African-American
Friendship, Cliques, and Gangs: Young Black Men Coming of Age in Urban America, by Greg Dimitriadis, revolves around a qualitative and longitudinal study analyzing the impact that educational centers, mentors and friendship have on young black men coming of age. It also evaluates the role that the author, an ethnographic researcher, plays in the lives of two black boys. 128 pages. $17.95. Teachers College, Columbia University, 1234 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027. (800) 575-6566, www.teacherscollegepress.com.
Behavior
Intervening in Adolescent Problem Behavior: A Family-Centered Approach, by Thomas J. Dishion and Kate Kavanagh, is a scientific analysis of the Adolescent Transitions Program (ATP), which focuses on family involvement in adolescent behavior. This is a highly technical book for professional youth workers who are interested in learning about ATP and how to implement brief family interventions to help parents influence youth behavior through constructive communication. 243 pages. $35. Guilford Publications, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012. (212) 431-9800, www.guilford.com.
Seeing Red: An Anger Management and Peacemaking Curriculum for Kids, by Jennifer Simmonds, is a 12-session curriculum to help elementary and middle school-aged children understand anger and deal with it constructively. The sessions are designed for groups of six to eight children and include activities designed to boost self-esteem and control behavior through role-playing and problem-solving. 73 pages. $14.95. New Society Publishers, 37 Cherry St., Easthampton, MA, 01027. (800) 567-6772, www.newsociety.com.
Child Welfare
An Assessment of the Privatization of Child Welfare Services: Challenges and Successes, by Madelyn Freundlich and Sarah Gerstenzang, outlines for youth workers and policy-makers the impact of privatizing child welfare services, by reviewing six case studies of privatization. The book highlights common themes among the cases, focusing on how privatization affected services, and concludes with recommendations about how to implement privatized family services. 309 pages. $29.95. Child Welfare League of America, 440 First Street NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20001. (202) 638-2952, www.cwla.org/pubs.
Employment
Creating Your High School Résumé: A Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing an Effective Resume for Jobs, College, and Training Programs, by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman, breaks down the process of writing résumés and cover letters for high school students looking for internships or part-time jobs. The book is filled with sample résumés, formatting tips and worksheets that help teens focus on the skills and desires they should highlight.154 pages. $8.95. JIST Works, 8902 Otis Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46216. (800) 648-5478, www.jist.com.
10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College: The Know-How You Need to Succeed, by Bill Coplin, gives college students the low-down on what they need to do to land a job in the “real world.” The author draws on his experience as a professor and student adviser at Syracuse University in New York, and from former students’ recommendations for maneuvering in the job market. Readers can see how they measure up on the job know-how lists and follow exercises to build skills attractive to potential employers. This engaging, practical book also provides other resources for students to hone their job-seeking abilities. 259 pages. $14.95. Ten Speed Press, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707. (800) 841-2665, www.tenspeed.com.
Faith-Based
Help! I’m a Small Church Youth Worker: Achieving Big-Time Success in a Non-Mega Ministry, by Rich Grassel, is a conversational guide geared toward youth workers at church ministries with fewer than 150 participants. It examines differences between large and small ministries and offers advice on what resources small-church youth groups should provide children. It also outlines four approaches to youth ministry, depending on the church’s circumstances and the congregation’s expectations. 115 pages. $9.99. Zondervan Publishing House, 5300 Patterson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530. (800) 727-1309, www.zondervan.com.
Help! I’m an Urban Youth Worker: A Survival Guide to Ministry in the Big City, by Ginger Sinsabaugh, is a chatty resource book for youth workers involved in Christian ministries. It separates urban youth stereotypes from reality and offers tips on how to create and sustain an urban youth ministry. Each chapter highlights challenges youth face and offers steps for youth ministers to maximize their influence with teens. 150 pages. $9.99. Zondervan Publishing House, 5300 Patterson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530. (800) 727-1309, www.zondervan.com.
Games
The New Youth Games Book, by Alan Dearling and Howard Armstrong, offers more than 200 games that adults and youth can play together. The games can be used to help players get to know each other, understand different relationships and improve communication. The authors explain the rules and the context in which each game is best played. The book divides games into nine sections, including icebreakers, ethnic games, simulations and games for small children. 224 pages. Russell House Publishing, 4 St. George’s House, The Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS, England. (+44) 01297-443948, www.russellhouse.co.uk.
Gangs
Ask Nicky … : A Young Person’s Workbook for Building Dreams, by Nicole Taylor and Frances Mejia Caldwell, is an engaging examination of the allure that gang life holds for youth. Based largely on Taylor’s gang experiences after she joined the Bloods in Oregon when she was 16, the book serves as a springboard for youth and adult discussions about ways to find friendship and face problems without joining a gang. The book includes a parent-teacher guide with worksheets, questions and exercises geared toward middle and high school-aged youth. 188 pages. $24.95. AYWN Publications & Training, 23112 22nd St., Camas, WA 98607. (360) 833-9463, www.aywnpublications.com.
Girls
GirlSource: A Book by and for Young Women about Relationships, Rights, Futures, Bodies, Minds, and Souls, is written by six teenage girls to help guide their fellow teens. Based on interviews and surveys of 500 female adolescents, the book provides simple, straightforward discussions about issues such as body image, planning for college, menstruation and sex. GirlSource is a helpful handbook of facts and sisterly advice for answering questions that all girls confront. 96 pages. $12.95. Ten Speed Press, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707. (800) 841-2665, www.tenspeed.com.
The Girls’ Book of Success, edited by Catherine Dee, is akin to Life’s Little Instruction Book with a teen focus and inspirational twist. The book’s themes of helping girls understand success and set goals are broken down into 27 chapters, each filled with “Winning Wisdom,” “Success Stories,” “Proud Poems,” “Female Feats” and “Fabulous Facts” from successful women and girls. 184 pages. $9.99. Little, Brown and Company, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. (800) 759-0190, www.twbookmark.com.
Health
Health Problems in the Classroom 6-12: An A-Z Reference Guide for Educators, by Dolores Huffman, Karen Fontaine and Bernadette Price, highlights 150 health problems that adolescents may face while at school or in community programs. The authors identify problems and symptoms and explain what actions educators and youth workers should take. The book includes information about learning disabilities, the stigmas and self-esteem issues attached to various health problems, and basic health policies and procedures for organizations. 144 pages. $44.95. Corwin Press, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. (805) 499-9734, www.corwinpress.com.
Libraries
Technically Involved: Tech-nology-Based Youth Partici-pation Activities for Your Library, by Linda Braun, addresses how to use technology to increase youth participation in libraries. The first chapters assuage the fears of wary librarians, who often see youth as a challenge. Braun then outlines various technology-based activities for youth, explaining why teens want to participate in each activity, how the activity supports adolescent literacy and development, and how to assign roles and responsibilities. 138 pages. $34. American Library Association, 40 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. (866) 746-7252, www.alastore.ala.org.
Money
The Foundation 1,000: In-Depth Profiles of the 1,000 Largest U.S. Foundations, compiled by The Foundation Center, is a mammoth volume listing the biggest grant-making foundations in the United States. Each profile provides a detailed description of a foundation, with vital information about its purpose and grant-making interests, including what kind of organizations the foundation has funded. 2,848 pages. $295. The Foundation Center, 79 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003-3076. (800) 424-9836, www.fdncenter.org.
Sex
Making Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by L. Kris Gowen, is a non-judgmental, informative resource that is written in a conversational style for teenagers 16 to 19 years old. Gowen confronts the standard questions about what “sex” is, who has it, what STDs are and how to have safe sex. She then broaches touchier subjects such as masturbation, communicating about sex and distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Gowen deftly covers both medical facts and emotional issues. 227 pages. $35. Scarecrow Press., 4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706. (800) 462-6420, www.scarecrowpress.com.
Values
More If You Had to Choose, What Would You Do?, by Sandra McLeod Humphrey, provides 26 stories to help youth talk about morals and value systems. Each story is followed by discussion questions for youth workers who want to further engage kids in the lessons. The stories are written in an entertaining style geared toward youth age 7 and up. 131 pages. $13. Prometheus Books, 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY, 14228-2197. (800) 421-0351, www.prometheusbooks.com.
Nicholas’ Values: A Child’s Guide to Building Character, by Sharon Scott, is a collection of animal tales about eight basic values the author believes every child should have. It is told in storybook fashion “by Nicholas,” a Cocker Spaniel, and includes scenarios that ask readers what the characters should do, based on the values discussed. 115 pages. $9.95. HRD Press, 22 Amherst Road, Amherst, Mass., 01002. (800) 822-2801, www.hrdpress.com.
Writing
The Second Chance Writing Book, by Frances Caldwell, abandons “$100 words like predicate modifier,” and instead breaks down the writing process with more simple explanations. Geared toward struggling high school students and new college students, the book takes readers back to the basics of writing by focusing on sentence construction and paragraph formation before moving on to tips about writing, revising and editing. 112 pages. $14.95. AYWN Publications, 23112 N.E. 22nd St., Camas, WA 98607. (360) 833-9463, www.aywnpublications.com.
Youth Development
Teaching Life Skills Through Film: 12 Teaching Units Using Mainstream Video, by Frances Caldwell, provides detailed lesson plans with handouts, discussion points and activities based on popular movies such as "Cast Away,” “Riding in Cars with Boys” and “Remember the Titans.” Each lesson is designed for 12- to 18-year-olds and relates the social and political themes in each movie to the lives of youth. 88 pages. $12.95. AYWN Publications, 23112 NE 22nd St., Camas, WA 98607. (360) 833-9463, www.aywnpublications.com.
Me@My Best: Ideas for Staying True to Yourself Everyday, published by The Search Institute, is a pamphlet-sized piece designed to help teens along the path of self-discovery using Search’s asset-building philosophy. Each asset is explored through a personal account, questions for self-reflection and statistics that drive home the difficulty of the self-discovery process. 15 pages. $9.95. Search Institute, 615 First Ave. Northeast, Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413. (800) 888-7828, www.search-institute.org.
The Code: The 5 Secrets of Teen Success, by Mawi Asegom, offers enthusiastic advice to teenagers about focusing on what’s important in their lives and how to achieve their goals. The author interlaces each “secret” with examples from his life and the lessons he learned as an Ethiopian refugee who moved to the United States and earned a full scholarship to Harvard University. 152 pages. $9.99. Little, Brown and Company, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. (800) 759-0190, www.twbookmark.com.
Videos
Health
In the Mix: Living With …, by PBS, focuses on the challenges for teens living with genetic diseases and how they deal with them in day-to-day life. Teens talk about what it is like to deal with diseases such as juvenile diabetes or sickle cell anemia, particularly the effect the diseases have on making friends and participating in activities. The video’s teenage hosts appear awkward and stiff, but the interesting stories are the real core of the video and are presented well. The episode is part of the “In the Mix” weekly television series about teens and issues that they confront. 30 minutes. $69.95. 114 East 32nd St., Suite 903, New York, NY 10016. (800) 597-9448, www.inthemix.org.
Post Partum Depression, by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, examines the often-overlooked and misunderstood affliction that affects up to 20 percent of new mothers. While many women suffer slight depression after having a child, the four women in this video offer revealing personal stories of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, where a mother may suffer from disorientation, irrational thoughts, paranoia or even contemplations of harming her baby. The short length of the video stunts the development of the women’s stories for viewers, but “Post Partum Depression” is a good introduction to the subject for those working with new mothers. 12 minutes. $129. 4196 Washington St., Boston, MA 02131. (800) 937-4113, www.fanlight.com.
Preventing Eating Disorders, Promoting Positive Body Images, by the Hazelden Foundation, provides a glimpse into the lives of people who have dealt with eating disorders. Their stories of overcoming negative self-images are interlaced with interviews from teenagers who talk about the importance of ignoring unrealistic body images they see in the media. The video offers general advice about a balanced diet, exercise and the weight gain that often occurs during puberty. A short packet that comes with the program provides guidelines for helping teens who have eating disorders, as well as activities to spur discussions with fellow youths or their parents. 9 minutes. $225. 15251 Pleasant Valley Road, P.O. Box 176, Center City, MN 55012. (800) 328-9000, www.hazelden.org.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention, by the Hazelden Foundation, is a starting point for teenagers and adults to have open conversations on the third-leading cause of teen death –suicide. The video focuses on the No. 1 cause of suicide, untreated depression, and has intimate interviews with teenagers who have overcome depression. Viewers are guided through identifying warning signs and getting treatment for depression. Supplemental worksheets are included to help with discussions. 15 minutes. $225. 15251 Pleasant Valley Road, P.O. Box 176, Center City, MN 55012. (800) 328-9000, www.hazelden.org.
Violence
Real Life Teens: Weapons and Violence, by TMW Media Group, is created for high school teachers to discuss school safety and violence with students. The video includes interviews with teenagers and law enforcement and school officials about students’ concerns, and addresses preventing violence and how to handle violent situations. The video lacks specific information on school violence trends to put the topics into context, relying instead on generalizations and personal interviews. A brief guide for discussion is included, but teachers will have to develop more on their own for in-depth class conversations. 22 minutes. $59.95. 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291. (310) 577-8581, www.tmwmedia.com.
