Beyond Texting

June 16, 2014
Fine aims to help teenagers navigate their social and professional lives through effective communication. Suggesting that early relationships inform later ones, she encourages readers to move beyond their comfort zones to better understand themselves and others. Included are anecdotes about individuals facing various dilemmas (one student “comes across as disengaged in class” because she is shy and avoids eye contact with her teacher), as well as tips for making conversation, saying “no” to peer pressure, and balancing online and in-person relationships. Fine is keenly aware of the role technology plays in teenage relationships, while recognizing that building meaningful connections still requires work. Ages 13–up.

June 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-Fine, who has written titles for adults, now turns to teens with advice on conversation and social skills to help with friendship, jobs, and social events. Short chapters use pithy titles to describe various topics ("Entering the Chatroom" discusses icebreakers, while "Sending Instant Messages" deals with body language) and, in a nod to Facebook, end with a "poke," or a brief sum-up. Unfortunately, these metaphors feel a bit forced and may date quickly. The book is divided into three sections: "Conquering the Conversational Basics," "Dealing with Difficult Interactions," and "Managing the Digital World." The first section is the most successful and contains some helpful suggestions for starting a conversation that both adults and teens should find beneficial, while the latter two have some fairly predictable advice without real insight. Overall, the author's style is accessible to teens. However, despite its eye-catching, bright yellow color, the cover is cluttered with writing and lacks illustrations, meaning most teens will probably give this title a pass. A useful book, but one that may have limited appeal to its intended audience.-Michelle Anderson, Tauranga City Libraries, New Zealand

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Grades 7-11 This how-to-communicate guidebook offers young readers active tips for putting forward their best selves clearly and accessibly in all manner of social situations. From basicssuch as breaking the ice, keeping a conversation humming, and speaking with adultsto more advanced topicsmaking romantic connections, handling confrontation, dealing with cyberbullying, and integrating digital and in-person interactionsthis slim volume offers a wealth of information. Fine cleverly draws comparisons between digital spheres and in-person interactions, and she helpfully offers suggestions for moving from virtual conversations to IRL (in real life) with a special exhortation to be careful when meeting online friends in person for the first time. While the advice for teens is handy, this may find a wider readership among adults who want to impart good advice to teens or better understand electronic communication. Though the blocklike paragraphs and sparse illustrations are less likely to appeal to the social media savvy, the advice calling for direct, honest, respectful, and confident in-person conversations is certainly valuable.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)