Chloe Shantz-Hilkes

This is one of the only books I've read that focuses on the father. Most teen pregnancy books are written from the mothers perspective, and I really appreciate the shift. With great quotes throughout the book this book gives some great insight into the thoughts and feelings of many young men who find out their girlfriend is pregnant. While most of the book does focus on parenting there are also chapters on the other alternatives, abortion and adoption. This book also includes chapters on dealing with stress, domestic violence, relationships, and childbirth. There is also a resource guide in the back.

Finding out that your girlfriend is pregnant can bring up so many emotions and this book validates so many different responses to different scenarios. Whether you plan to parent, place the child for adoption or your girlfriend has an abortion there is no right or wrong way to feel and this book has interviews with many different fathers in different situations. This book is very much about really looking at what is best for you and taking care of yourself. It also stresses that staying together may not be the best option and if you do try to stay together what obstacles you may face and not to use the pregnancy as the reason to stay. There are many co-parenting relationships out there that are healthier because they decided not to stay together than if they had tried to stay together.

While this book is geared toward teens I believe any young adult up through their 20's could benefit from reading it. When that pregnancy test turns out positive there are all kinds of emotions that happen and this book helps break them down so you can start to put them into perspective.… (más)

Note: I received this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on March 5, 2013 for your reading pleasure.

As with many people, I have personal experience with addicts and even more so as a child with addict adults surrounding them. So, I was very intrigued to get my grubby hands on this book and see what it had to offer.

I couldn't tell if the book was intended to be marketed to actual youth or if it was for adults. Either way, it had its shortcomings. The essays felt very choppy and very forced. I'd be curious to find out if they were done interview-style and edited down to fit in the style of the book better. To be honest, I thought the book was comprised of younger amateur authors (under 21) telling their stories. It wasn't until I got to the end of an essay that I found out it was adult reflections. It's hard to explain, there was just no emotion contained in the writing, which is almost impossible to do with such an emotional topic being discussed.

There were also minor editing errors that could use a once-over before it gets released. Since it comes out in under 2 weeks, I have a feeling it won't quite make it.

The great part about these stiff essays were the truth in them. I think this would make a great book to distribute to Alateen and guidance counselors everywhere to help kids/teens realize they aren't as alone as they feel. The feeling of isolation can be suffocating, trying to take the burden of everything alone can do more damage than the addict themselves. Even though I would have rebelliously scoffed at this book as a teenager, I know I would've read it in secret and soaked it in. Living with an addict is a lonely world especially when you fear that something bad may happen to you or the addict if you speak up.

With a little finessing, I think this could be a great educational tool. The writing was just a little bit too disjointed and choppy to really pack the punch that it could.

Quotes that stood out:

“I was a really smart kid too, so I think maybe I realized that if you did what people told you to, it would save you a lot of time and trouble. But sometimes it also meant that your dad sat on you for two hours when he was stoned” - Jermaine

“Most of all, I lost the opportunity to feel like I was a lovable human being. For the longest time I felt as if nobody any reason to like me”. - Greg

"“Why, for that matter, did Kevin do drugs when I didn't? We were more or less dealt the same hand of cards […] but I always knew where to draw the line.” - Nicola… (más)