THE STRUGGLE TO BE STRONG: True Stories
by Teens About Overcoming Tough Times
Edited by Al Desetta, M.A., of Youth Communication and Sybil Wolin, Ph.D., of Project
Resilience.
Jamel loses his friends to marijuana; Artiqua dates a boy of another race despite her
family’s opposition. Youniqiue was abandoned by her mother; Charlene is raising her
brothers and sisters because their mother is addicted to drugs; Craig
is gay and worried about coming out. All of these teens have more than their share of
troubles. And all have the resiliency needed to face them, live through them, and move
forward with courage, confidence, and hope.
In 30 first-person accounts, teens tell how they overcame major life obstacles. Many
aren’t the everyday problems most kids encounter, which makes their stories
especially compelling—and their successes especially inspiring.
As teens read The Struggle to Be Strong, they discover they’re not alone in facing
life’s difficulties. They learn about seven
resiliencies—insight, independence, relationships, initiative,
creativity, humor, and morality—that everyone needs to survive and thrive in even the
toughest times. Vivid, articulate, and candid, this book will motivate readers of all ages
to build the skills and strengths they need to triumph over adversity. 192 pp., illust.,
S/C, 6" x 9".
Ages 13 & up.
The activities, exercises, and questions in the Leader’s Guide invite teens to go
deeper into the stories, relate them to their lives, recognize their own potential for
resilience, and start building resiliency skills. 176 pp., S/C, 8 1/2" x 11",
Otabind lay-flat binding. For teachers, social workers, case workers, clinicians,
prevention specialists, counselors, and other adults who work with youth in grades
7–12. |
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