101 Things Every Girl Should Know: Expert Advice on Stuff Big and Small

The editors of Faithgirlz and Girls’ Life magazine do it again with another installment in the hit Faithgirlz series. 101 Things Every Girl Should Know is chock full of advice for girls in their tweens. It offers a collection of suggestions on everything from success in the classroom (how to write an essay, ace a test, handle stress, remember anything, read aloud in class) to relationships (how to keep a secret, talk to any guy, be the star at the party) to health issues (busting a bad habit, curing acne, tasty recipes, boosting energy) and more!

The book has a magazine layout and appeal—tons of brightly colored photographs, concise “articles” ranging in length from a single paragraph to two pages, and relevant topics.  There is variety in the entries too. Some are quizzes, recipes, or even directions for how to do something. It is completely readable in small chunks or huge blocks of time! This book would make a great gift for any young teen/tween in your life.

If you like this book, you might want to check out other books in the Faithgirlz series, including Faithgirlz Handbook, Updated and Expanded: How to Let Your Faith Shine Through, Best Hair Book Ever!: Cute Cuts, Sweet Styles and Tons of Tress Tips (Faithgirlz), and Big Book of Quizzes: Fun, Quirky Questions for You and Your Friends (Faithgirlz).

What I Like: Everything. I wish I had a book like this when I was growing up. The tips are helpful and easy to use. I can see how reading this would help boost a girl’s confidence about handling the challenges they face daily. This book would even be appreciated by mainstream readers.

What I Dislike: Nothing.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Age Appeal: 8-12 (Although I think it could go a bit older).

Publisher Info: Zonderkidz, 2015; ISBN: 978-0310746195; Paperback, 128 pgs., $14.99.

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Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK

I love when I find a book I can’t put down. Addison Blakely: Confessions of a P.K. was one such book. In it, author Betsy St. Amant captured the struggles, temptations, doubts, and drama of the teenage years quite well.

The story opens with hormones. Addison is attracted to newcomer Wes Keegan, even though he is, for all appearances, exactly the type of boy her father (a preacher) would never approve of. He has tattoos. He rides a motorcycle. He’s older than her by two years. And he is not a believer.

As the story continues, Addison fights several emotional battles. It’s a spiritual journey and as well as one of self-discovery. She wants to meet the expectations of her father, but their relationship is strained. She has taken a vow of purity, but faces sexual temptations. She questions why she makes certain choices and not others.

Meanwhile, spunky sixteen-year-old Addison deals with regular teenage drama: a bulimic friend, unwanted attention from a boy, her widowed father dating again, and meeting the pressures of school responsibilities.

Amant created realistic, relatable, and likable characters. While Addison was the main focus—and one worth rooting for—she was surrounded by a great cast. Each character played an important role in the story, and Amant wove their lives together with skill.

Addison’s friend Claire quickly exited from center stage, but her struggle with bulimia and self-worth will still resonate with some readers. Marta, an exchange student from Germany, provided balance and wisdom. Luke demonstrated kindness and chivalry. He was the reliable boy we all know and love… as a friend. And irresistible bad boy Wes simply permeated the story with his complexity.

The story moved at a fast pace, making it extremely hard to set down. It held a mixture of humor and thought-provoking situations. Its authenticity may cause readers to search their own hearts, examine their own motives, and, like Addison, ultimately claim their faith as their own.

What I Like: I like how Addison considered the consequences of her decisions. Although Addison’s faith comes through in a strong way at the end, the story wasn’t preachy. The refreshing dose of honesty, painful predicaments, and nail-biting choices just seemed to FIT together. Also, although Addison is a preacher’s kid, her life very well reflects that of a typical teenage girl, especially one who was brought up in a Christian home. The dilemmas and pressures are the same, as well as the crucial element of faith… believing not because of what your parents taught you, but because of what you yourself believe.

What I Dislike: Okay, I’m a mom, but Addison’s eating habits bothered me. How could she eat so much ice cream, cupcakes, and sweets, and drink so much sugared coffee, and still maintain her weight?!

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: ages 15 and up
Publisher Info: Barbour Books, 2012; ISBN: 978-1616265557; Paperback, 368 pgs., $9.99
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Special Info: The story touches on the following teen topics: bulimia, abuse, gossip, peer pressure, and premarital sex.

Choices

Premarital sex is about more than hormones. Choices, a novel by Katrina L. Burchett, skillfully entwines the lives of five teen girls as they face this issue in York, Pennsylvania.

Shauntice, the central character of the book, feels trapped in many ways. Her father is an alcoholic and a mean drunk. His frustration explodes through fists against his wife and children. Shauntice trusts God implicitly, but, because of her father's abuse, cannot trust men. When Terry enters her life, her scarred emotions battle her attraction. Soon her relationship with Terry serves as an escape from her painful homelife. Is her faith in God stronger than her need for relief?

Angel may be rich in material things, but the void in her life is tangible. Raised by her grandmother, Angel never knew her father and barely knows her workaholic mother. Even though her best friend, Shauntice, is a committed believer, Angel wants nothing to do with God or church. She's been with the same guy for two years, but the signs (and her friends) suggest Randy's bad news. When another girl enters the picture and Randy becomes more physical, Angel has some choices to make. Is she worth saving or is Randy the best she deserves? To what lengths will she go to keep him?

LaKeeta is a Christian, but now pregnant. Once committed to abstinence, great grades and being a stellar basketball player, she's now not speaking to the baby's father and neither her father nor her best friend, Bridgette, are speaking to her. All she wanted was someone to love her unconditionally, but maybe that Someone was there all along. Now that her life is changed forever, what can she do?

Bridgette is a virgin committed to abstinence and has no problems preaching about it. When her best friend gets pregnant, she feels betrayed and comes off more than a little judgmental -- not just to Lakeeta, but also to Angel and just about everyone else that doesn't exhibit the same passion for God's ways. The path of judgment can prove a lonely road.

Hope leads a very different life from these other girls. Her mother is ultra-controlling and far too over-protective. Hope is faithful to her church and Christian beliefs, but she also feels like a freak, no thanks to her peers who treat her like one. When her father dies in a sudden car accident, Hope blames her mother and finds the strength to rebel against her strict rules. This earns Hope some street cred and a bit of self-esteem, but she may be getting in too deep too fast.

What I Like: This book is very well written. The author has a gift for creating three-dimensional characters and true-to-life dialog. The plot moves at a good pace. I especially like the multi-faceted approach to the topic.

Burchett clearly promotes abstinence, but also acknowledges the pressure teens receive from all sides -- social, physical, emotional, etc. -- and she provides grace in the knowledge that no one is perfect. Readers will walk away knowing that everything comes down to choices. Living right is not just about saying "yes" or "no" to sex. The issue is much bigger than that and encompasses how you treat others based on their choices and how you respond when your choices seem to be stripped from you.

I like that the book boldly relays the consequences of choices and encourages the characters and the readers to consistently seek God's direction when making choices. His definition of right and wrong is the only definition that matters. Scripture is quoted and referenced throughout the text. The Gospel message is fully presented and explained.

What I Dislike: The characters use the word "fornicate" frequently; I struggled to see this as realistic. It seems too adult and sterile for the characters. Perhaps this a cultural or generational distinction, but no one used that word when I attended high school in urban Philadelphia twenty years ago.

Also, curse words are employed a handful of times. I recognize that this effectively builds authenticity in the dialog, but it causes me (a parent) to hesitate in recommending to everyone.

Finally, the ending felt abrupt. Not all of the threads were tied up nicely, which I like, but a few of the threads definitely felt unfinished. I want to know what happened and, as such, hope for a second book.

Overall Rating: Very Good.

Age Appeal: Young Adult

Publisher Info: Kapri Books, 2007; ISBN: 0979390508; Paperback; 328 pages; $9.99

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Special Info: Parents should gauge age-appropriateness on an individual basis. This book tackles several difficult topics, some of which may be too intense for some teens. Readers encounter the real-life issues of promiscuity, teen pregnancy and motherhood, under-age drinking (and adult drunkenness), verbal abuse, domestic violence and rape. All of this is handled from a profoundly Christian foundation and perspective, but some of the scenes are quite graphic in nature. Parents should also be aware that curse words are employed within the dialog a handful of times.

This book is intended to be the first in a trilogy. At the time of this review, however, no release date has been set for the second book. Learn more or read an excerpt of this title on the author's website.

A Girl's Guide to Life: The Truth on Growing Up, Being True, and Making Your Teen Years Fabulous!

If you have a tween or teen girl wrestling with life issues and questions, Katie Meier’s book A Girl’s Guide to Life: The Truth on Growing Up, Being True, and Making Your Teen Years Fabulous! provides some guidance and answers.

The book opens and closes with a message from the author. Meier explains that the book is not set up in a linear fashion but that chapters can be read in any order. Because it’s written from a Christian perspective, Meier also provides some Scripture references in the text. The rest of the book is divided into three sections, where Meier tackles topics involving the mind, body, and soul of a young girl.

Under “mind”, Meier addressed self-esteem, romance, prejudice and perception, pressure and the real you, going online and the digital you, and disorders and who can help. In this section, I thought Meier’s online/digital advice and frank talk about disorders was spot on. She acknowledged both the advantages and dangers of electronic communication, and gave good advice on how to protect yourself from those dangers. For disorders, she not only laid out warning signs, she provided information about where a teen can go to find help.

Under “body”, Meier discussed beauty, fashion, puberty, sex and sexuality, guys, and personal rights (which had to do with sexual harassment, abuse, and self-defense). I thought the two best chapters in this section were on beauty and sexuality. I appreciated Meier stating that in today’s society, how we look on the outside really does count… because, let’s face it, it does. She suggests teens dress in a way that makes them feel confident without going overboard on makeup. The chapter on sex and sexuality briefly brings up masturbation and sexual temptation. Meier makes it clear that sex is for after marriage. Most of this chapter follows a question and answer format.

Under “mind”, Meier looked at family, friends, religion, volunteer work, and choosing who you will be. Meier paints a picture of what a family should be—loving, supporting, protecting—and then gives some straight talk about what to do when families don’t get along or are abusive. In the religion section, she points out the main differences between Christianity and a variety of other religions and gives succinct summaries about each religion she mentions. (They are Buddhism, Wicca, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism.)

What I Like: I appreciate the inclusion of website and numbers teens can call to find help for eating disorders… which, as the author notes, is a major problem for teen girls. I was impressed with the scope of the issues she addressed, and how she fit them into one of the three subheading of mind, body, or soul. Meier gave a lot of great advice and information without sounding preachy, which means this book might also work for a general market audience. She appealed to logic as well as emotion in making her presentations. I wish a book like this had been available for me when I was a teen!

What I Dislike: In the self-esteem chapter, Meier repeatedly referred to the “Land of No”, a phrase she got from a book by Caroline Knapp called Appetites. Since I haven’t read that book, I found this reference a little confusing. In the romance chapter, I didn’t think the checklist for determining what kind of emotional girl you are was very accurate or realistic. It’s hard to fit girls into one of two categories when it comes to romance. I thought a few of the chapters were a bit too shallow (fashion, prejudice), but they did, at least, provide a nice overview. Also, while the book gave some Scriptural references, I felt like it didn’t provide enough. I would have liked a list of Scripture to look up or a workbook-like section for girls to find out more about where God stands on some of the issues Meier addressed. Perhaps that would have helped flesh out some of the chapters that I felt addressed the topics too superficially. Finally, I felt like in Meier’s attempt to “talk teen”, some of her wording seemed awkward. Some of the slang in the book is already obsolete.

Overall Rating: Very Good... Plus Amazon has an excellent low price on this book, making it a real bargain!

Age Appeal: Ages 13 and up

Publisher Info: Thomas Nelson, 2010; ISBN:1400315948; Paperback, 224 PGS., $12.99
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Special Info: Publisher Thomas Nelson also offers A Guy's Guide to Life: How to Become a Man, written by Jason Boyett. Read a CCBR review of this book.

Purity Reigns

“Brittany had always told me that Branson needed more than I was willing to offer, and if I didn’t give it to him, someone else would. I just didn’t know that someone else would be her.”

That short paragraph sums up most of the conflict in Purity Reigns, the first book in the Laurel Shadrach series, written by Stephanie Perry Moore. High school senior Laurel Shadrach is beautiful, athletic, popular, and comes from a strong Christian family. Plus she is dating the hottest boy in school, Branson. However, Branson is pressuring her to be more intimate than Laurel knows she should be. The reader sees this tension right from the beginning of the book. “He tilted my head toward his and kissed me passionately. I melted in his arms. Then his hand went back to my leg and started moving to an area that was definitely off limits. Without interrupting the kiss, I grabbed his wrist and kept him from going any farther.”

Added to the struggle to stay pure is Laurel’s desire to compete in the National Gymnastics Championship and win a gymnastic scholarship for college.

With a realistic taste of the challenges faced by today’s high school teenagers, the story follows Laurel’s life. Yet while Laurel grapples with betrayal, an injured ankle, strained friendships, conflicting emotions, and the pressure to succeed, the main focus of the book remains on one of the biggest tests of all: staying sexually pure.

As the story draws to a close, Laurel makes a hard choice. She ends up losing her boyfriend, who hooks up with her best friend. However, Laurel soon recognizes that another boy from her youth group is a much more godly (and healthy) love interest for her.

What I Like: I appreciate how Laurel turns to prayer when she struggles. I also like that the book shows how easy it is for ANYONE to get carried away in the sexual arena. In addition, it shows some of the consequences of poor decisions. It portrays the emotional and moral dilemmas teens face when it comes to setting boundaries… and then keeping them. The overall message of the book is valuable. Stay pure. It’s worth it.

What I Dislike: The gymnastics practice schedule seems unrealistic to me. Gymnasts I know train for at least four hours a day. Serious contenders have a more rigorous schedule. Plus it’s a bit of a stretch (no pun intended) to think a high school senior could make the Olympic team (as Laurel desires to do), without a more intense and elite training program. Moreover, such focus usually dictates the athlete does not attend a public school, but must instead hire a private tutor.

Overall Rating: Very good. I told my daughter she should read it when she was fourteen. (Right now, I believe the scenes give details she’s not mature enough to read just yet.)

Age Appeal: Young adult (but better suited for ages fourteen plus)

Publisher Info: Moody Publishers, 2002; ISBN: 978-0-8024-4035-8; Paperback, 239 pages, $7.99

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Special Info: Read other CCBR reviews of books by this author. Also, parents should note that this book contains under-age drinking and premarital sex (resulting in HIV and unwanted pregnancy). Sex is not described in the book, but is discussed by the characters.