Hello everyone!
Today I am super excited to share with my readers all about a really great novel, called THE TRUTH: DIARY OF A GUTSY TWEEN. The author of the book, Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein has written a fabulous guest post about Selfies. hehe
There will also be a giveaway below for a chance to win print copies of the book. :)
Enjoy!
Author: Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Published: July 1st 2014 by Sky Pony Press
Hardcover, 176 pages
Source: Print ARC via Publisher
Reading Level: Middle Grade (8-12 years)
Growing up is tough. Adults don’t always understand you (even though they were once kids), and children today face increasing pressure to be, look, or act a certain way. Written in the voice of a girl on the cusp of becoming a teenager, The Truth provides young girls with an opportunity to see how a girl, who is in many ways like themselves, handles her toughest problems and most personal thoughts. Each new page brings forth a discussion to help girls handle everyday problems: How do you survive a bully? How do you handle a crush on a boy? What can you do about relentless teasing by your peers? What really matters as you grow older?In a positive and supportive diary-entry format, Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein encourages tween girls to carry the most precious parts of themselves into adulthood. A great book for mothers and daughters to read together, The Truth is aimed to improve communication, understanding, and self-esteem for young girls as they enter the rocky road of teenager-dom.
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Selfies Play an Important Part in Tween's Lives, Including The Girl in The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Let's look back in time a bit, before selfies existed. 1999: Angie, age 11 is out with her family sightseeing in Manhattan. Dad has the camera draped around his neck and is 'in charge' of the photos. As they walk around Times Square and go up to the top of the Empire State Building, dad takes a ton of pictures, some with the family, some of the sights. Occasionally mom, Angie or Tony request a certain shot and dad complies. At the top of the Empire State Building Angie's dad asks a stranger to take a couple of pictures of the family. Dad reminds everyone to hold still and say 'cheese'. No one goofs around in these pictures. When they get home dad finishes the last roll of film with one picture of Teddy, the dog, and next day mom drops the rolls of film at the local drug store to be developed. Angie has little say in any of the picture taking.
Now let's look at today: 2014: Heather, age 12 is out with her family sightseeing in Manhattan. Everyone has their phones with them. As the day passes each member of the family takes whatever pictures they want to. Mom and Dad take mostly pictures of the sights. Heather and Scott are busy taking selfies that often show a sight behind them. Some of Heather's pictures are herself, goofing off or showing off. Most of these she immediately forwards to her five best friends or respond with remarks and/or selfies of themselves in whatever they are doing. Toward the end of the day, mom realizes that they have no group picture of themselves. She clusters them together and holds up her phone, for the family picture, another selfie. She takes a few, each different. In one they they are goofing off, in another they are a serious family.
When they get home, Duffy the dog is ignored except to be fed and played with. Mom shares her pictures with her mom and dad via the internet and no one goes to the drug store.
Holding up a phone and taking your own picture is so common now that we don't think twice.How different for tweens today! Almost everyone has a phone that takes pictures. So selfies are the easiest way to stay capture the moment, whether it is for the tween herself or to send to a friend. The girl in The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween, is captivated by selfies of herself and her friends. In her secret, secret diary she writes:
Dear Diary, I took the most amazing pictures of myself today. I put on my mother's long earrings, and lots of her make-up. Then I got out her Chinese robe with the big giant flowers on it and put that on. Then after I made sure no one was in the house I started taking Selfies of myself. I posed in the craziest positions. I lounged on the couch as if I were lying around on a Greek Island in the the 1920's. Then I made all sorts of faces, some happy, some sad, some excited, some upset and I just kept taking picture after picture. It was such fun, I felt like I was on some sort of imaginary stage. I sent a few to Angela and she loved them. She said that when her parents and brothers leave later she will put on a costume of some sort and send pictures back to me.
Too soon I had to get out the cold cream and clean off my face and put everything away. Today was my secret. Only Angela knows. And you, Dear Diary.
About The Author: Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Find Barbara @
Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein is a positive psychologist and writer. Holstein is the originator of the Enchanted Self® positive psychology method for increasing happiness and has a private practice in New Jersey. She is the author of positive therapy books for adults such as The Enchanted Self, as well as a series of popular fictional diaries for girls.
The wonderful people at Skyhorse Publishing are giving me 3 print copies for a giveaway. How awesome is that? There will be 3 winners and the giveaway is open to US only.
Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter.
Posts
What a sweet cover. I wish I'd had this book when I was young. I'm sure it would have helped with my self esteem and the constant peer pressure. Thanks so much for sharing this one Beckie!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book. Love the cover! Definitely want to check this one out. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThis does look like a great one, my oldest will love it! Do you have any recs for a younger crowd but still YA? Right now my 10 year old is reading The Red Sun by Alane Adams (she is brilliant!!) alaneadams.com is her site. She is nearly done reading it and I don't have a good one in queue for her. So any recs would be appreciated! Great review on this one!
ReplyDelete