Dear Diary, I'm Pregnant: Teenagers Talk About Their Pregnancy (Paperback)

~ Anrenee Englander (Author) "I was fifteen when I gave the baby up..." (more)
Key Phrases: full anaesthetic, teen mothers, Mother's Day

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up. Dear Diary provides a much-needed voice?that of personal experience?to the literature on the subject. Unfortunately, it raises more questions than it answers. Ten young women recount their pregnancy experiences, how they chose to handle their situations, and the consequences of their actions. The teens represent a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds, but many of them lived in group homes or in temporary housing. A significant number came from broken homes or had abusive father figures. Most of the interviewees also reported having multiple pregnancies before the age of 20. The book fails on several points. In the introduction, statements about the prevalence of teen abortion and reference to various "studies" are made without citations or other formal support. Also, the text includes limited information to contextualize the stories told. It suggests counseling without defining it or mentioning mental-health professionals and promotes prenatal care for women keeping their babies, but not for those opting for adoption. Also, the normal sense of loss that can accompany abortion and adoption, postpartum depression, postpartum sexuality, and contraception are some of the issues brought up in the narratives but never resolved. Susan Kuklin's What Do I Do Now? (Putnam, 1991) includes personal experiences and objective information, making it a better choice.?Melissa Gross, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. Imagine 10 teenage girls talking about their pregnancies--how they became pregnant, how they made the all-important decision about what to do once the pregnancy was discovered, and how their lives have changed since that fateful day. These girls' monologues are recorded here verbatim, seemingly unedited, and without editorial judgment, allowing other teens the opportunity to see how each pregnancy, regardless of outcome, changes a young woman's psychological perspective of herself and the world around her. Abortion, giving the baby up for adoption, and keeping the baby are all decisions made by the girls interviewed. In fact, some, pregnant more than once, have chosen more than one option. Yet, regardless of the alternative, each interviewee sends a clear message: teenage pregnancy is not the route the reader wants to choose. A final section, "You Are Pregnant--Now What?" takes already pregnant teens through a brief decision-making plan for themselves and their baby in a strikingly positive, supportive manner. Frances Bradburn

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Annick Press (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550374400
• ISBN-13: 978-1550374407
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #548,863 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book really helped me!, January 18, 1999

By A Customer

A year ago, I found out I was pregnant. I was scared stiff. I was only 15 and I didn't have any time or patience to be a mother. I didn't believe in abortion, my parents didn't want me to give it up, and I didn't want to keep it. I was very confused and I felt like I was alone. Then I read this book. It really made a difference in my life! I read what other girls did about their pregnancies and how they felt about their choices. Thanks to this amazing book, I decided to give birth to a beautiful baby girl, and now I know that my daughter Carisse is living with a very nice couple. She's the baby they always wanted, and none of this would've happened if I had never read "Dear Diary, I'm Pregnant-Teenagers Talk About Their Pregnancies". Thanks to a great book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good..., January 6, 2002

By	Janet Morris "fuzzypinkslippers" (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're a teenager who wants to get pregnant, want to learn more about teens who get pregnant(my reasoning), or have already gotten pregnant, you should read this book.

This book tells the REAL stories of teenagers who've gotten pregnant and either given their child up for adoption, aborted it, or kept it. There are some sad stories in the book and some happy stories.

Also, for parents, this might be a good book to have your teenage daughters AND sons read. I definitely recommend this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All parents should read this book, August 6, 2004

By	parent "parent" (canada) - See all my reviews

This was an extremely informative and enlightening book. I bought a copy for my teenage daughter, my teenage son as well as my niece. This book dispells all myths about pregnancy and offers very valuable guidelines on what to do if you find yourself pregnant.

This book was great, it should be left on the coffee table for all to see and hopefully we will start talking about these topis openly.