becoming Multicultural Educators: Personal Journey Toward Professional Agency, edited by Geneva Gay, provides personal stories for teachers about the ups and downs of growing into multicultural educators. The book grew out of the author’s concerns that teachers are not being adequately trained to work with students from a wide range of ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds, a concern she addresses with current educators’ perspectives on racism, social justice and culturally responsive teaching. 350 pages. $29. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Test Anxiety & What You Can Do About It: A Practical Guide for Teachers, Parents, and Kids, by Joseph Casbarro, enlightens parents, educators and students about the causes and symptoms of test anxiety, such as an individual’s characteristics and the environment in which the individual lives, plays and works. The book suggests strategies and techniques to reduce adolescent nervousness before, during and after a test. 223 pages. $19.95. National Professional Resources, 25 S. Regent St., Port Chester, NY 10573. (800) 453-7461, www.nprinc.com.
Evaluations
Managing for Outcomes: A Basic Guide to the Evaluation of Best Practices in the Human Services, by John B. Mordock, gives human service managers some guidelines on program evaluation philosophies and procedures by examining cost-effectiveness, service impact and client participation in services. The book uses the Milieu intervention model as a case study. 279 pages. $24.95. Child Welfare League of America, 440 First St. NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20001. (301) 617-7825, www.cwla.org.
Foster Care
In The System and in The Life: A Guide for Teens and Staff to the Gay Experience in Foster Care, edited by Al Desetta, is a collection of 22 stories about group homes, foster homes, foster parents and stereotypes written by gay and straight teens and foster care workers. The book is designed to offer inspiration to youth facing similar struggles, to help adult staffers better understand these youth and to help straight youth develop better relations with their gay peers. Each story is accompanied by questions and activities to prompt discussion and reflection. 111 pages. $16.95. Youth Communications, 224 W. 29th St., Second Floor, New York, NY 10001. (212) 279-0708, www.youthcomm.org.
Moving In: Ten Successful Independent/Transitional Living Programs, edited by Mark Kroner, profiles programs across the country that are helping foster care and homeless teens adapt to living on their own. Each profile provides readers with a brief history of the program, then delves into the finer points of its structure (staffing, costs, arrangement with clients, strengths and weaknesses). An excellent reference for anyone searching for successful models in the field. 163 pages. $19.95. Northwest Media, 326 W. 12th Ave., Eugene, OR 97401. (800) 777-6636, www.northwestmedia.com.
Girls
It’s Your Rite: Girls’ Coming-of-Age Stories, compiled by Nora Coon, is a collection of short accounts by preteen and teenage girls about a specific and stressful time in their lives. Taylor Des Marais, an 11-year-old, writes about her first time having to wear a bra, while 14-year-old Melinda Secakuku discusses how nervous she was about her first big ceremony in her Hopi tribe. “It’s Your Rite” is sure to help young girls realize they are not alone on the awkward path through adolescence. 144 pages. $9.95. Beyond Words Publishing, 20827 NW Cornell Road, Suite 500, Hillsboro, OR 97124. (503) 531-8700, www.beyondword.com.
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Drug Courts: Strategies in Practice, by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, details the process of starting and running a juvenile drug court. The guide takes readers through a list of steps toward creating a court, including defining who is eligible for the court; how it will be presided over, monitored and evaluated; and how to tailor it to the cultural needs of the community. 76 pages. Free. Bureau of Justice Assistance, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849. (800) 688-4252, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA.
Management
The New BoardSource Governance Series, by BoardSource, is a set of nine up-to-date briefs on various aspects of nonprofit management. The series begins with “Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards,” which serves as an outline for setting a nonprofit on the right path before it opens its doors. Following pieces in the series broach more specific responsibilities, such as financial management, legal responsibility, and structural practices. $125. Boardsource, 1828 L St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036. (202) 452-6262, www.boardsource.org.
The Nonprofit Board’s Guide to Bylaws, by D. Benson Tesdahl, takes nonprofit organizations through the art of creating and updating bylaws, a practice the author says is too often taken for granted. From complying with state corporation laws to setting grounds for amendments, the guide is a valuable pocket resource for any board-run nonprofit organization. 32 pages. $36. Boardsource, 1828 L St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036. (202) 452-6262, www.boardsource.org.
Parenting
Dealing With Disappointment, by Elizabeth Crary, reminds parents that they cannot force their children to be happy, but can teach them the tools to find happiness. Using exercises, question-and-answer sections and basic instruction, Crary offers self-calming and problem-solving tools for parents and youth workers to pass on to youth. A fantastic read for frustrated or harried parents who may otherwise spoil their kids out of convenience. 137 pages. $11.95. Parenting Press, P.O. Box 75267, Seattle, WA 98125. (800) 992-6657, www.parentingpress.com.
Pregnancy
Surviving Teen Pregnancy: Your Choices, Dreams, and Decisions, written by Shirley Arthur, a former teen mother, offers options and strategies for pregnant teens. Alternating between bulleted lists and a question-and-answer format, Arthur discusses the typical options – adoption, abortion, keeping the baby – while pointing out local medical and health services typically available to help teens make decisions. She also covers life skills such as financial planning and good parenting techniques. 178 pages. $11.95. Morning Glory Press, 6595 San Haroldo Way, Buena Park, CA 90620. (888) 612-8254, www.morningglorypress.com
Teens
A Teen’s Game Plan for Life, by Lou Holtz, is a wonderful gift for any young sports fan who needs direction. Holtz, the quirky but kind former coach of college football’s storied University of Notre Dame team, uses anecdotes from his coaching experience and family life to impart his thoughts on good character traits. Youths who don’t enjoy the sports delivery may miss the message here, but the book is otherwise a fun read for younger adolescents. 125 pages. $9.95. Sorin Books, P.O. Box 1006, Notre Dame, IN 46556. (800) 282-1865, www.sorinbooks.com.
Youth Policy
Long-Term Trends in the Well-Being of Children and Youth, by CWLA Press, is a collection of essays pieced together to identify the peaks and valleys of contemporary youth policy and behavior patterns. The opening section details the subjects and posits a framework for analyzing social indicators, while the meat of the collection hones in on two major areas: behavioral indicators (teen pregnancy, drug use, etc.) and family indicators (such as maltreatment and health care access). “Long-Term Trends” is an excellent assessment of modern societal behavior trends and how they apply to youth advocates. 359 pages. $39.95. Child Welfare League of America, 440 First St. NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20001. (301) 617-7875, www.cwla.org.
Videos
Character
Connecting with Kids for Kids: Perseverance/Responsibility/Toler-ance, by Active Parenting, is the first in a series of videos that helps children explore character and safety. The video is divided into three segments that open with kids’ definitions of the different topics and feature interviews with youth discussing perseverance, responsibility and tolerance. The video comes with a 35-page lesson plan with activities and discussion points. 21 minutes. $69.95. Active Parenting Publishers, 810 Franklin Court, Suite B, Marietta GA 30067. (800) 825-0060, www.activeparenting.com.
Education
The Teen Files Flipped: High School Dropout, by AIMS Multimedia, is a fictional account of two teens who hate school and get the chance to escape the halls they loathe for 24 hours. Jeremy dreams of playing basketball and wins a scholarship to the University of Arizona; Lavada dreams of being a model and receives a contract. Their dreams quickly fall apart when others learn that the teens don’t have a high school education. The teens are convinced to stay in school and realize the importance of education in reaching their goals and dreams. 21 minutes. $149.95. AIMS Multimedia, 9710 DeSoto Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311. (800) 367-2467, www.aimsmultimedia.com.
Native Americans
CHIEFS, by Active Parenting Publishers, is a documentary following the Chiefs, a high school boys’ basketball team, over two seasons on Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation. The video shows the boys’ struggles on and off the court. The teens deal with issues such as poverty, alcoholism, depression, drug use and racism. The video examines the consequences of the choices the players make when confronted with difficult situations, and provides a sobering picture of life for youth on reservations. 89 minutes. $129.95. Active Parenting Publishers, 810 Franklin Court, Suite B, Marietta GA 30067. (800) 825-0060, www.activeparenting.com.
Sex
Nicole’s Choice, produced by Select Media, follows a black inner-city teen as she is diagnosed with gonorrhea and must tell her friends (and worse, her boyfriend). By cutting in and out of various conversations, the video captures the different manner in which the two genders discuss the issue of sexually transmitted diseases. Meanwhile, producers eliminate the need for potentially distracting expert segments by voicing Nicole’s inner monologue while she reads a pamphlet on STDs. Curiously, Nicole’s parents are not present in the video, and she goes to the doctor to receive treatment alone. But “Nicole’s Choice” avoids the preachiness that youth viewers loathe, and uses a realistic setting and dialogue in a way that should effectively hit inner-city youth. 14 minutes. $80. Select Media, P.O. Box 1084, Harriman, NY 10926. (845) 774-2945, www.selectmedia.org.
Substance Abuse
Brandon Tells His Story, by The Century Council, tells the story of how one irresponsible decision changed Brandon Silveria’s life forever. Silveria was a great athlete with a promising future, but one evening after having a few drinks at a party he wrapped his car around a tree. In a coma for two and a half months, he went though years of rehabilitation to learn how to swallow, talk and walk again. Silveria’s speech is slurred, his walk is unsteady and his memory is permanently impaired – an image that is sure to resonate with youth during his taped interview segments. 28 minutes. Free. The Century Council, 1310 G St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005. (202) 637-0077, www.centurycouncil.org.
Teens
Life Steps with Michael Pritchard: Responsibility, by The Bureau for At-Risk Youth, shows teens the relationship between responsibility and freedom. Host Michael Pritchard, a youth worker and former probation officer, presents hypothetical situations to teens, who have to assess risks and use cause-and-effect thinking to make a decision. The video is part of the Life Steps 12-video series designed to build critical traits and help viewers become the best people they can be. 28 minutes. $74.95. The Bureau for At-Risk Youth, 135 Dupont St., Plainview, NY 11803. (800) 999-6884, www.guidancechannel.com.
Teaching Moments and Teach Teens Cooking, by Northwest Media, is a two-tape package that appeals to parents to go beyond the task of simply putting food on the table and clean laundry in the dresser. Instead, parents should view many everyday activities as opportunities to teach their teens how to survive independently. In scripted storylines, parents push their kids to learn how to organize, do laundry and prepare shopping lists. 28 minutes. $99.95. Northwest Media, 326 W. 12th Ave., Eugene, OR 97401. (800) 777-6636, www.northwestmedia.com.
