In a gripping novel with a plot pulled from the headlines, Todd Strasser turns his attention to gang life in the inner-city projects. DeShawn is a teenager growing up in the projects. Most of his friends only see one choice: join up to a gang. DeShawn is smart enough to want to stay in school and make something more of himself, but when his family is starving while his friends have fancy bling and new sneakers, DeShawn is forced to decide--is his integrity more important than feeding his family?
"Sex, drugs, peer pressure, and underachievement: don't these sound like issues that high schoolers might confront? But according to Dr. Sylvia Rimm's research findings, your middle schoolers may actually be encountering these problems every single day. In an extensive survey of more than 5,400 middle school kids, and through more than 300 focus groups, Dr. Rimm discovered that today's kids face difficult, grown-up decisions younger than ever." "Growing Up Too Fast offers sensible strategies for raising this new breed of tweens. Sample conversations show the best ways to talk with kids about issues that really matter, like terrorism, drugs, alcohol, and sex and violence in the media."--BOOK JACKET.
With the first edition of The Hurried Child, David Elkind emerged as the voice of parenting reason, calling our attention to the crippling effects of hurrying our children through life. He showed that by blurring the boundaries of what is age appropriate, by expecting--or imposing--too much too soon, we force our kids to grow up too fast, to mimic adult sophistication while secretly yearning for innocence. In the more than two decades since this book first appeared, new generations of parents have inadvertently stepped up the assault on childhood, in the media, in schools, and at home. In the third edition of this classic (2001), Dr. Elkind provided a detailed, up-to-the-minute look at the Internet, classroom culture, school violence, movies, television, and a growing societal incivility to show parents and teachers where hurrying occurs and why. And as before, he offered parents and teachers insight, advice, and hope for encouraging healthy development while protecting the joy and freedom of childhood. In this twenty-fifth anniversary edition of the book, Dr. Elkind delivers important new commentary to put a quarter century of trends and change into perspective for parents today.
A breakthrough parenting book that redefines the meaning of 'geek' and inspires parents to free themselves and their kids from the 'culture of cool.' In a world of superficial values, peer pressure, and out-of-control consumerism, the world needs more GEEKS: Genuine, Enthusiastic, Empowered Kids. Today's 'culture of cool' has changed the way kids grow up. Rather than enjoying innocent childhoods while developing strong, authentic characters, today's kids can become cynical 'even jaded' as they absorb the dangerous messages and harmful influences of a dominant popular culture that encourages materialism, high-risk behaviors, and a state of pseudo-adulthood. Author and mother of four Marybeth Hicks suggests an alternative: bringing up geeks. In this groundbreaking book, she shows parents how they can help their children gain the enthusiasm to pursue their passions, not just the latest fashions; the confidence to resist peer pressure and destructive behaviors; the love of learning that helps them excel at school and in life; and the maturity to value family as well as friends, as well as make good moral decisions. With a foundation like that, kids will grow up to be the coolest adults.
A story of a girl and her dog exploring the creative world if their own imaginations. Filled with colorful imagery this book brings you back to a time where the world was filled in mystery and wonder. Give this book to your child to show them it is ok to slow down and just be a kid. Growing up should be natural, not rushed, so sit down and enjoy being a kid.
Question. Learn. Adapt. The untold narrative of our era is that there are yet untraveled paths to tread and new discoveries to uncover in the world of artificial intelligence (AI). In Grow Up Fast: Lessons From An AI Startup, Zach Rattner, an entrepreneur who journeyed from being a corporate employee to a startup founder, reveals how we can navigate this relatively unknown terrain to create novel leadership and management solutions. Zach, CTO and Co-Founder of the AI startup Yembo, offers an honest and enlightening perspective on the journey of building a startup in the rapidly evolving field of AI. This book isn't about quick success or easy wins; instead, it emphasizes the importance of adaptability, patience, and resilience in the face of unexpected hurdles. It's a guide for those who are eager to venture into the world of AI, based on Zach's own trials and triumphs. Zach opens with the transformative concept that in the realm of AI startups, uncertainty and discomfort are not hurdles but catalysts for growth. While many may be blinded by the allure of cutting-edge technology and rapid development, Zach argues that progress should not be confined to established tech hubs or pre-defined paths. Every industry, every business holds the potential for evolution. It is all rooted in one crucial capability that every leader must cultivate: the power to question, learn, and adapt. The book includes key lessons learned: • The importance of questioning assumptions • The value of diversity within a team • The traps and benefits of feedback • The beauty of constraints Zach shows us that getting comfortable with discomfort, effectively managing uncertainty, and empowering teams are critical elements in a startup's progression. Grow Up Fast brings forth both an invigorating vision of future growth in the AI sector, and a fresh approach to understanding innovation: it all begins by asking the right questions which then lead you to discover untapped potential. Zach's experiences and insights serve as an inspirational compass for those eager to embark on their own entrepreneurial journey in the captivating yet intricate world of AI startups.
A compelling dual-narrated tale from Jennifer Latham that questions how far we've come with race relations. Some bodies won't stay buried. Some stories need to be told. When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family's property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the present and the past. Nearly one hundred years earlier, a misguided violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what's right the night Tulsa burns. Through intricately interwoven alternating perspectives, Jennifer Latham's lightning-paced page-turner brings the Tulsa race riot of 1921 to blazing life and raises important questions about the complex state of US race relations--both yesterday and today.
Photographer Lauren Greenfield capures often shocking, always startling images of children at school, at play, or at home in the precocious city of Los Angeles. The stunning color photographs range from the children of the gang culture of South Central and East L.A. to the affluent, often show-business world of the Westside. Underlying is the overwhelming importance of image and celebrity, with its materialistic trappings of fast cars and expensive clothes. 80 full-color photos.
Elkind calls readers attentions to the crippling stresses on children forced to grow up too fast, children mimicking adult sophistication while secretely yearning for innocence.
