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

I got this book as a gift when I was a teenager, and remember really enjoying some of the stories in here. Looking back, and reading some of the other reviews, I do recall quite a bit o God-tslk in here. I was raised as a Christian and though I did have some questions/challenges as a teenager, I was not the firm agnostic/atheist back then that I am today.

So ultimately, I am giving this book 3.5/5 stars. There's some nice stories here, but there really is a Judeo-Christian slant here, which isn't surprising given who put together this book, so a grain of salt shuld be taken by anyone considering trying out a Chicken Soup book.

I was looking forward to read this book, but now that I finished it I'm kind of disappointed. Most of these stories are the typical feel-good, not quite realistic stories you'd expect from an inspirational book. Sure they may have real-life meaning, but the stories themselves are mostly emotional fabrications

Although there are a few stories that focus on more serious topics such as death, terminal illness, mental illness or substance abuse most of the problems that the teens write about are very petty and shallow. If you have lived an extremely sheltered life, you might like this book. Otherwise, don't waste your time or money on this book. I'm just glad that I borrowed it from the library.

I thought I was going to hate this book, but I actually found it very inspiring at times. Some of the stories made me cry and others made me laugh out loud. It was a good reminder of how glad I am not to be a teen, but at the same time I realized how much more life there is to live. I would recommend this book to any student. I think the book offered something for everyone, even those who aren't teens anymore.

While this collection of short vignettes is solid, some of the stories are a little outdated, perhaps not surprising given it was published in 1997. For example, there is a story about parents not being able to get in touch with their child, when now they’d just call their cell phone. Most of the essays are well-written and inspirational, but to read them all at once made me a bit numb because they pull on the heartstrings.

One essay, “Like People First,” caught my attention. The theme had to do with people’s projections on each other, and how if you want people to like you, like them. Since reading this, I’ve taken that advice and been friendly to people I was sure did not care for me, and surprisingly enough was rewarded by show more smiles and conversations. Another essay, “No-Hair Day,” about a young woman who, in the midst of a successful high school experience, lost her hair to a disease, inspired me to be grateful for what I have. Finally, “Mrs. Virginia DeView, Where Are you” reminded me that, as an educator, I never know how what I do will affect someone in the future, and that they won’t always be able to tell me, but that I probably do good things.

Students still check this book out of my library and talk to me about its contents. While the book feels dated, as mentioned above, many of the stories of love, family, suicide, break-ups, and friendship still apply to teens today.

This book is great for anyone over the age of 12, but not recommended for younger children, as they are unlikely to be able to relate to the themes presented. show less

I gave Chicken Soup four stars for Fantastic! This book had so many well written stories filled to the rim with emotion and hearts spilled onto the paper. the many stories written by kids for kids offer advice on everything any kid has gone through, is going through, and/or will go through. This is a great addition to the phenomenal Soup collection. Chicken Soup's never a disappointment, and has earned its rights to be child's best friend when there's no one around to talk to.

The problem with the Chicken Soup collection is that after the first one or two, they start to all seem the same. The quotes dispersed between stories/poems/whatever are repeated in nearly every book. Now, as a lover of a good quote, I find myself eager for some variation. Also, with the exception of Chicken Soup For The Pet Lover's Soul, the stories become very similar, it's just basically a hundred different variations of the same book.

None of them are bad, but one or two is sufficient.

I approached this book with skepticism, but after reading only a few stories, I was hooked. Lessons of love, friendship, family, and self-esteem are told with great frankness and thoughtfulness, and in my opinion, every teenager should read this book!