Lizard
by Dennis Covington

Have you ever felt like a freak?

Well, then you’ll relate to Lucius Sims. Because he resembles a reptile, people call him Lizard, and they treat him like an alien because he’s different. He’s even put into a school for retarded boys even though there is no proof that he has a learning problem.

Hang on tight, though, because Lizard is about to embark on a madcap adventure. On the road to freedom he might even find a way to accept himself! Covington won the Delacorte Prize for this sensitive novel about the oddball inside of us all.

To read more on what readers say about the novel, please click here.
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Geeks
How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet out of Idaho
by Jon Katz

Geeks is the story of how Jesse and Eric — and others like them — used technology to try and change their lives and alter their destiny. They rode the Internet out of Idaho to Chicago, a city they had never set foot in, seeking the American Dream, a better life.

Geeks describes this brave and difficult journey, as two self-described social misfits use the resources of the Internet to try to construct a new future for themselves, escape the boundaries of their dead-end lives, and find a community they could belong to.

Geeks explores a growing subculture about which many of us know little, a world with its own language, traditions, and taboos. In telling the stories of Jesse, Eric, and others like them, Geeks is a story about the very human face of technology.

To read the full book review, please visit this link.
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Teens tend to get bored easily. If they are mixed with a bad crowd, drugs may be their only solution to boredom. However, there are lots of activities that a teen can engage to so that they can avoid drugs.

Sports activities are good solutions to avoid drugs. Engaging in sports sharpens their physical and intellectual wits. They would think that drugs will just slow them down and distract their winning ways. With this thought at the back of their heads, prohibited drugs will never be a problem.

Having a fruitful activity that requires attention and time will definitely keep the teens away from drugs. Being dedicated in something worthwhile brings out the willingness to repel vices and other bad habits.

If in case the teen is already hooked on drugs, there are numerous rehabilitation centers and boot camps situated in different parts of the country. Just make sure that the appropriate center is chosen.

Most of troubled teens are victims of their own environment. Environment plays a major role in a child’s personality. Growing up in an environment filled with violence will automatically trigger a child’s instinct for cruelty. The kid will most likely imitate what the environment is displaying.

Being abused is the general problem of these teens. As a victim of violence, they tend to detach themselves from society and live a life that they will soon regret. If this happens, it may result to bigger problems such as suicide.

Keeping them away from this kind of environment is essential in their growth as a person. If it is not possible to move them out to a different place then at least they should be trained in avoiding circumstances that would lead them into trouble. One way to do this is to have an adult set a good example to a child so that even if they are staying in a hostile environment, the child knows how to shun circumstances that may harm them in the end.

Drug abuse has been a constant problem in most countries. Urban districts showcase a variety of drugs available even to minors. This is a very alarming fact that needs to be addressed to immediately. Most teens think that engaging in drugs is the “in” thing nowadays. What they don’t realize is the fact that they are wasting hard earned money and they are harming their personality as well.

Teens turn to drugs because of numerous reasons. One particular reason is peer pressure. Being with a circle of friends who use drugs will most likely influence a teen to use prohibited drugs as well. Another reason is rebellion. They tend to use drugs to irritate their parents more or to get their attention.

If a kid is engaged in drug activities, it has to be prevented as soon as possible. One way to stop this is by enrolling the child in boot camps, brat camps or other educational programs that will help them recover.

The youth serve as the future of the nation and they must be preserved and kept away from drugs as much as possible. Without the youth, a nation’s dream of success will never become a reality.

Due to the lack of maturity in decision making, teenagers are prone to peer pressure. Peer pressure forces someone to change their personality and alter decision making to conform to the norms set by the group. Most of the teens who smoke say that they started smoking because they saw this from their friends and they just tried it and eventually became a vice.

Troubled teens tend to rebel and join inappropriate groups and even gangs. One particular solution for this is to keep the kids away from these types of people. How? Teach them how to look for good friends who can pressure them into doing what is right and just. Bad influence often produce negative results. A parent must be vigilant with the people surrounding their children in order to stop them from joining bad company.

Teenage anger is a natural emotion or feeling felt by an adolescent when reacting to a situation, thing or person. It is usually triggered by external factors, which can manifest both verbally and physically. In most cases, teen kids become angry because they are hurt, confused and even frustrated.  Like everybody else, teenagers can be angry at some point or another. Anger can be experienced in different levels or degrees, which mostly vary on the extent of the experience that induced the emotion. Some teenager cannot really handle anger, that is why they have a certain outrage resulting to bad behavior. When this happens, parents should always step up and  guide or help their kids manage such a feeling that can be very destructive.

In overcoming teen anger, it is best that you can help your kids identify and become aware of their own feelings. When they are aware of their anger, they can distinguish people, situations and event that are common or recurring factors in causing such emotional episodes.

You and your kids can overcome anger by keeping a record of situations that often lead to anger, such as keeping a journal. Take note of the frequency and occasion of the episodes. You ought to know that not all anger are considered as unnecessary or useless anger. There are times that anger can be very useful or beneficial. For instance,  anger can stir confidence or motivation to overpower a wrong doing or prejudice. Try to teach your kids how to handle anger in a way that will not do damage to others or things. They should be able to understand if their anger is beyond discourse or not.

Teenagers are just like adults – they can be angry at situations, things and people. The demands of growing up are sometimes affecting their capacity to function without emotional outbursts and mood swings. Although anger is an natural emotion, the failure to process can lead to inappropriate and destructive behavior. When teenagers become angry, they don’t only damage the object of their anger but also their very own self. As parents, it is very crucial that you will be able to help your kids, particularly when the anger is still subtle or controllable.

You can deal with it without any help, or you can consult a therapist. Either way, it is important that you will completely understand the situation and what your kids are going through. Never take their anger against them, they might resort to more damaging actions than they are already into. Approach them in a manner in which they can successfully channel and express their anger without damaging others, properties or even themselves.

Depression starts when angry teen kids slowly become helpless. Not all kids are good at channeling their anger into obvious actions. Thus, depression related to teenage anger can be of several forms, yet it is defined by the intensity or how it affects the said teens. Typically, angry teenagers react in two ways. They either entertain their anger and become defiant or destructive, or they will just repress the anger and then eventually withdraw from the situation.

Here are some signs when your teenagers become angry and eventually depressed:

 * having an antisocial behavior
 * sarcasm
 * physically harming others
 * self-mutilation
 * destructive and disruptive
 * confusion
 * frustration
 * fear

When your teenagers are having these signs of anger for a longer period, seek professional help.