Category Archives: Books – Tweens & Teens

May 8 2012

If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now

[ABOUT] Rickie left home a long time ago-so how is it that at the age of twenty-five, she’s living with her parents again, and sleeping in the bedroom of her childhood home? At least one thing has changed since high school: She now has a very sweet but frequently challenging son named Noah, who attends the same tony private LA school she herself attended. Rickie fit in fine when she was a student, but now her age and tattoos make her stand out from all the blond Stepford moms, who are desperate to know why someone so young-and so unmarried-has a kid in first grade.

Already on the defensive, Rickie goes into full mother-tigress mode when her small and unathletic son tells her that the gym teacher is out to get him. She storms the principal’s office, only to discover that Andrew Fulton, the coach, is no dumb jock. As her friendship with Andrew develops, Rickie finds herself questioning her assumptions-about motherhood, being a grown-up, and falling in love.

[REVIEW] This was a quick read. I was not prepared to enjoy this book as much as I did. As a mom of 3 tween and teen daughters, it was affirming. It was interesting to watch the dynamics between this self-centered and young mother dealing with her child but also still dealing with being a daughter herself and working on her issues with her own mother.

Toward the end of the book, there was a section that really hit home… The young mom says to her own mother, “My son takes everything out on me.”
Her mother’s response was, “That is kind of how it works with mothers. Kids get scared or they make mistakes and get angry at themselves, and you’re there, you’re always there, so they take it out on you because you’re the only one it’s safe to take it out on. Kids need to know that there’s someone there who won’t ever go away or leave them, no matter how horribly they behave. So you give that to your child.”

This is not always the answer we want yet as a mom when you are feeling beaten down, it is a good reminder that although our kids do not always show their appreciation, we are still the center of their lives.

Nov 24 2011

Book: Kate Kate The Fashion Plate

[ABOUT]Kate’s adventures are educational, inspirational and encourage girls to follow their dreams.  WEBSITE

[OVERVIEW] Kate has been busy designing dresses for Marie and Antoinette, her two little dogs.But now she has a chance to shine as a famous fashion designer, or so she thinks.   When Kate’s mom, a fashion icon and head of The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, arranges for Kate to help dress the mannequins at Bergs, New York’s fanciest department store, Kate is jumping for joy.  Kate has to promise her mother that she will dress in the latest style, “plain and simple” when she goes to Bergs, and not  in one of her own designs. But it seems Kate has a problem. Although she tries, she just can’t  look like everyone else. Even worse, the dresses she is given to put on the mannequins are so “booring” they make Kate feel sad. Bursting with ideas on how to give the dresses more sparkle and pizzazz, Kate gets carried away …. until Mrs. Blinker, the owner of Bergs walks in and sees what Kate is doing.  Now that Kate is in big trouble, what will happen to her dreams of being a fashion designer? Does Kate learn that she has to look like everyone else to be accepted?

[REVIEW] This is a wonderful new book series for young tweens [ages 6-10]. This will be our next mother-daughter Book Club pick. It was a fun, charming, and an easy read that kept my daughter engaged and entertained.

Oct 29 2011

Start Something that Matters

[ABOUT] In Start Something That Matters, Blake Mycoskie tells the story of TOMS, one of the fastest-growing shoe companies in the world, and combines it with lessons learned from such other innovative organizations as method, charity: water, FEED Projects, and TerraCycle. Blake presents the six simple keys for creating or transforming your own life and business, from discovering your core story to being resourceful without resources; from overcoming fear and doubt to incorporating giving into every aspect of your life. No matter what kind of change you’re considering, Start Something That Matters gives you the stories, ideas, and practical tips that can help you get started.

[AUTHOR] Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS Shoes

[REVIEW] If you’ve not yet heard the story of TOMS shoes, well, first, where have you been? Second, it’s a story worth learning, sharing, and replicating. In Start Something that Matters,TOMS Founder & Chief Shoe Giver, Blake Mycoskie, opens the hood of his company to explain how and why his company works so well, and gives practical advice and encouragement on how to harness the passion that fuels you as a sustainable career.

Blake Mycoskie was experienced in successful for-profit start-ups when he made a fateful trip to Argentina. On an unplanned detour among the poor in Argentina, Blake befriended children in an impoverished village and witnessed first-hand the heartbreaking difficulties that stem from not having shoes. Barefoot children are often prevented from attending school and are vulnerable to disease and injury. His brain whirling, he set to work concocting a business that would bring the popular Argentine espadrilles to the US market, and individually match children in need to a pair of new shoes – for free.

Blake quickly realized he had something more than a business plan – it had the qualities of a crusade. His story caught fire among consumers eager to transform a routine purchase into an opportunity to make a tangible difference in the world. For every pair you purchase, TOMSwill give a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One. As audacious as this might sound, TOMS is part of a growing and influential movement, sometimes known as Conscious (or Compassionate) Capitalism. The people behind it promote the idea that one can make a living while making a difference. TOMS’ success is proof positive of the power of a story-driven business to secure customer loyalty.

Blake relates the story behind TOMS in the introduction. The meat of the book is a step-by-step plan for how to channel your passion for good into a business. This is an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand business primer, explaining basic management principles and strategies (from hiring well, to inspiring your staff, to dealing with mistakes). Blake recommends incorporating giving into any business, and offers up reasons that are both altruistic and practical.

This book is not reserved to those in a mid-life career crisis; it should be required reading for teens and college students wrestling with the age-old question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” In a TOMS world, there is no conflict between making a living and making the world better. And in practical terms, Blake demonstrates how helping the world can be profitable, with examples from business leaders and entrepreneurs doing both. From his own solid business experience Blake offers advice on how to start a story-based organization.

Whatever your life stage Start Something that Matters will get you thinking about what “story” you want to be about. It’s a great read for you and your teen, and hopefully will kick start family conversations about what really matters in life.

As you would expect, with every book you purchase, a new book will be provided for a child in need.

Start Something that Matters. Blake Mycoskie. Spiegel & Grau. 2011.
Available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Books-A-Million. 

Video trailer for book: www.startsomethingthatmatters.com/2011/08/start-something-that-matters-official-video-trailer/

Oct 29 2011

Good-To-Go Cafe

[ABOUT] High school student Enrique is fascinated by the food industry and sees himself as an entrepreneur, thanks to the adults around him and the classes he takes in school. What originally starts as a way to earn money for college becomes a passion for him. Good-To-Go-Cafe follows Enrique as he tries out several food businesses: catering, cupcakes, hot dogs and one fateful attempt at being a clown at a kid birthday party. All the while, Enrique wrestles with his identity as a half-Jewish, half-Hispanic kid. The book includes discussion questions at the end.

[AUTHOR] Barbara Greenleaf has written extensively for publications such as The New York Times. She has authored six books and well as run several businesses. Barbara encourages teen entrepreneurship through her work.

[REVIEW]  A perfect gift for young teens and business-minded high school students. It would be a great pick for a business class at school or community service group. While the book is a novel, it clearly demonstrates the steps and effort needed for starting a business. Teens are full of great ideas and reading Good-To-Go Café could certainly be a jumping off point for many business-minded teens. I found this book to be interesting and motivating, even as an adult! It refreshingly presented high school students as caring and hardworking. I got really attached to Enrique, the main character, and cheered for his success throughout the book. This is a fast, fun read.

We have SEVERAL for a GIVEAWAY so enter our ParentClick.com Contest! Go to your community and click on the CHATTER page to find out the latest way to enter the contest.

Oct 29 2011

Bonding Over Beauty

[ABOUT] In this down to earth guide for moms of tweens, Bonding Over Beauty offers practical advice for building self-esteem, confidence, and trust. Moms of tween girls know what’s coming: puberty. As a young girl heads toward the teen years and exerts her independence, mom suddenly seems out of touch. She just doesn’t understand.

That’s the shift Erika Katz—former actress and model and now mother of a tween girl—hopes to prevent by teaching moms how to open up a dialogue during the often awkward preteen and early teen years. Her approach: give moms all the information they need to guide their daughters through the trials of womanhood while providing fun bonding activities they can do with their daughters.

The tween years present a golden opportunity for moms to gain their daughters’ confidence. A mother’s approach to sticky issues such as shaving legs, using tampons, or wearing makeup to school will help determine the nature of the relationship she has with her daughter. Erika’s practical, comprehensive tips on hair, skin, makeup, hair removal, nails, healthy eating, and puberty, as well as the great bonding activities presented in each chapter, will give moms the knowledge and tools they need to create bonds that will last a lifetime.

[AUTHOR] Erika Katz

[REVIEW] As a mother of three girls who are entering the stage of make-up and now obsessed with fashion, I was happy to learn about this book. The book covers everything from beauty to exercise to eating healthy. Bonding Over Beauty is a great all around reference with tips that are practical and applicable.

We have one for a GIVEAWAY so enter our ParentClick.com Contest! Go to your community and click on the CHATTER page to find out the latest way to enter the contest.