Be True to Yourself: Daily Meditations for Teenage Girls

by Amanda Ford, Shannon Berning (Foreword by)

Overview

Having recently emerged from the tumultuous teenage years herself, Amanda Ford saw the need for a guide to help girls learn to listen to their inner voices and think for themselves. Inspired by such popular books as Simple Abundance and The Woman's Book of Courage, her book offers support to young women as they navigate one of the most confusing and challenging times of their lives. As anyone familiar with teenagers knows, there is nothing they hate more than being told what to do or how to think by "out of touch" adults. Here's the real scoop from one who knows the score. In 365 one-page essays, Ford offers stories, information, and advice on all the important issues facing young women today: boys, dating, drinking, self-esteem, fights with friends, dealing with parents, and more. Girls will find comfort, encouragement, and insight in these pages, along with suggestions for articulating and confiding their feelings, fears, and frustrations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781573241892
Publisher:	Red Wheel/Weiser
Publication date:	09/28/2000
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.00(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Amanda Ford is a young, vibrant writer with a talent for uncovering extraordinary meaning in everyday events. In her most recent book, Retail Therapy, Amanda takes an insightful and fun look at the lessons we can glean while participating in a common activity: shopping. Amanda's work has been featured in publications such as Real Simple, Glamour, The Chicago Tribune and The Seattle Times, and she is a regular contributor to the popular travel website Girl?s Guide to City Life. You can contact Amanda through her website.

Editorial Reviews

Bookseller Reviews

For all those teens who could writer pages and pages enumerating their weaknesses and not one of listings their strengths, this dose-a-day collection of essays will provide a year of cure. Even adult-proof girls will be encouraged by these real world insights. Sugar-coated, but not fattening.

Barnes & Noble, Inc.

This book provides a specific message for each day of the year with advice, an idea, sympathy, or an opinion. Short and to the point, entries often include a specific story recalled by the author, whereas others merely generalize commonplace situations. For instance, one entry explores what happens when a girl's best friend invites a new person to join what was an exclusive twosome, describing how the girl might feel about this new person and offering advice. Another entry suggests that boys openly enjoy winning or doing well but that girls tend to downplay their successes. The author suggests that patting oneself on the back is a good idea and that girls should not hide their successes from others. Ford's book is similar to Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul (Health Communications, 1999) because readers can use the items that are helpful or interesting and skip those that are not. Each month begins with a page devoted to ideas the reader might try, including food to eat, activities to do, books to read, and different ways to spend time with family and friends. People of all ages struggle to figure out how to conduct their lives. This book provides a fun, interesting, and helpful way for a teenaged girl to discover herself, and it belongs in any school or public library. Index. Further Reading. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J S (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2001, Conari Press, 395p, Trade pb. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer: Sue Krumbein SOURCE: VOYA, June 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 2)

VOYA

This daily guide for teenage girls is set up with advice, thoughts and meditations for 365 day. Although it is suggested to be read daily, thumbing through the titles and topics each month, the reader will find interesting, enjoyable and useful reflections. The strength of this book is the wide range of topics. Values, family, prayer, and spirituality are mixed with music, money and manners. The daily readings provide guidance in brief, readable vignettes. Each month begins with ideas for making the most of the days to come. These are delightful suggestions and reveal the youth of the author. Ms. Ford is twenty, with the teenage spirit alive and well in her fresh perspective on growing up. The author would like the book to be the big sister who gives encouragement and guidance, and the younger sister with whom you can share stories and advice through the teen years. This is a very positive approach to growing up in today's world. A resource guide and web sites are listed as well as a topical index. This is a unique feature in a daily guide, but helps the reader find areas of interest when they are in need of help and support. 2000, Conari Press, $15.95. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Karen Werner

Children's Literature