Review: Risky Business 2-in-1

My almost 11 y.o. LOVES the Scenario books by Nicole O'Dell. Yes, I capitalized on purpose because that almost captures her enthusiasm for this series.  Why does she love these books? Because she loves being the character and choosing the outcome. She'll select the wrong choice, and then go back and make the right choice. It leads to great conversations as we talk about what makes one choice better than the other.

In the first story, Magna, one of the girls gets hired at a popular clothing store. Sneaking out coupons to her friends turns into pressure to help them shoplift dresses and jeans for an upcoming party. Will she do and what are the consequences if she does. And what should she do with the money she earns? Then in Making Waves, the main character joins a swim team and is offered performance enhancing drugs. What harm could come of that?

What I love about this book and the others in the series is the way they address real life issues head on, and help tweens and teens decide ahead of time what they would do in a similar situation. Like Choose your Adventures with a purpose.

Review: Dare to be Different 2-in-1

My almost 11 y.o. LOVES the Scenario books. Yes, I capitalized on purpose because that almost captures her enthusiasm for this series.  Why does she love these books? Because she loves being the character and choosing the outcome. She'll select the wrong choice, and then go back and make the right choice. It leads to great conversations as we talk about what makes one choice better than the other.

In Dare to be Different, the first story Truth or Dare starts with friends playing a harmless game at regular sleep-overs. Then their games of Truth or Dare take a risky turn. One of them is dared to drink a can of beer. In All that Glitters, one of the girls has to decide whether to give in to her boyfriend and lie to her parents or tell the truth. There's also a party with drugs. The girls are learning how to address peer pressure to do things they know are wrong or take the hard stand of doing what is right. 

Review: Swept Away by Nicole O'Dell

My daughter literally squealed when this book arrived in the mail. She's been waiting for MONTHS for it to be published.

My almost 11 y.o. LOVES the Scenario books. Yes, I capitalized on purpose because that almost captures her enthusiasm for this series. When this book arrived, she literally peeled it from my hands and ran upstairs to start reading. Why does she love these books? Because she loves being the character and choosing the outcome. She'll select the wrong choice, and then go back and make the right choice. It leads to great conversations as we talk about what makes one choice better than the other.

For this 2-in-1 Swept Away, the girls face touch choices about sex and cheating for what looks like a good reason. I wasn't 100% sure my daughter was ready for the sex story, but I was wrong. This truly gave us good opportunities to have some needed girl talk. And Nicole handles the issue in a sensitive yet real way. The consequences are real and laid out for readers to weigh. How much better to consider what she would do now rather than in a few years when the pressure is on.

Please get these books for the tween girls in your life. They are wonderful stories with a purpose.

Wildflowers of Terezin Review

Wildflowers of Terezin by Robert Elmer is set in Denmark during World War II. Terezin is a labor camp in Czechoslovakia where many Danish Jews were deported by the Gestapo. The book tells the story of nurse Hanne and her experiences while hiding and helping other Jews escape until she is captured.

My daughter is like me and loves the World War II time period. That's what attracted her to the book initially. It's been on my to be read pile for ages, and has leapt up several positions thanks to my daughter's enthusiasm for the story. She felt like she was Hanne as she read, experiencing all the heroine did. "It's a great book about faith in our Creator and love." The pacing kept my daughter's attention. She literally couldn't put it down, carrying it around the house and reading it in the car. She said the best part of the book comes at the end -- but I won't tell you why and spoil it for you.

Now I'm eager to read this book!