Book Review: Scenarios For Girls
Monday, October 26, 2009 at 4:22PM MAD21 By Peter (Rediscovering the Church)
As our children get older, the decisions they need to make become harder and harder - and the consequences more lasting.
The most turbulent times of change seem to happen as kids enter Junior High and then again as they become High Schoolers.
Helping our teens navigate their way through the hormonal changes they're experiencing as well as increasing societal pressures from their peers can be difficult at best and, often, seems downright impossible.
Finding resources that can help us teach and mold our children is essential and today I'd like to tell you about a great resource that I have found for teen girls:
The Scenario's book series, written by Nicole O'Dell is a wonderful series for junior-high and high school girls which are great to read and yet will help the readers learn to make wise choices.
There are currently two books available in the series, Truth or Dare and All That Glitters. Books three and four are available for pre-order but are not due to be released until April 2010.
The first half of each book sets up a scenario where the main character is put into a position where she has to make a difficult choice. There are two possible options and the reader has to make the decision for her as to which of the options she chooses.
The book then splits into two sections, one for each of the two choices, and follows the story along to its conclusion depending on the choice the reader made.
What I love about this is that it shows the outcomes of both choices and allows the reader to see and understand that our decisions have consequences - and big consequences at that. Teenagers often believe they are invincible and everything will 'work out OK in the end'. These books clearly show that's not the case and that making bad choices just to be 'popular' or to try to fit in can have a disastrous effect on your relationships and your future prospects.
The one thing I don't like so much about the books is that the parents are always very wise, very strong Christians who make fair and Godly decisions in how to punish and discipline their children. Many teen girls will read these books and not be able to identify with parents like that as their own parents are not quite so level-headed and 'Christian' in their approach. I personally felt put to shame by the reactions and maturity of the parents in the books. I know I would have flown off the handle and been very un-Christian in my actions if I'd found one of my daughters doing some of the things these girls did!
Maybe that's a good thing though. Maybe both parents and teenagers alike can learn from these books. Why not buy them for your daughter today and read and learn from them together?
The Scenario's series could have more of an impact on your lives than you could ever imagine. You can find them on Amazon.com, just search for 'Nicole O'Dell'.
Peter is a fellow blogger who is a husband, stay-at-home dad, house church pastor, aspiring author and small business owner who tries to make God the center of everything he does. He's walking out his salvation and learning and struggling just like the rest of us!
Book Review, Growing Up, Teens in Teens
Reader Comments (3)
Thanks so much for the awesome review. Well said!
You'll be relieved to know that not all of the parents in Scenarios books are as "together" as in these first two books--they seem to epitomize the parent I hope to be one day.
So, stay tuned.... ;)
Thanks again and many blessings,
Nicole
Always happy to hear of good books for my daughter to read. She's so advanced on her reading it is hard to find appropriate books for her age. Thanks!
I don't have daughters, but I have teen cousins. Thanks for the recommendation. I think I'll buy them this book for Christmas, and then hide the cash I usually give them in the book. :-)