Teen Girlfriends: Celebrating the Good Times, Getting Through the Hard Times (Girlfriends Series) [Paperback]

Julia DeVillers (Author), Carmen Renee Berry (Author), Tamara Traeder (Author)

Book Description

Series: Girlfriends Series | Publication Date: September 5, 2001

During the teen years, girls begin to explore big issues for the first time. Since peers bring an intimate quality of support that can't be provided by adults during adolescence, teens frequently turn to each other for advice and comfort. Further, the nature and quality of friendships undertaken in youth form the basis for a lifetime of choices and relationships. The authors of Teen Girlfriends interviewed over 150 young women to find out what makes these important relationships work -- and why. Teen Girlfriends is the ideal gift for a young woman and her friends.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Author Julia DeVillers interviews over 150 adolescents in Teen Girlfriends: Celebrating the Good Times, Getting Through the Hard Times. The result: an honest look at friendship told by teens themselves. Sections such as "Exploring Friendship," "Cementing the Bonds" and "Growing Together" create a broad view of this pivotal bond of adolescence.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-DeVillers shares stories and anecdotes from more than 100 young women. She examines five aspects of female friendships-from exploring and cherishing them to cementing and celebrating them. Each section contains suggestions for maintaining the bonds of sisterhood. The author looks at why these relationships are crucial to a girl's development into womanhood. The stories show readers how to create the lasting bonds that can help carry them through all of life's transitions. The text also shares important lessons about nurturing those relationships. A supportive, positive tone is maintained throughout. Teens will enjoy reading about the experiences of their peers and discovering good ways to help one another. The sections about positive influences are especially good. DeVillers does a good job of illustrating ways for girls to be supportive, helpful influences on their friends' lives rather than destructive forces. Overall, readers will find this text an enjoyable read to reference and to share with their best girlfriends.

Elaine Baran Black, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Wildcat Canyon Pr (September 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885171528
• ISBN-13: 978-1885171528
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,414,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write books for tweens and teens and I love it. My books have been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, People.com and most magazines for girls.You can get all the scoop on my website: www.girlwise.com.

I co-author the "Twins" series with my identical twin sister, Jennifer Roy. The series is about identical twins who switch places and includes TRADING FACES, TAKE TWO, TIMES SQUARED and DOUBLE FEATURE.

My novel, HOW MY PRIVATE PERSONAL JOURNAL BECAME A BESTSELLER, was turned into a Disney Channel Original Movie called READ IT AND WEEP. It starred the so-talented Panabaker sisters, Danielle and Kay. I have a quick cameo in the movie.

My LIBERTY PORTER, FIRST DAUGHTER series is an illustrated book series about a 9-year-old girl whose father is elected president. I also co-authored PRINCESS OF GOSSIP with Cheetah Girl Sabrina Bryan and wrote the girlpower book GIRLWISE: How to Be Confident, Capable, Cool and In Control.

I grew up in Albany, New York. My dad was a Holocaust survivor as a child and emigrated to America when he was nine. And my mom's family came over to America about two boats after the Mayflower. I grew up loving to read, write, and hang with friends and family.And I still love to read, write, and hang with family and friends. I now live in New Albany, Ohio and Saratoga Springs, NY. (And spent last year in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia!) I got my master's in journalism from Ohio State and a B.A. from SUNY Oswego.

Thanks for visiting my Amazon page!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gave Me an Awkward Feel, January 9, 2003

By 

Blue Jean Online (Boston, Mass.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teen Girlfriends: Celebrating the Good Times, Getting Through the Hard Times (Girlfriends Series) (Paperback)

from Blue Jean Online (www.bluejeanonline.com)

by Truc Doan, 14, Teen Editor

The media loves portraying how difficult and angst-ridden the teenage years are for girls. Very few times, however, do they mention what helps these girls survive: their friends. In Teen Girlfriends, Julia DeVillers puts together a compilation of different situations among friends. The book goes through all topics, from popularity to road trips. The stories are cute, if slightly off the reality slide. Friendship is a unique thing, different in every situation, and the major flaw of the book is that it tries to generalize and explain too much. The purpose of the book is slightly confusing. It is very similar to one long essay, and though it services those needing illumination of the term 'friendship,' it hardly captures the interests of real teenagers who know what true friendship is about.

Reading this book made me feel as if I were getting a lecture about how I should feel in certain situations. DeVillers brings up an event that could have happened and justifies it with a quote from a girl the reader most likely does not know. I never felt that I was truly introduced to the girls who contributed to the book. DeVillers often uses the term 'we' to include the reader, which I found disconcerting because it reminded me of a parent clarifying the world for me. The whole book just gave me an awkward feel.

The book does have some redeeming qualities, though. It acts similarly to a self-help book in that it tells readers that they are not the only ones to experience a certain situation. Though not a big fan of self-help books myself, I can understand DeVillers' purpose and admire her for it. Very few books pay close attention to teenage girls. This one at least makes an effort.

Copyright 2003 Blue Jean Online

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A star in Teen Girlfriends, September 30, 2001

By 

Laura (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teen Girlfriends: Celebrating the Good Times, Getting Through the Hard Times (Girlfriends Series) (Paperback)

I thought the Teen Girlfriends Book was great. Theres nothing out there like it. After reading it, a sense of relief came over me knowing that someone out there knows how i feel or had gone through the same thing i had. It was nice to know i wasnt the only one. This book was great because Real teens shared their stories and it helped me understand things more and even helped me change my ways alittle. I learned how to be a better friend and how to cope with things. Every teen girl should own a copy of this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real girls, real life, September 29, 2001

By 

joi (boston, ma USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teen Girlfriends: Celebrating the Good Times, Getting Through the Hard Times (Girlfriends Series) (Paperback)

this is a book comprised of stories from real girls about the moments theyve shared with their friends. the sad times, the happy times, the dangerous times, the stay-home-and-watch-a-movie times. for girls reading this book, each story becomes a reminder to them of special moments theyve shared with their friends. it was written to show girls the glory of these kinds of close relationships they can only have with other girls. i found the book to be both comforting and humourous, giving it a wide appeal. its definitely a good book to give as a gift to your best friend :)