Alcohol
Alternate Routes: An Alcohol Diversion Program, by Laura Burney Nissen, is a strength-based model to be used with youth going through the juvenile justice system for the first time for alcohol-related charges. Nissen’s basic concept, instead of dwelling too much on youths’ problems, is to focus on helping them see their abilities and build confidence. Three manuals: Facilitator’s Guide, Family Guide and Youth Workbook. $68.52 (also sold separately). Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services, 15245 Pleasant Valley Road, P.O. Box 11-CO 3, Center City, MN 55012. (800) 257-7810, www.hazelden.org.
Behavior
Helping the Noncompliant Child, by Robert McMahon and Rex Forehand, is the updated and expanded second edition of an acclaimed manual for professionals who teach parents how to manage oppositional behavior in children. The manual includes strategies for a range of ages and is excellent for anyone in the field who is having difficulty helping parents set rules that are followed. 313 pages. $38. Guilford Publications, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012. (212) 431-9800, www.guilford.com.
Troubled Children and Youth: Turning Problems Into Opportunities, by Larry Brendtro and Mary Shahbazian, supports an asset-building approach to working with children who are too often given up on. The authors identify challenges for those working with troubled youth and follow up by presenting research-validated strategies and solutions for making improvements where needed. 264 pages. $24.95. Research Press, 2612 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign, IL 61826. (800) 519-2707, www.researchpress.com.
Drugs
Illegal Drugs, by Paul Gahlinger, is a guide to all 178 drugs outlawed in the United States (as of the January publishing date). Each listing is exhaustive, citing the drug’s chemical components and history, along with specific health indications, user demographics and withdrawal signs. This is a valuable and current reference. 456 pages. $20. Penguin Group, 405 Murray Hill Parkway, East Rutherford, NJ 07073. (800) 788-6262, www.penguin.com.
Education
Literacy Links 2 Focus on Teens, by the Youth Development Institute, is a brief profile of efforts to conduct literacy programs for teens, who are too often overlooked in such programs because of their age. After a quick introduction to challenges in the field, three styles of literacy programs are detailed: One uses written work, one incorporates hip-hop, and the third has teens help to write a “hip choreo-play for today.” 41 pages. $8.Youth Development Institute/Fund for the City of New York, 121 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013. (212) 925-6675, www.fcny.org.
Quality High School Curriculum for Alternative Settings, by Carole Mottaz, is a valuable resource for any parent considering teaching his or her own high-school-level child. Mottaz has broken down five major areas of study (language arts, math, science, social science and health) into 26 subjects. Each chapter provides a detailed outline for how to present the subject, followed by parameters for assessing student performance. The curriculum is based on materials available from the American Guidance Service and Skillsbank4. The guide is useless for anyone who lacks a basic ability to teach and a decent mastery of core high school subjects. But for a prepared parent, Mottaz has created a reliable blueprint for working with a child in a nontraditional setting. 306 pages. $32.95. Scarecrow Education, 4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706. (800) 462-6420, www.scarecroweducation.com.
Engaging Schools, by the National Research Council Institute of Medicine, calls for recapturing the attention of urban students, statistically the most at risk of failure in their school systems. In chapters that broach the concept of engagement and how it applies to school systems, families and communities, the institute presents 10 recommendations for engagement-minded reform. 285 pages. $34.95. National Academies Press, 500 Fifth St. NW, Washington,
DC 20001. (888) 624-8422, www.nap.edu.
Faith-based
City Lights: Ministry Essentials for Reaching Urban Youth, edited by Scott Larson and Karen Free, notes a reversal of logic in urban youth ministry. Too often, argues Larson, urban ministries rely on borrowed models from non-urban ministries, which may be better established or funded, even though their clientele often have different lifestyles and experiences. Eighteen contributing writers seek to reverse this tendency by detailing their experiences with “cutting-edge” urban youth ministry models. 175 pages. $13. Group Publishing, P.O. Box 481, Loveland, CO 80539. (800) 447-1070, www.grouppublishing.com.
Foster Care
Memoirs of a Baby-Stealer, by Mary Callahan, is a shocking account of one foster mother’s experience with the Maine Department of Human Services. Using mostly anecdotal evidence from her own foster children and from other foster parents, Callahan makes the case that the state is often too quick to act and, consequently, burdens itself with children whose parents need help more than punishment. Whether you agree with Callahan’s conclusions or not, her story should be told. 224 pages. $9.95. Pinewoods Press, P.O. Box 238, Lisbon, ME 04250. (207) 353-4223, www.babystealer.com.
Health
The Development of Anorexia Nervosa, by Sylvia Brody, stresses that conditions during infancy are largely overlooked in the development of anorexia nervosa. Serious interruptions of mental and emotional development early in life have long been missed and can play a significant role in young girls’ health behavior, Brody says. Her book includes analysis of data on the disease, case histories of two anorexic adolescents and recommendations of signs of anorexia that need further study. 255 pages. $33.50. International Universities Press, 59 Boston Post Rd., Madison, CT 06443. (800) 835-3487, www.iup.com.
Immigrants
Understanding the Social Worlds of Immigrant Youth, edited by Carola Suarez-Orozco and Irina Todorova, is the latest edition in the New Directions for Youth Development series. Essayists weigh in on a number of topics, some addressing specific immigrant populations (Vietnamese, Chinese and Latino) while others broach broader themes such as the roles of media, religion and gender in immigrant youth life.136 pages. $29. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Media
Saving Our Children From the First Amendment, by Kevin Saunders, is an examination of an amendment whose vast expanse is expected to function and apply similarly to two distinct groups of people: adults and youth. Saunders argues that, while the amendment should protect speech and expression to the greatest extent for adults, it is nonsense that it should apply to youth the same way. Obscene materials have already been banned, says Saunders, who argues that violent and “hate-filled” materials should be banned as well. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, Saunders writes eloquently and backs up his case with solid evidence. 307 pages. $48. New York University Press, 838 Broadway, Third Floor, New York, NY 10003. (212) 998-2575, www.nyupress.org.
Organizing to Win, by the National Training & Information Center, is the third annual publication of its media coverage collection. The group has compiled clippings from news sources ranging from town newspapers to The Washington Post. The articles are broken into nine categories: affordable housing, community reinvestment, education and youth, environment, immigrants’ rights, jobs and income, neighborhood safety, predatory lending, and community organizing. The collection is a priceless asset for media and advocacy groups in the relevant fields. 150 pages. $10. National Training & Information Center, 810 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622. (312) 243-3035, www.ntic-us.org.
Nonprofits
Fundraising in Times of Crisis, by Kim Klein, offers strategies for navigating a nonprofit organization through turbulent times. Klein’s 10 chapters focus on creating a short-term fund-raising plan, adjusting services without losing sight of the mission and damage control. 175 pages. $24.95. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Why Nonprofits Fail, by Stephen Block, addresses the potential pitfalls of nonprofit survival along two avenues: management and administration. Block tackles risk mismanagement, lack of framework building, recruitment disorientation and “founder’s syndrome,” among other failures that could diminish or end the vitality of a nonprofit organization. A great read for board members or for someone entering the nonprofit field on the administrative side. 190 pages. $27.95. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Parenting
Enhancing Your Child’s Behavior, by Robert Cimera, drives home a simple point: A child’s success in the classroom and beyond is determined not by intellect alone, but by an understanding of how to behave and act. After a brief introduction to the fundamentals of behavioral change and modification, Cimera guides readers toward helping their children adjust by identifying the target behavior, identifying its cause and its best replacement, and finding and implementing a strategy to correct it. 192 pages. $29.95. Scarecrow Education, 4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706. (800) 462-6420, www.scarecroweducation.com.
Responding to Children and Families of Prisoners, by Ann Adalist-Estrin and Jim Mustin, is a basic rundown of the burgeoning problem of children with parents in prison. That accounts for 2 million children now, say the authors, while an additional 8 million have had a parent incarcerated in the past. After profiling the effects of incarceration on children, the guide recommends how to identify – and for the more altruistic, establish – new supportive services for families with members behind bars. 50 pages. $16.50. Family & Corrections Network, 32 Oak Grove Rd., Palmyra, VA 22963. (434) 589-3036, www.fcnetwork.org.
Self-Help
Power Source: Taking Charge of Your Life, by Bethany and Robin Casarjian, is a gift to pass on to youth at the bottom of a downward spiral. The book addresses aspects of life many young people struggle with: anger, family issues and drugs, to name three. The calm, conversational tone, coupled with letters from struggling teens, makes “Power Source” a potentially influential resource for teens who have had enough pain in their lives. 260 pages. $12. Lionheart Press, Box 194, Back Bay, Boston, MA 02117. (781) 444-6667, www.lionheart.org.
Youth Development
Creating Positive Images, by Patsy Hallman, is a crash course in Southern hospitality. Hallman, a Texan, advises youth how to communicate with adults (be it in a restaurant, on a job interview, or over e-mail) in order to project a positive image. It’s not likely to help surly, defiant teens, but would be a good recommendation for teens who are interested in getting jobs or becoming leaders. 96 pages. $19.95. Scarecrow Education, 4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706. (800) 462-6420, www.scarecroweducation.com.
Strengthening Youth Development, by the Youth Development Institute, is a brief monograph on the state and future of the youth development movement. Infor-mation about YDI and other youth development intermediaries is followed by profiles of three YDI initiatives and details on the institute’s seven tiers of technical assistance. 23 pages. $8. Youth Development Institute/Fund for the City of New York, 121 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013. (212) 925-6675, www.fcny.org.
VIDEOS
Alcohol
I Ain’t Drunk … I’m Just Drinkin’… is a three-video package on the consequences of underage drinking. Featuring motivational narratives by boxer Paulie Ayala, former Dallas Cowboy Emmitt Smith and TV actor Gil Gerrard, the videos deal with three sets of consequences of alcohol abuse by minors: legal, physiological (cognitive and motor skills) and physical (long-term damage). While the segment opens with a bluesy guitar singer intoning, “I ain’t drunk, I’m just drinkin’,” attention should be paid to a quick glimpse of the performer, whose beaten-up appearance speaks of dissipation. These are tough videos. The one dealing with legal repercussions uses real police officers in a dramatized teen party situation that goes out of control because of alcohol. Handcuffing and a look at the criminal justice system follow, with real police videos showing roundups and victims of car crashes caused by alcohol.
Alcohol counselors in all three segments make the point that teens arrested for alcohol consumption could ruin their lives, as the arrest record follows them around for life. An alcohol education counselor says teens are killing each other by drinking and driving. Part three shows an actual teen who has passed out from an alcohol overdose and is being attended by paramedics. As her throat begins to close up, the tight shot of a tube being inserted to supply her with oxygen is truly gruesome stuff. No holds barred and professional all the way. 39 minutes altogether. $59.95. TMW Media Group, 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291. (800) 262-8862, www.tmwmedia.com.
Mental Health
Teens Dealing With Death explores the teenage grieving process over a lost loved one. It makes the point that there is no “right way” to grieve and that teens often deal with death differently from adults. By the end of high school, it says, one in five teens will have lost a parent or loved one, and 90 percent of all teens will have experienced a death of someone close to them. Shock, denial, isolation, guilt, regret and anger are among the common emotions teenagers express. As a psychiatrist points out, some of these emotions are healthy, but others are not. Guilt, for example, comes when teens blame the death on something they said or did.
Reaching out to others, says an expert in the video, is the first step in grief recovery. Knowledgeable teens and professionals contribute commentary, with interesting side excursions to such places as a camp in Hanover, Va., for teens who have lost loved ones. Comes with teacher’s guide. Expertly done. 28 minutes. $89.95. Cambridge Educational Group, P.O. Box 931, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852. (800) 468-4227, www.cambridgeeducational.com.
Character
The Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness (Program 1) features the Muppet-like Popcorn Park puppets in a morality play (for grades K-5) about a stolen birthday gift. Interspersed with live action over three acts, Groark (a friendly puppet dragon) finds himself caught in a struggle between honesty and friendship when he discovers that one of his best friends has stolen a toy space station from a store to surprise him for his birthday. Catchy tunes sung by the puppets drive home the message. The video producers recommend that the tape be stopped at the end of each act, so that the puppets’ “character development” can be discussed in the classroom. The sing-song tunes have lyrics like, “Here’s a way to sleep at night, telling the truth and doin’ what’s right.” Also, “If you can’t trust your friends, who can you trust?” Imaginative and effective. 22 minutes. $69.95. Live Wire Media, 273 Ninth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 359-5437, www.livewiremedia.com.
Prejudice
The Truth About Hate (School Version) is an award winner about hate crimes and dealing with perceptions and attitudes, with the statistical premise that 40,000 hate crimes are committed annually by persons under 21. The video, hosted by TV personality Leeza Gibbons, brings together six teens, male and female, of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds and racial attitudes into situations where they encounter hate crime victims. A young African American Marine stomped until his neck is snapped by six high school-age whites and an elderly Holocaust survivor who describes Nazi death camps in vivid detail are but two tales of hate horror the youngsters hear. Two young, self-confessed haters cry over the stories.
Just as fascinating is the second part of the video, where the six teens (black, white, yellow, gay, straight) meet for a weekend camp session where they express their feelings around campfires and help one another in a tree-climbing competition. They get along with one another and cherish the time they’ve spent together. One of them cries out, “We bonded.” An extraordinary video filled with revelations. For grades 6 to 12. 32 minutes. $149.95. AIMS Multimedia, 9710 DeSoto Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311. (800) 367-2467, www.aimsmultimedia.com.
Sex and Pregnancy
Angel of Mine: A Story About Teen Pregnancy and Parenthood is a realistic video dramatization of teen parenthood. Complete with a live baby in the key scenes, the video deals with the plight of teenagers Erica and Jay, who meet, fall in love, have a baby and suffer such consequences as a lost college scholarship for the teen father and leaving high school for the mother. They even fall out of love, but, although they live in different parts of the city, they choose to bring up the child together by pooling their resources. Day care is too expensive, and Erica says one of them has to work and it should be the one who got them into this.
A combative, discordant tone is in evidence throughout the video (with a crying baby in Erica’s arms during a climactic argument that is shattering because of viewer concern for the baby). Every base regarding the negative aspects of teen parenthood is covered by the video, drinking and condom misuse included. The young actors, clearly improvising their lines, play well off each other, and it is no stretch to believe they are trapped in a real-life crisis. The messages also include testing for sexually transmitted diseases and taking responsibility for one’s actions. 28 minutes. $95. Guidance Channel Company, P.O. Box 760, Plainview, NY 11803. (800) 999-6884, http://www.guidance%20channel.com.
Date Rape/Abusive Relation-ships is another in AIMS Multimedia’s acclaimed Teen Files Flipped series. This time it puts a promiscuous teen with sexist notions in a district attorney’s office as an assistant on a date rape case. The video producers control the situations in which Mario, the selected teen, appears, but they don’t control his reactions. From the beginning as Mario, decked out in a black suit, begins questioning high schoolers about the rape, his tone is light and breezy. Then one of the teens says males in the neighborhood take videos of their date rapes and pass them around. Mario’s demeanor changes as he tells the district attorney that a search must be made for the video featuring the complaining victim.
Mario then meets Holly, a rape survivor, who tells him she is emotionally damaged from a rape by a teen who deliberately got her drunk. When the video of the victim in the case is shown as evidence, Mario’s view changes from condoning such practices to outrage. At the end of the video, Mario has changed his tune when he says, “When a girl says ‘no,’ that means ‘no.’” Done MTV style with split- and multi-screens and “hidden cameras.” Vivid, with bleeped-out curses. For grades 6 to 12. 21 minutes. $149.95. AIMS Multimedia, 9710 DeSoto Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311-4409. (800) 367-2467, www.aimsmultimedia.com.
