African-American
Her Rite of Passage: How to Design and Deliver a Rites of Passage Program for African-American Girls and Young Women, by Cassandra Mack, is a resource for anyone wishing to begin a rite-of-passage program. Written in a conversational manner, the book begins with a definition of rites of passage and an explanation of the need for social and physical development programs for black females. The work specifies steps toward creating organizations, including guidelines for recruiting volunteers and getting parents involved. 151 pages. $39.95. Strategies for Empowered Living Inc., 333 Madison St., New York, NY 10002. (212) 533-0873, www.empoweredliving.net.
After School
After-School Transition Activities: The Ready, Set, Go Guide to Strategies That Work, by Daniel L. Whitaker, gives youth workers in after-school or summer programs tips for making transition time (waiting in line, driving places) fun and educational. Whitaker identifies the three types of transitions involved in youth programming – “ready” (typical waiting times), “set” (when kids are gather for what’s to come) and “go” (when the group is moving from place to place) – and provides suggestions for how to make the best use of these times. 76 pages. $15.95. School-Age Notes, P.O. Box 40205, Nashville, TN 37204. (800) 410-8780, www.schoolagenotes.com.
Education
Achievement Now! How to Assure No Child Is Left Behind, by Donald J. Fielder, reviews educational methods that have improved student achievement. The book is split into seven chapters that address a broad issue or goal for schools, and within each section Fielder, a school superintendent, details more specific problems, causes and solutions. The topics include curbing “senioritis,” the importance of interschool competition and the implementation of “public schools of choice” policies. 196 pages. $29.95. Eye on Education, 6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538. (914) 833-0551, www.eyeoneducation.com.
Dropout Prevention Tools, by Franklin P. Schargel, covers various tools for keeping youth in school – such as family involvement in education, early childhood education and alternative schooling – which together can serve as a guide to set up an effective dropout prevention program. Schargel supplements his bulleted text with visual aids and an excellent CD-ROM resource. 199 pages. $49.95. Eye on Education, 6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538. (914) 833-0551, www.eyeoneducation.com.
Student Mobility: How Some Children Get Left Behind, by the Howard University School of Education, is a collection of essays about the growing problem of nonpromotional school changes, that is, youths changing schools for reasons other than grade advancement. Most of the authors weigh in on the overarching issue of mobility, looking at issues such as why it is prevalent among poor minorities and how it correlates to drop-out rates. Several of the essays look specifically at mobility in Chicago, a Maryland community and two Texas school districts. Student Mobility is the 72nd edition of Howard University’s The Journal of Negro Education. 177 pages. $10. Journal of Negro Education, P.O. Box 311, Washington, DC 20059. (202) 806-8120, www.howard.edu/schooleducation/Programs/JNE.
Employment
Supporting Youth Employ-ment: A Guide for Community Groups, by Public/Private Ventures, aims to give community groups the tools and resources necessary to help youth find jobs and prepare them for the work force. The guide highlights programs that connect kids with employment, service learning and school-to-career opportunities, and addresses the who, what and where of funding for such programs. 63 pages. $15. Public/Private Ventures, 2000 Market St., Suite 600, Philadelphia, PA 19103. (215) 557-4400, www.ppv.org.
Faith-Based
Help! I’m a Junior High Youth Worker (Mark Oestreicher, 63 pages); Help! I’m a Volunteer Youth Worker (Doug Fields, 94 pages); Help! I’m a Small-Group Leader (Laurie Polich, 138 pages), by Youth Specialties, are a series of books providing guidance to youth workers and volunteers in ministries. Working from a Christian perspective, the short, informational guides offer advice for situations that the youth worker will face, while encouraging the reader to consider biblical teachings and God in all aspects of youth work. $9.49 each. Youth Specialties, 300 S. Pierce St., El Cajon, CA 92020. (619) 440-2333, www.youthspecialties.com.
Homosexuality
GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer & Questioning Teens, by Kelly Huegel, gives gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth thorough, compassionate advice on dealing with struggles and stress. Huegel takes on a conversational tone as she shares some of her own experiences as a lesbian. Her insight on subjects, including coming out in school, dating and safe sex, are heartfelt and sincere, and her supplemental sections – sample conversations for coming out to your parents, quotes from other GLBTQ kids and a list of support and information resources – are extremely helpful. 240 pages. $15.95. Free Spirit Publishing, 217 Fifth Ave., Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401. (800) 735-7323, www.freespirit.com.
Girls
A Light in the Window, by J. Elizabeth Harris, tells the story of a young woman in the 1970s trying to make peace with her past and move on. As a child she suffered a number of tragedies, including a rape and subsequent abortion, and had a difficult time living with her rigid, Southern father. After running away to marry a man her father disapproved of, she has to return home to his deathbed and try to make amends with him and the rest of a family she has not seen in years. Light is a useful resource for young girls who face familial or societal struggles or parents who wish to understand what their troubled daughters might be going through. 176 pages. $17.84. Xlibris Corp., 436 Walnut St., 11th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19106. (888) 795-4274, www.Xlibris.com.
Social Aggression Among Girls, by Marion K.Underwood, investigates how stereotypes affect the way females express their anger. The authors contend that social expectations cause girls to channel much of their aggression less directly than males, which often leads to hurtful gossip and ruined friendships. Piecing together original research and that of others, the text considers the evolution of aggressive expression from preschool through adolescence and various influencing factors during each phase. 300 pages. $24. The Guilford Press, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012. (212) 431-9800, www.guilford.com.
Health
Promoting Children’s Health: Integrating School, Family and Community, by Thomas J. Power et al., addresses children’s health needs by incorporating education into physicians’ practices. Drawing from previous research, the text explains how physicians can use community resources to improve the lives of children. Model programs and guiding principles are explored through case studies. The target audience seems to be physicians, but youth workers and teachers looking to improve the health care of those they serve would benefit as well. 256 pages. $35. The Guilford Press, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012. (800) 365-7006, www.guilford.com.
Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Handbook, by Patricia Mathes and Beverly Irby, informs pregnant teenagers about their options and various issues they will encounter, such as methods of childbirth, parenting styles, discomforts of pregnancy and family styles. All advice is presented pragmatically, with open-ended questions that encourage readers to formulate their own decisions. Mathes and Irby avoid a preachy tone, making their discussions about the implications of good and bad decisions all the more convincing. 430 pages. $19.95. Research Press, 2612 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign, IL 61822. (800)519-2707. www.researchpress.com.
Management
Fraud and Abuse in Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Prevention and Detection, by Gerard M. Zack, investigates the type of scandalous activities that many readers might assume are reserved for corporate offices. A certified fraud examiner, Zack investigates how financial fraud in the nonprofit sector can cripple an organization and even affect other organizations in the same field. By addressing specific examples, Zack illustrates how nonprofit fraud has been carried out and how to guard against it. 384 pages. $59.95. John Wiley & Sons, 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, www.wiley.com/nonprofit.
How to Write a Grant Proposal, by Cheryl New and James Quick, takes grant seekers step by step through the formal process of drafting proposals to different kinds of foundations. Each chapter details the format and purpose of a different aspect of the grant proposal (the cover letter, table of contents, executive summary). Also included are examples taken from previously written proposals and a CD-ROM with four complete grant proposals. 339 pages. $39. John Wiley & Sons, 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. (800) 762-2974, www.wiley.com.
Nonprofit Nation: A New Look at the Third America, by Michael O’Neill, is a revised edition of The Third America. While the first work was a resource for understanding the quietly burgeoning nonprofit field, the revision looks at the network of organizations in full bloom. O’Neill covers most major nonprofit sectors (such as health care, arts and social services), identifying their impact and future prospects. The book makes some interesting predictions about the growth of nonprofits, in both number and impact, over the next 25 years. 308 pages. $35. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (415) 433-1740, www.josseybass.com.
Parenting
Raising Children Who Think for Themselves, by Elisa Medhus, tells parents how to create the right home environments, instill the right kind of values and bring up well-balanced children. Medhus bases a great deal of her advice on her own experience as a wife and mother, and her writing style is personable and easy to read. She focuses on the need to find happiness through internal ideals (morals and empathy) as opposed to societal ideals (money and power), and also broaches issues such as discipline, sexuality, grades and body image. 304 pages. $14.95. Beyond Words Publishing, 20827 N.W. Cornell Road, Suite 500, Hillsboro, OR 97124. (503) 531-8700, www.beyondword.com.
Your Child’s Unique Temperament: Insights and Strategies for Responsive Parenting, by Sandee Graham McClowry, is designed to help parents identify their children’s temperament in order to help reduce stress for both of them. Based on a curriculum tested in New York City schools, this interactive text provides questionnaires and scenarios that help identify personality types. None of the labels is the final word on a child, but by understanding temperament, says McClowry, parents can deal with their children more effectively. 135 pages. $19.95. Research Press, 2612 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign, IL 61822. (800) 519-2707, www.researchpress.com.
Your Family: Using Simple Wisdom in Raising Your Children, published by the Search Institute, promotes healthy and wise parenting by suggesting eight assets needed by children: support, empowerment, boundaries, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity. Parents are asked to explore these assets by reading the anecdotes and questions provided about each one. A very easy read, “Your Family” is a simple resource for youth workers to hand to frustrated or harried parents. 24 pages. $13.95 (less in bulk). Search Institute, 615 First Ave. NE, Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413. (800) 888-7828, www.search-institute.org.
Resources
The National Directory of Children, Youth and Families Services 2003-2004 is the 19th revision of this reference guide to more than 45,000 federal and local agencies. The meat of the directory is the state agency index, which provides contacts for social, health, juvenile and education services by county. Following this are two other directories: a list of national resource centers, clearinghouses, grant-making organizations and runaway youth centers, and lists of products of interest to youth workers.1,240 pages. $159. The National Directory of CYF Services, 14 Inverness Drive East, Suite D-144, Englewood, CO 80112. (800)
343-6681, www.childrenyouthfamilydir.com.
Teens
Get a Jump! What’s Next After High School? A Comprehensive Guide to College Planning and Career Exploration, published by Peterson’s, is an affordable guide presenting after-graduation options to high school students. The authors do not insist that a four-year university is everyone’s ideal, but profiles military service, employment and specialized schooling as well. Each section features questionnaires, checklists, advice from professionals and financial aid information, all worthwhile to the often-daunted high school graduate-to-be. As opposed to college guides that list the characteristics of specific institutions, this resource offers guidance to help young people make informed decisions about what they want to do and where they want to go. 266 pages. $9.95. Peterson’s, 2000 Lenox Drive, P.O. Box 67005, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. (877) 433-8277, www.petersons.com.
May I Kiss You? A Candid Look at Dating, Communication, Respect & Sexual Assault Awareness, by Michael J. Domitrz, addresses teens on the subject of dating behavior. Domitrz talks to men and women, adults and teenagers, about dating behavior and misunderstanding, looking at the dating scene from both the male and the female perspective on topics that include double standards, blaming victims and the painful effect of “unintentional” sexual assault. Domitrz’s work is insightful, identifying the problems that can arise when men and women rely solely on body language, assumptionsand interpretation to guide their actions. 128 pages. $15.95. Awareness Publications, PO Box 20906, Greenfield, WI 53220. (800) 329-9650, www.mayikissyoubook.com.
Violence
CARE, Child and Adolescent Risk Evaluation Manual: A Measure of the Risk for Violent Behavior, by Kathryn Seifert, helps parents, teachers and youth workers understand the behavioral or situational factors that may lead to violence. The manual also provides detailed directions to properly fill out and calculate the results of the CARE assessment form, which is designed to help determine if a child is at risk for violent behavior. Also provided is background information on the research that serves as the basis for the authors’ evaluation. 33 pages. $19.95. Research Press, 2612 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign, IL 61822. (800) 519-2707, www.researchpress.com.
Videos
Discrimination
Teen Files Flipped: Tolerance, by AIMS Multimedia, turns the table on a girl who teases overweight classmates and a boy who makes gay jokes and disapproves of homosexuality. Thinking they have been chosen to host an MTV talk show, the girl is asked to wear a body suit that makes her look fat while the boy is dressed in stereotypically gay clothing. Throughout the day, the girl learns what it feels like to be stared at or teased by strangers in stores and on the street. The boy speaks to a male hairdresser, someone he would have originally made fun of, witnesses a staged “gay bashing,” and attends a support group for gay and transgender youth, where he hears personal accounts of discrimination against gays. The video conveys a message of tolerance clearly and powerfully. 21 minutes. $149.95. AIMS Multimedia, 9710 DeSoto Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311. (800) 367-2467, www.aimsmultimedia.com.
Substance Abuse
Brain Scans: Alcohol and the Teenage Brain, by Human Relations Media, delves into the biological effects of alcohol on a young brain. An adolescent girl hosts the video, interviews a doctor, and talks to real kids about their thoughts on drinking. Using MRI testing data, the video focuses on the adverse effects of drinking on brain development and activity, and the workbook includes activities and additional teaching resources. If the video does not sober up kids’ views on drinking, it will at least provide them with the facts. 22 minutes. $139.95. Human Relations Media, 41 Kensico Drive, Mount Kisco, NY 10549. (800) 431-2050, www.hrmvideo.com.
Club Drugs: When the Party is Over, by Hazelden, addresses its teen audience through simple, honest language instead of the more common hyperbolic description of drug side effects. The quality of the film lies in its seamless pairing of first-hand accounts and professional sources. When one recovering addict says he has difficulty studying, a physician explains how hallucinogens impair the ability to concentrate. “Club Drugs” capably delivers a message to teen audiences without coming off as preachy. 20 minutes. $225. Hazelden, P.O. Box 176, Center City, MN 55012. (800) 328-9000, www.hazelden.org.
What’s Wrong with Methamphetamine, by Discover Films, is designed to educate middle and high school students about the dangers of this powerful drug. The film seems to hone in on the effects of prolonged use, although this is hardly a slant that would dissuade a young audience from experimentation. The video’s time might have been better spent discussing what happens during the early stages of usage rather than the end result, which for one subject was being forced to “live in a trailer with a guy with no teeth.” The prospect of such a fate might scare some kids straight, but a stronger reminder about how easy it is to become addicted to meth in the first place would have helped. 26 minutes. $149. Discover Films Video, 8117 Oak St., New Orleans, LA 70118. (888) 649-6453, www.discover-films.com.
Correction
A book summarized in the July/August 2003 issue, Juvenile Justice: Polices, Practices, and Programs, was incorrectly attributed as a work by the Civic Research Institute (CRI). While CRI published the book, the author is H. Ted Rubin. The cost was also incorrect; it is $133.95. Contact: Civic Research Institute, 4478 U.S. Route 27, P.O. Box 585, Kingston, NJ 08528. (609) 683-4450, www.civicresearchinstitute.com.
