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Publisher:
Teen Winners Publishing |
Release
Date: 2004 |
ISBN:
0-9740356-4-5 |
Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Book |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Teen/Young Adult Nonfiction |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Amy York |
Reviewer
Notes: |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
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A Winner by Any Standard
By Rob Garofalo,
Jr.
I
have to admit, when I first started reading this book I thought
to myself, Oh, gag! Another grown-up privileged white guy trying
to save Americas tormented youth with hackneyed positive affirmations.
And on one level, I was right. Garofalo says very little that is
new. His 52 weekly lessons cover topics such as Appreciating
Family, Searching for the Bright Side, and Saying
No to Tobacco. What typical teenager doesnt cringe when
an adult sets in on one of these lectures, again? Also, Garofalo
has a very annoying habit of addressing the reader as my student.
Ick! Trudging on, though, to my surprise, both the skeptical adult
that Ive become and the cynical adolescent I remember being
found words that hit home. One such example is the Week 9 lesson
on Valuing Mistakes. To his credit, Garofalo has a nice
way of putting a positive spin on the stupid things we all do:
Im going to go so far as to encourage you to actually
feel proud of your blundering ways... because the people making
the most mistakes are quite frequently the ones living life to the
fullest. He also encourages teens to learn from their mistakes,
but without beating [themselves] up. Other chapters
that might win over hard-to-reach teens are those that encourage
social activism, such as Giving Animals a Voice, Doing
Your Part, and Getting Involved in the Arts. While
the book is set up to be read straight through, one chapter per
week, many readers may prefer to skip around to the chapters that
interest them at the moment.
Each
chapter begins with relevant quotes from famous people and ends
with Life Apps ways to apply the lesson to daily life. A
Winner By Any Standard is not a reading choice that many teens
would likely make for themselves--except for junior youth group
leaders and captains of the pep squad. Given as a gift, however,
it will lie on the floor ignored for a while until curiosity or
boredom strikes. It will then be read and enjoyed, despite the teens
better judgment.
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