Life happens: a teenager's guide to friends, failu [Mass Market Paperback]

Kathy McCoy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996

The award-winning authors of The New Teenage Body Book provide an informative and practical guide to help teenagers get in touch with their emotions.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. The authors of The New Teenage Body Book (1992) expand on the discussion of feelings and emotions they inaugurated in their earlier volume. They explore what they call "common crises" and suggest, in an expanded checklist form, ways to get past problems and move on with life. Most of the topics touched on--the death of a family member, teen pregnancy, the end of a romantic relationship, being homosexual, having an alcoholic parent--have been well covered in YA literature. What makes this book valuable is its success in trimming each subject to manageable proportions without undue oversimplification. One of the best chapters concerns everyday stress--living up to parental expectations and balancing schoolwork with fun. There are also helpful, clear-cut sections explaining depression and describing what to expect from a mental health specialist, as well as continued emphasis on the benefits of being open about feelings. Stephanie Zvirin

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; 1st edition (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399519874
• ISBN-13: 978-0399519871
• Product Dimensions: 4.7 x 0.5 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #518,758 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Title Says It All, June 27, 2000

By 

Sho J. Morimoto "aresdracon" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life happens: a teenager's guide to friends, failu (Mass Market Paperback)

"Life Happens" is the title and the theme of the book itself. Dr. McCoy with her degree and implied treasure chest of knowledge and experience did not really give practical, helpful advice. Most of the time, "bad things happen to good people" was all that could be understood from the chapters. The "letters" that open each chapter do seem authentic but do not seem to have any real purpose. I've read other works that made better use of anecdotal passages such as Bev Cobain's book on depression. The authors, however, did have great organization. The "common crises" generally covered almost all of the problems teens face today. However, some chapters such as that on parental abuse or homosexuality received too little attention. In addition, again, the advice offered by the doctor all seemed redundant and unhelpful. Overgeneralizations seemed to be the sticking point here. Also, the issues of hospitalization or medication were not covered in depth. The book isn't a guide but more like the somewhat helpful ramblings of two individuals who should have offered more information. Finally, the dearth of information on mental health resources was troubling. However, I give three stars because any attempt to inform the world about the dangers and severity of adolescent mental disorders is one step forward for society.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Like every other, September 17, 2000

By 

Stacey Kwon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life happens: a teenager's guide to friends, failu (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is like everyother how to get through life books. It was more like a text book. It got a little boring and was a little stupid.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Copy Cat, January 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Life happens: a teenager's guide to friends, failu (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was just like all those other "growing up books for teens". I have to give it some credit for having information, but the text was very small and the book was kind of confusing.