Education
The Self-Directed Learning Handbook, by Maurice Gibbons, explains how to help middle and high school students practice self-directed learning, a process that lets students acquire knowledge and skills on their own. Gibbons clearly explains the components of the concept and offers engaging ways to put it into practice. Rather than giving an assortment of suggestions on how to teach, he discusses the basic practical approach through nine chapters. 183 pages. $19.95. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Something Funny Happened at the Library, by Rob Reid, is a fascinating book designed to help youth-service librarians make even the “toughest audiences” have fun at the library. The author shares strategies and resources, including humorous raps and songs about books, which can be used with all age groups – including those tricky high schoolers. Reid’s guide concludes with an extensive bibliography of books and authors that youth of various ages will enjoy. 163 pages. $32.00. ALA Editions, 50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. (866) 746-7252. www.alastore.ala.org.
Immigrants
Everything You Need to Know If You and Your Parents Are New Americans, by Edward J. Santos, gives tips to young people who have recently immigrated to the United States. Beginning with the history of U.S. immigration and ending with a glossary of terms and a list of where to go for help, Santos cleverly discusses the immigration process. He reminds immigrant children that while it is important to assimilate into American culture, it is also important to maintain one’s own heritage. With firsthand accounts of immigrant experiences, this book gives youth a comforting steppingstone into American culture. 64 pages. $23.95. The Rosen Publishing Group Inc., 29 E. 21st St., New York, NY 10010. (800) 237-9932, www.rosenpublishing.com.
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Justice Today: Essays on Programs and Policies, compiled by the American Correctional Association, explores current topics in the juvenile justice system and examines what can be done to improve the system. The collection of essays examines issues such as management, programming and staff training. In addition to introducing new approaches to these topics, the essays look at positive changes that have been made in juvenile justice systems. 206 pages. $19.95. American Correctional Association, 4380 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, MD 20706. (800) 222-5646. www.aca.org.
Media
The Plug-In Drug, by Marie Winn, attempts to help parents and other adults understand the power of television and how it affects youth. Somewhat controversially, Winn argues that it is more important to monitor how much television children watch rather than what they watch. Winn also discusses the frequent use of computers, VCRs and video games. A thought-provoking read for youth workers and parents. 332 pages. $14.00. Penguin Books, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. (800) 788-6262, www.penguinputnam.com.
Mental Health
Juvenile Offenders With Mental Health Disorders: Who Are They and What Do We Do With Them? by Lisa Melanie Boesky, is intended to help juvenile justice workers who are dealing with mentally ill offenders. Boesky offers management tactics for working with youth who have mental disorders, using simple explanations to keep her points clear and concise. She includes explanations of the most common psychiatric disorders and suggests how to manage afflicted youth. Chapters are broken down by the type of disorder, with most chapters including case studies and in-depth descriptions of each disorder, the symptoms and causes, and strategies for managing them. 354 pages. $34.95. American Correctional Association, 4380 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, MD 20706. (800) 222-5646, www.aca.org.
The Handbook of Juvenile Forensic Psychology, edited by Neil G. Ribner, is written by experts in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, social work and law to help juvenile justice professionals evaluate youths. The guide is divided into six parts: Juveniles in the Justice System, Understanding Incarcerated Juveniles, Assessing Juveniles in the Justice System, Treating Juveniles in the Justice System, Juveniles in Family Court and Juveniles in Dependency Court. Each section branches off into smaller chapters to allow in-depth analyses of the specific topics. This highly technical handbook includes recent statistics, making it an exceptional resource for juvenile justice practitioners. 678 pages. $75.00. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, www.josseybass.com.
Reducing Suicide, by the Institute of Medicine, attempts to identify risk factors that can lead to suicide and emphasizes the need for an “integrated understanding” of their influence. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States and third among U.S. adolescents. “Reducing Suicide” concentrates on finding solutions and provides references for more information. 496 pages. $49.95. The National Academies Press, 500 Fifth St. NW, Washington, DC 20001. (888) 624-8373. www.nap.edu.
Parenting
My Baby’s Father, by Maureen R. Waller, explores the parental responsibilities of unmarried mothers and fathers, being sure to focus on the often-overlooked role of the men. Wallers uses numerous examples of families from different ages, races and geographic groups to document her findings, which show myriad problems cutting across all groups. The author concludes with recommendations for changes in social policies and encourages community leaders to reconsider programs that affect unmarried parents and their children. 203 pages. $17.95. Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 E. State St., Ithaca, NY 14850. (607) 277-2211, www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Parenting to Build Character in Your Teen, by Michael S. Josephson, Val J. Peter and Tom Dowd, helps parents and other adults teach children six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. The conversational tone of the book should help readers easily understand and implement the ideas. The authors touch on several topics, ranging from dating to self-esteem. The book includes powerful quotes and examples from real-life situations, and is an easy yet informative read. 240 pages. $14.95. Boys Town Press, 14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68010. (800) 282-6657, www.girlsandboystown.org.
Sex
Sex and Sexuality Among New York’s Puerto Rican Youth, by Marysol Asencio, studies the sexual behavior of second-generation Puerto Rican youth. Asencio focused on these youth because Latinos are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States, and because she is concerned about “the growth of HIV/AIDS, STDs, and unwanted pregnancy among lower-income minorities.” Asencio uses statistics and first-hand accounts to explain the role of sexuality, relationships and identity in the Puerto Rican community. She suggests that, with improvements in sex education programs and better communication between children and their parents, risky behavior among all youth can be reduced. 197 pages. $49.95. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1800 30th St., Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301. (303) 444-6684. www.rienner.com.
Violence
Nonviolence Explained to My Children, by Jacques Semelin, translated from French by Leah Brumer, is a good tool for tackling tough questions about how to handle violent situations. This book is written in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format, with the questions asked by a child and answered by the father. Semelin suggests ways to handle violent acts like being bullied or threatened, and uses examples from everyday life and history. This book would be beneficial to adolescents dealing with conflict. 65 pages. $7.95. Marlowe and Co., 161 William St., New York, NY 10038. (800) 788-3123, www.marlowepub.com.
Violence Goes to School, by John Nicoletti and Sally Spencer-Thomas, examines the trend of violence in schools and offers possible solutions. The book details specific violent incidents and potentially explosive situations were violence was averted. It is primarily designed to help school administrators know how to prepare for, handle and respond to school violence. 240 pages. $24.95. National Educational Service, 304 W. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, IN 47404. (800) 733-6786, www.nesonline.com.
Working It Out: A Handbook for Violence Prevention in Work With Young People, by Stephen Briault, is a guide to understanding and preventing violent behavior in youth. Briault uses international case studies, then recommends preventive techniques to apply to such situations. Briault breaks violence down to different levels and causes. The book includes 27 activities for youth workers to create a climate with fewer violent incidents. 115 pages. Russell House Publishing Ltd., 4 St. George’s House, The Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS UK 01297-443948, www.russellhouse.co.uk.
Youth Development
New Directions for Youth Development: Youth Development and After-School Time, edited by Gil G. Noam and Beth M. Miller, takes an analytical look at the goals, structures and successes of several after-school programs. The journal addresses the need for after-school time to be used for youth development, not just for recreation and daycare. Noam and Miller gear the book toward youth professionals and examine in depth some of the programs that have been implemented throughout the
country. They emphasize community collaboration. 148 pages. $28.00. Jossey-Bass, 989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103. (800) 956-7739, http://www.josseybass.com/go/ndyd.
Walking Your Talk: Building Assets in Organizations That Serve Youth, by Neal Starkman, is a helpful tool for creating programs that support healthy personal growth in young people. Through surveys and interviews, the author shows how young people are more successful if they’ve had strong adult relationships and especially supportive environments. Filled with charts and statistics, Starkman’s work is a valuable resource for anyone focused on positive youth development. 169 pages. $29.95. Search Institute, 615 First Ave. NE, Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413. (800) 888-7828, www.search-institute.org.
Character Kaleidoscope: A Practical, Standards-Based Resource Guide for Character Development, by Mirka Christesen and Susan Wasilewski, is a helpful guide for youth workers and teachers looking for ways to teach character development. The authors taught at a Wake County, N.C., public school that was named a “National School of Character.” The clear and concise way the information is presented would make it easy to integrate the methods into classrooms or youth groups. 152 pages. $29.95. National Professional Resources, 25 South Regent St., Port Chester, NY 10573. (800) 453-7461, www.nprinc.com/dude.htm.
Recreation
Games (& other stuff) for Teachers, by Chris Cavert and Laurie Frank, is filled with activities for elementary school children, compiled for teachers but also of great value to youth workers. This book offers 49 activities intended to encourage group learning. Each exercise includes objectives, a list of necessary materials, step-by-step procedures and observations and questions for leaders to consider. The exercises can be used to teach different skills, such as sharing or decision making. 160 pages. $27.95. Wood ‘N’ Barnes, 2717 NW 50th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. (800) 678-0621, www.woodnbarnes.com.
Teens
Kids Who Outwit Adults, by John R. Seita and Larry K. Brendtro, explains how defiant teens often outsmart adults and what can be done about it. The use of scenes from the movie “Good Will Hunting” and other examples and short stories make this an enjoyable read without diluting the message. Seita and Brendtro enlighten readers on the behavior of troubled teens and offer approaches for interacting with them. 172 pages. $22.50. Sopris West, 4093 Specialty Place, Longmont, CO 80504. (303) 651-2829, www.sopriswest.com.
VIDEOS
Health
Teens Talk Diabetes, by Aquarius Health Care Videos, shows teens discussing their lives as diabetics. Aimed at young teens who have been diagnosed with diabetes, this video stresses that they can still live full lives as long as they remain in control of their illness. Active teens explain how they stay balanced and what has happened to them when they didn’t. In one questionable discussion, the video discusses what youths must do when drinking alcohol, to prevent drastically changing their blood sugar levels. 14 minutes. $90.00. Aquarius Health Care Videos, 266 Main St., Suite 33B, Medfield, MA 02052. (888) 440-2963, www.aquariusproductions.com.
Telling Our Own Stories, by Aquarius Health Care Videos, is narrated by Thomas, an 18-year-old boy with sickle cell anemia. This video shows kids of various ages and backgrounds talking about what it is like to live with diseases such as cerebral palsy and diabetes. They describe what ails them, how their illnesses have affected their relationships with family and friends, and how they deal with their sicknesses on a daily basis. 27 minutes. $140.00. Aquarius Health Care Videos, 266 Main Street, Suite 33B, Medfield, MA 02052. (888) 440-2963, www.aquariusproductions.com.
Juvenile Justice
Real Life Teens: Teens and the Law, produced by TMW Media Group, tries to counter teen stereotypes about police officers in order to show the importance of law enforcement. Using interviews involving real crime situations, the video strives to steer youth from illegal behavior by discussing consequences for certain actions. The film concludes with alternatives to criminal activity, such as programs in communities and in schools, and includes a guide with discussion questions and tips for viewing. 24 minutes. $59.95. TMW Media Group, 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291. (800) 262-8862, www.tmwmedia.com.
Substance Abuse
Drugs, by Cambridge Educational, is an informative three-part video that lays out the facts about different types of drugs, the ways they are taken and warning signs exhibited by users. Three teens tell their drug-using stories, from how they got started to how they lost control and how they got clean. These real-life stories make the anti-substance abuse statement stronger, but the video does not go into enough detail about the deleterious effects of drug abuse. It does provide insight into why kids turn to drugs and how drugs take control of their lives. 22 minutes. $79.95. Cambridge Educational, PO Box 931, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852. (800) 468-4227, www.cambridgeeducational.com.
Living with Addiction: A Family Disease, by Sunburst, attempts to explain to teenagers that addiction is a disease that cannot be controlled or cured. The short video includes a story on alcohol abuse and marijuana addiction. It covers how abuse and addiction affects the addict’s family, focusing on how adult addiction puts children at risk of addiction as well. The video reviews what measures are likely to help, and what won’t. 21 minutes. $169.95. Sunburst, 101 Castleton St., Pleasantville, NY 10570. (800) 431-1934, www.sunburst.com.
Teens
Real Life Teens: Peer Pressure, produced by TMW Media Group, uses interviews with teens to discuss the choices they make every day, especially about alcohol and drugs. The video tries to differentiate between good and bad pressure, the causes and effects of such pressure, and strategies for making good choices. The video also tries to convince teens that establishing strong personal beliefs early will help them resist peer pressure later. It stresses seeking advice from adults close to them to help make quality decisions. A teaching guide suggests discussion questions and tips for viewing. 21 minutes. $59.95. TMW Media Group, 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291. (800) 262-8862. www.tmwmedia.com.
