Hot Issues, Cool Choices: Facing Bullies, Peer Pressure, Popularity, and Put-Downs

Growing up is tough. You got peer pressure, the need to be accepted and fit in. You got the social strata at school, there's the cool group, the geeky group, the outsiders, the bullies, the kid who gets ridiculed, and you have the spectre of teen suicide, dealing with the fallout of the first relationship, being propositioned with drugs. Inevitably, one gets their behavioral cues from others, who may not really be the best influences. So, how does one negotiate one's way through this potential minefield without getting blown to smithereens. Hot issues, cool choices explores all these potential dilemmas in the form of metaphors. They are well imagined, beautifully described, and quite entertaining. Inevitably, one will recognise the characters, and identify, and so I recommend this book, what would you do for example if the cool people wanted you to be in their group, but only because they are too lazy to do their own homework, and want you to do it for them, or they tell you who you can and cannot associate with. As you get further into the book, it's easy to imagine a teacher using stories from this book in class, and what I particularly like about this book is that the author does not tell you what to think, merely inviting one to explore the dilemmas such situations present, and truly come up with one's own ideas of what to do. It 's easy to imagine a group of kids or teens, having a laugh reading this book, and exploring the scenarios, then to find themselves making better decisions. The more options one has in how consider a situation the better the their response will be, and the wiser the action. In that respect it's quite a brilliant book, and quite rightly it has gained kudos from many quarters, including winning a Mom's Choice Award. My wish for this this book is that it be available in everyschool, and read by every adolescent, an ambitious idea, yes, that's how important I think this book is. If that's not possible, at least if someone were to buy this book right now, that would be a good start. I wonder if you found this helpful.

"Hot Issues, Cool Choices" is a collection of hypothetical stories about kids at one Emerson Elementary School. The stories are meant to illustrate problems children face in dealing with peers, and each story has a different theme. Here are some of the stories: Angelina and Me (Compassion, Respect for Others) Musical Chairs (Exclusion, Peer Pressure) Promises, Promises (Social Manipulation) Short, Shorter, Shortest (Physical Aggression) At the end of every story there are some bullet points for "More to Think About" and "Trading Places" to get readers to think about the story's implications. Musical chairs is a good story to use as an example of what's in this neat little book. Nikki has wanted be in Caitlin's group, the "popular group," for a long time, and suddenly she is. Unfortunately, Caitlin has many rules for the group members, about what to wear, how to do hair, and especially who they can sit with at lunch. One day at lunch, because Taylor didn't wear her hair "right," Caitlin tells her there's no room, and to sit somewhere else. Nikki feels sorry for Taylor and wants to join her, but knows that if she does, she will be out of the "popular group." The "More to Think About" has -What do you think Nikki should do? Why? -How do you feel about Caitlin? -How do you feel abou Caitlin's group? -Would you want to be in her group? Why or why not? And in "Trading Places" is -How do you think Taylor feels? Humphrey gives real ethical dilemmas which are very difficult, and require thought and experience to work through. Children, parents, and educators should read this. Incidentally, I think even adults who don't currently have children or are involved in education can profit from reading this. As the author notes, bullying is a serious problem in schools, and there are kids who don't want to even get out of bed in the morning, because they know what going to school means. Hopefully this book will have an impact.

The title says it all! Kids today have it tough. They are constantly faced with peer pressure, bullying, and harassment, yet so many of them do not know how to handle such situations. So here's what we have. Real stories with real social problems, but Sandra doesn't stop there. She writes in such a way that kids can understand and relate to these stories. The best part is that at the end of each story, Sandra offers excellent critical-thinking questions that kids can use to discuss not only the story, but give them a way in which to use it in their own lives. Excellent for raising self-esteem and establishing good social values. This is a perfect book for kids, parents and teachers to use as a solution to this never-ending problem. As a teacher, I would highly recommend this book to kids ad parents, but especially to teachers to use within their classrooms, as so much of these situations do take place in the school environment. BRAVA SANDRA!

Humphrey continues with her series on childhood ethics and behavior with this easy-to-read offering. The author boldly tackles one of the most frightening subjects of today's adolescents since Columbine--bullying and its consequences. Humphrey follows the same format as her previous titles in the series, but with slight modifications that make it more appealing to an older reading audience. Vignettes are used to establish circumstances where moral and ethical dilemmas are raised. These are then followed by a number of questions that make the reader/listener to think about decisions and whether they are right or wrong inherently. This book, however, is more driven toward addressing decisions and behaviors that lead to, or in reaction to, bullying. The topics raised include Compassion, Empathy, Exploitation, and Social Manipulation. This is a book that teaches children though parables how and why they should avoid becoming bullies as well as how to react to the bullies they will undoubtedly meet. These lessons are presented well and make this book all too important in these times. Karl L. Kruger for The American Author Association

Award-winning Minnesota author, Sandra McLeod Humphrey, has created a must-have book for anyone addressing the issue of bullying in our schools. Any parent that has a child in school, and any child IN school knows that bullying has grown to epidemic proportions in our society today. Ms. Humphrey took her expertise, gained as a retired clinical psychologist who worked with troubled children, and put it to great use in writing this book. Prompted to write this book after hearing of a twelve-year old boy's suicide from being bullied, Sandra interviewed parents that shared their painful stories about their kids being bullied; and many teachers let Sandra interview the children themselves that were being bullied. She writes a compelling book about mythical Emerson Elementary School and a school full of students who aren't real students, but each a compilation of a typical student in any school anywhere in America that is facing the bullying issue. The issues are real, and very heartbreaking to read. Ms. Humphrey makes this book an easy read for anyone needing to learn more about "what to do" when facing bullying issues. Each scenario is written in a chapter format, with thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter, including a section she calls "Trading Places", which will put the reader in the position of the bully's victim, the bystander, or the bully him/herself. All I can say is: Where was this book when I was growing up? Surprisingly, every scenario on bullying that was discussed in this book is also a situation I have found myself in, even as an adult. Now I know what to do! Yay! This is a must-have book for everyone to use as a "manual" to cope with bullies everywhere! Gayle Jacobson-Huset Assistant Editor - Stories for Children Magazine