Life Issues

Peer Pressure & Identity

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Adolescence and Peer Pressure by Herbert G. Lingren
Discusses peers and adolescence, adolescents and the community, and effective strategies for coping with peer pressure.
How to Combat Peer Pressure by Mike Hardcastle
Defines peer pressure and offers advice on how to overcome it.
Peer Pressure & Choices: How to Think for Yourself (In a World Where Everybody Wants to It for You) by Jennifer James
This is one in a series of publications on drugs, behavior, and health published by Do It Now Foundation.
Peer Pressure -- It Isn't ALL Bad! Defines positive and negative aspects of peer pressure.

Read It -- Fiction

Bagdasarian, Adam. First French Kiss and Other Traumas
A collection of humorous stories follows Will, a young man grappling with the trials and tribulations of adolescence, as he tries to become popular in school, searches for romantic love, and attempts to live up to his father's high standards. 134 pages
Beale,Fleur. I Am Not Esther
After her mother unexpectedly leaves her with her uncle's family, members of a fanatical Christian cult, Kirby tries to learn what has become of her mother and struggles to cope with the repressiveness of her new surroundings and to maintain her own identity. 250 pages
Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War
A high school freshman discovers the devastating consequences of refusing to join in the school's annual fund raising drive and arousing the wrath of the school bullies. 253 pages
Fleischman,Paul. Whirligig
While traveling to each corner of the country to build a whirligig in memory of the girl whose death he causes, sixteen-year-old Brian finds forgiveness and atonement. 133 pages
Fredericks,Mariah. The True Meaning of Cleavage
When Jess and Sari, best friends since seventh grade, begin their freshman year of high school and Sari becomes obsessed with a senior boy, Jess wonders if their friendship will survive. 211 pages
Gallo,Donald R. (Editor). On the Fringe
From a star football player standing up for a tormented student to a ruthless bully who tests the faith of a religious girl, a dramatic collection of stories portrays the teen 'outsider' experience. 224 pages
Lubar, David. Flip
Eighth-graders Ryan and Taylor are twins, but that's where the similarities end. But they share at least one thing in common: nothing is turning out as they planned. 300 pages
Luntta, Karl. Know It By Heart
When a racially mixed family moves into an all-white neighborhood in East Hartford, Connecticut, in 1961, lives are altered forever. Karl Luntta's Know It by Heart follows the adventures of young Dub Teed, his sister -Susan and neighbor Doug Hammer, who befriend newly arrived Ricky Dubois, the daughter of an African-American woman and her white husband. When burning crosses appear at night -- and worse -- the young adolescents set out to find justice and discover themselves in the process. 336 pages
Myracle,Lauren. Kissing Kate
Sixteen-year-old Lissa's relationship with her best friend changes after they kiss at a party and Lissa does not know what to do, until she gets help from an unexpected new friend. 198 pages
Sheldon, Dyan. Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen
In her first year at a suburban New Jersey high school, Mary Elizabeth Cep, who now calls herself 'Lola,' sets her sights on the lead in the annual drama production, and finds herself in conflict with the most popular girl in school. 272 pages
Sheldon,Dyan. Planet Janet
Sixteen-year-old Janet Bandry keeps a diary as she deals with an annoying family, school, a quirky best friend, and trying to find herself through vegetarianism, literature, romance, and her 'Dark Phase.' 223 pages
Shipley, Jocelyn. Getting a Life
When her friend Tanya tells her that she doesn't like Carly's dependency, fifteen-year-old Carly tries to find her own path, which leads her to Dawn Redford, who seems to be everything Carly wants to be. 223 pages
Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl
In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.186 pages
Tashjian, Janet. The Gospel According to Larry
Seventeen-year-old Josh, a loner-philosopher who wants to make a difference in the world, tries to maintain his secret identity as the author of a web site that is receiving national attention. 240 pages
Whitney, Kim Ablon. See You Down the Road
Sixteen-year-old Bridget, member of an Irish Traveller community in the United States, questions the traditions of her family's nomadic and criminal way of life and begins to wonder if she wants to continue living it. 188 pages
Wittlinger,Ellen. What's in a Name
Each of ten teenagers living in Scrub Harbor, Massachusetts, explores his or her identity at the same time that the local residents consider changing the name of their town. 181 pages

Read It -- Nonfiction

Carter-Scott, Chérie. If High School is A Game, Here's How To Break the Rules: A Cutting Edge Guide To Becoming Yourself
Practical advice, motivating quotes from popular personalities, and real-life anecdotes offer teens a guide to dealing with the day-to-day struggles of adolescence. 163 pages
 
Cherniss, Hilary.The Complete Idiot's Guide to Peer Pressure for Teens
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Surviving Peer Pressure for Teens is must-have resource for getting through the teen years-- from the tyranny of looking and acting cool to dealing with sex, drinking and drugs, violence, and the many other forces and influences teens face today. 159 pages
Covey, Sean. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: The Ultimate Teenage Survival Guide
A collection of quotes, ideas, and inspirational thoughts offer teenagers guidance for improving their self-image, building friendships, achieving their goals, making important decisions, preventing and alleviating depression, and gaining self-confidence. 268 pages
DiBattista, Rosemary Genova. Female Body Image: A Hot Issue
Details the effects that the media has on body image, describes how women adorn and alter their bodies to conform, and explores how to develop a positive body image, despite what society considers ideal. 64 pages
GirlSource (editorial team). GirlSource: A Book By and For Young Women About Relationships, Rights, Futures, Bodies, Minds, and Souls
Let's face it, it's tough for teenagers to get straight answers about life's important issues from parents and teachers. GIRLSOURCE bypasses well-meaning adults and goes straight to the source to answer 50 questions teenage girls are dying to ask. Based on a survey of more than 500 young, urban women and the personal experiences of the Young Women's Editorial Team at GirlSource (a nonprofit organization dedicated to young women) GIRLSOURCE addresses real-life topics like dealing with stress at home and at school, deciding when or if to have sex, getting the truth about illegal drugs, and finding a great job. 96 pages
Glass,George. Drugs and Fitting In
Discusses teen culture in America and how drug use has become part of that culture; offers guidance for teens on how to say no to drugs and still fit in. 64 pages
Gray, Heather M. & Phillips, Samantha. Real Girl/Real World: Tools For Finding Your True Self
Provides information for teenage girls about sexuality, birth control, health, body image, eating disorders, and feminism. 221 pages
Handel, Sherry S. Blue Jean: What Young Women are Thinking, Saying, and Doing
Articles written and edited by young women include, "Volunteering and Activism," "Speaking Out," "Feminism," "Mind and Body," "Wanna Hear a Story?", "Ethnicity and Race," and "Create Your Own." 246 pages
Hinds, Maurene J. Focus on Body Image: How You Feel About How You Look
Discusses how young people feel about the way they look, the impact of society and advertisers on an individual's body image, problems with poor self-esteem, and maintaining a healthy body image. 64 pages
Kirberger, Kimberly and Mortensen, Colin. On Friendship: A Book For Teenagers
Offers teens important insights into friendship and love, including advice on how to handle jealousy, betrayal, and growing apart. 383 pages
Koubek, Christine Wickert. Friends, Cliques, and Peer Pressure: Be True to Yourself by
Contents: "What is a Friend?", " Making Friends," "The Three P's-Peer Pressure, Popularity, and Parents," "Dealing with Conflicts," "Cliques," "How to Deal with Former Friends and Bullies," "High School Reunion-The Future Face of Teen Friendships." 64 pages
Locker, Sari. Sari Says: The Real Dirt on Everything from Sex to School
The advice columnist for Teen People Online presents a guide that answers questions that confront teenagers on a daily basis about kissing, dealing with nosy parents, coping with peer pressure, and more. 326 pages
Mayall, Beth. Get Over It! How To Survive Breakups, Back-stabbing Friends, and Bad Haircuts
For its entertainment factor alone, this book is worth its price. But there's also a ton of very real, very healthy, very useful advice behind the way cool lingo. The theme throughout is: calmly confront the problem, express your feelings and needs, and move on to a solution, even if it means saying good-bye to a relationship or a plan. Whether the issue is a boyfriend who pressures you to have sex, a best friend who blabs your secrets, or dealing with a new stepfamily, Get Over It! has a solution. 119 pages
Mosatche, Harriet and Unger, Karen. Too Old For This, Too Young For That! Your Survival Guide For The Middle School Years
Quizzes, stories, surveys, and activities for middle schoolers addressing such issues as physical and emotional changes, connecting with friends and family, setting goals, and handling peer pressure. 190 pages
Weiss, Stefanie Iris. Coping With the Beauty Myth: A Guide For Real Girls
Describes the cultural standards of female beauty as seen in the media, their potentially damaging effect on girls' self-esteem, and ways to counteract their negative effects. 112 pages
Weston, Carol For Teens Only: Quotes, Notes, & Advice You Can Use
The follow-up to For Girls Only is packed with helpful advice for girls and guys, tips for teens on being themselves, positive thoughts about life from the author, a noted advice columnist, and tons of quotes from famous people. Original. 248 pages
 

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Right Decisions, Right Now presented by Right Decisions Right Now
Features an episode of Sister, Sister in which Tia and Tamera give in to peer pressure and experiment with smoking, and later change their decision about smoking and feel good about it. (VHS )

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D.A.R.E. (520) 741-4615
D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, a program of the Pima County Sheriff's Department.
Information and Referral Services (520) 881-1794
Information & Referral is a private nonprofit organization that has been providing information services for over 25 years. The staff can draw from a variety of sources to find the right assistance for you. Their resources include an extensive database of more than 2500 services in Southern Arizona
OUR TOWN Family Center (520)323-1708
OUR TOWN is committed to expanding and strengthening support systems for children and youth in Pima County.