The Teenager's Guide to the Real World: The Best Non-Fiction Book for Helping Teenagers

Many teens don't pride themselves as readers. Some even pride themselves as non-readers. When I asked a student if she was familiar with the book Pride and Prejudice, she responded with an air of sophistication, "Oh, I don't read." The response is the equivalent to someone living in LA priding themselves for not taking care of their body, "Oh, I don't exercise." Both responses conjure a look of shock and disbelief: one from the avid fitness freak/gym rat, the other from the educator or parent.

How can parents and educators get their teens to look up from their Myspace pages, Halo video games, and Ipod Nanos and get them interested in reading? The solution is to offer them juicy, real-life non-fiction books. If a teen doesn't like reading fiction or literature, it's probably because it's competing with already available forms of media which offer more stimulating and engaging fiction created by the "we want it now," microwave society. Many teens lack the patience to dig into the deeper issues and themes of literature, much less sit through an entire reading of a 300 page novel when they have the option to go to the nearest Cinemax theater and be riveted by the workings of the Matrix Trilogy.

This is where Mr. Brain comes in. No joke; his name is Marshall Brain, author of The Teenager's Guide to the Real World. 338 pages jam-packed with goodies. Brain becomes that next door neighbor/mentor/outstanding citizen you never had but wished your kids had. Brain is the kind of person you would want your kids to follow around.

He's a great role model. He speaks to the teenagers not as the condescending, know-it-all adult, but as the teenager's ally; not with a list of do's and don'ts, but with valuable knowledge and information to help teens make wise choices.

Instead of a taking a broad look at the real world, he gets to the nitty-gritty and tells the facts in black and white. For example, Chapter 3 is entitled "Adults Rule the World."

Instead of scaring teenagers with the typical STD and pregnancy lecture associated with sex, Chapter 13 lets them know that "Teenage Sex is an Option."

This book is teenager friendly because most teenagers have these questions but don't have a safe place to find the answers. (Sorry parents, they're too worried that you'll be worried.) Parents, if you give them this book, you offer the answers without having to wait for them to ask the questions.

Here are some other teen friendly qualities of The Teenager's Guide to the Real World:

1. Chapters that don't have to be read chronologically

2. Internet links and other book suggestions for further reading

3. Bullets that highlight important points (making the book easy to read)

4. Diagrams, graphs, and tables to make the ideas clearer

5. Practical examples on how to apply the information

The most important thing about this book is the main theme: teens do have the power to make an impact in their world. Chapter 0 is entitled "You Get to Design Your Life." Many teens feel a lack of control over their life, but this book shows them they are responsible for their decisions. Brain tells them that how they think and what they do really matter. His book prepares them for the future and helps them start thinking realistically and practically about things that matter to them: money, peers, love, relationships, sex, happiness, success, and all other things pertaining to life in the real world.