The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make: A Guide for Teens
Grade 8 Up—In this practical and lively self-help title, the author argues that teens have six key decisions to make, and that their choices will make or break their futures. The decisions involve getting a good education, choosing true friends, getting along with parents, dating and sex, avoiding addictions, and establishing a healthy sense of self-worth. Covey provides tips for making and following through on each of these areas and delivers concise sound bites of advice peppered with colorful graphics, cartoons, and movie quotes. He supports his arguments with facts, statistics, and analysis. For example, in urging teens to stay in school and keep up their grades, he provides a chart of lifelong earnings based on the highest degree earned, as well as the money needed for a family. The author briefly addresses problems associated with the choices. For example, regarding school, he gives tips on dealing with stress, time management, learning disabilities, and preparing for college. He is frank in discussing sex and dating myths and the dangers of STDs and teenage pregnancy. This book covers typical self-help territory, but does so in a manner that teens will appreciate. Its downfall is its wide scope and the author's failure to cite most of his sources. However, the volume is not designed to be read straight through, and its quick and easy tips will appeal to most readers.—Jane Cronkhite, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.