Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0439129729, Paperback)

Public relations guru Terrie Williams, author of The Personal Touch: What You Really Need to Succeed in Today's Fast-Paced Business World, has decided to try her hand at advising teens, and the result reads like a hip-hop version of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. In Stay Strong: Simple Life Lessons for Teens, Williams breaks down what she believes are common negative adolescent attitudes ("It's all about money,", "How I talk is my business," etc.) and then goes on to challenge the reader to reassess those attitudes and turn them around. For example, in the chapter on how to make conversation, she writes: "Be careful of using words and phrases so full of slang that give the message 'You are not one of us' or 'I am not interested in you enough to speak in a way I know you'll understand.' It's just rude.... You are stronger when you are able to communicate with anyone. So, enjoy your slang but know when not to use it." Like Chicken Soup, her text also incorporates true stories. Some of these stories are about celebrities such as Eddie Murphy and Camryn Manheim, but most come from ordinary teens and their experiences. Original rap lyrics that illustrate the theme of each chapter and a down-to-earth introduction by Queen Latifah will make this work especially appealing to urban teens. Stay Strong is a sassy, street-smart addition to the growing body of self-help literature for adolescents. The book includes a bibliography and a recommended reading list. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert