Books Love Me – Reviews

If you’re a teen and you’re feeling like it’s the end of the world, don’t fret. The Chicken Soup book is here to help you. My sister gave me this book a few years ago when I was a teenager and the stories did me good. They never failed to lift my spirits up when I was feeling down. Even now, they are still able to improve my mood.

The Chicken Soup books are actually very good, you know. The stories were sent in by real people who wrote them themselves and therefore, their inspiring stories are downright true. Reading other people’s stories of kindness, motivation, miracles, etc can make you feel better. At least it gives you hope that something good will happen to you in time and all you need to do is wait. Good things come to those who wait.

It seems that there are 101 stories of life, love and learning (as seen on the cover). There are some stories which were written by celebrities like Bill Cosby, Jennie Garth, Jennifer Love Hewitt, A. J. Langer and more. Makes the book even more attractive, huh? Well, at least we know that celebrities are human beings like you and I too and they also go through life’s problems, just like anyone else.

My favourite story would be in the On Love and Kindness category and the title is ‘Life Just Isn’t’ written by Katie Leicht. When I feel sad, I read this story. It reminds me of what life is really about and what I should be doing.

Life isn’t about keeping score. It’s not about how many people call you and it’s not about who you’ve dated, are dating or haven’t dated at all……But life is about who you love and who you hurt. It’s about how you feel about yourself. It’s about trust, happiness and compassion. It’s about sticking up for your friends and replacing inner hate with love……

It’s not only stories in this book. You will find cartoons, poems, famous quotes, inspirational quotes, etc. I am glad that there are books like the Chicken Soup ones around. I have no doubt that they’ve probably saved people’s lives! Yeah, it’s that effective. If you don’t believe me or if you haven’t read any yet, I strongly recommend that you do it soon.

When you’re physically sick, the real chicken soup is good for you, right? Well, I do know that chicken soup makes you healthy and strong! Anyway, I believe that this Chicken Soup book can be your best friend when you’re lonely.

Buy Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: 101 Stories of Life, Love and Learning (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

Mary Pipher wrote this book based on her own experience helping troubled teenage girls. Some of the girls had just entered puberty while some are already far from it. Nevertheless, they all face the same trouble.

The problems faced by teen girls now compared to 50 years ago are utterly different. Now, girls are driven into starving themselves so that they will look thin and attract boys and be popular. They have to smoke or take drugs to be cool. Girls will also be laughed at if they are still virgins.

Their parents are there for them but adolescent girls think their parents don’t understand them and are only controlling their lives. Girls now are influenced by the media to be thin and beautiful. They are influenced into consuming alcohol. They are pressured to have premarital sex.

In order for them to survive the stormy adolescent years, they need to understand themselves, to understand what they really want, who they really are, then only can they make it safely to shore.

I borrowed this book from my school’s library and read it in 2004.

Buy Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls

A really catchy title, don’t you think? This was my Christmas present by my sister who is always trying to make me behave more like a lady. Sometimes I listen to her advice and sometimes I try to defend myself. =) Anyways, How to Walk in High Heels: The Girl’s Guide to Everything is helpful in a way, with lots of great tips and witty suggestions. It teaches you how to lead the life similar to a celebrity or a princess.

It even mentioned that a 5 cm heel is considered practically FLAT! Moreover, the higher and the thinner your heel is, the higher your status will be. So girls, better invest in a pair of really good and high high heels in order to receive more attention because duh! you will become really tall and easily noticed! It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

I liked one where the title is How to Change a Nappy. There are other eye-catching titles too. It even has tips for the low-tech girl. You can learn how to use a printer, how to ebay, know the different parts of a computer, which is the keyboard, the monitor and the mouse (it does not bite), and more.

In fact, almost everything a girl needs to know is in this book. Well, like I said, almost. So, don’t go expecting that everything can be found in this book.

How to Survive New Year’s Eve, How to swim in shades, How to sound like a politician, How to use a knife, spoon and fork, How to love champagne, How to find and delete viruses, How to make popcorn, How to change a light bulb, etc. And if you can’t do it, take a step back and let a man finish the job for you. No point getting your well manicured nails dirty or broken. That’s a popular tip in there.

Lastly, I guarantee you’ll learn a tip or two, which you may find useful one day. And to all the girls: enjoy being a girl! There’s nothing more you could ask for.