issues

Catherine Dee's The Girls' Guide to Life: How to Take Charge of the Issues That Affect You tackles the many challenges that face young women and girls today. Let's face it, low self-esteem, lack of political representation and gender inequity in the classroom are a drag. The Girls' Guide is a positive and necessary blueprint for battling the gender bias blues. Young women and girls lend their own voices and experiences of enlightenment and encouragement on topics ranging from math clubs to rock climbing to political activism. The Girls' Guide is an excellent combination of true stories, self-help and resources that will spark any young woman or girl to "take charge of the issues that affect" her. But don't just take my word for it. I gave the book to my eleven year-old niece. "I love it!" she said, "It's fun to read and has lots of ideas for me and my friends to do to help make us active and strong, and love ourselves."

Catherine Dees has taken an honest look at the lives of girls in the USA today. This book is easily readable by a young adolescent. The tone is direct and upbeat as it deals with a lot of difficult topics like staying safe and gender inequity.

I like Dee's approach - she calls things like they are but doesn't leave the reader feeling hopeless. She includes workable strategies and empowers girls to try them or not. She teaches them how to say No! with substance. The book also includes relevant cartoons, writings from girls and from famous women.

For any parent who's read Mary Pipher's "Reviving Ophelia", and become scared, this is the book to hand your daughter now. I find it totally consistent with the trainings I give as a diversity consultant and with the work I've done for years as a Cadette Girl Scout leader.

Esther A. Heller, Independent Consultant and Trainer. http://www.best.com/~esther

I got The Girl's Guide to Life on the recommendation of a Girl Scout professional at Girl Scouts of the USA. It's well-written and easy to use. The information is as appropriate for women as it is for girls. (It's also appropriate for men and boys!).