Finding God in Tough Times

April 1, 2014
Grades 6-9 Combining self-help with devotional guidance, this collection of suggested responses to dozens of problems about which many young adolescent girls are concerned is up-to-date and accessible. Ninety scenarios (called devotions) are presented with a uniform layout: a two-page narrative sketch of a girl with a specific issue, bracketed by thematic biblical quotes; a suggested prayer and a journal prompt; practical steps to take; a quotecredible but not citedfrom a real girl noting how she felt about having the problem herself; and indexing terms that demonstrate how scenario and advice could be helpful for several kinds of situations, such as anger, confusion, disappointment or alcoholism, death, overloaded. Although the devotionals themselves are couched in religious terms and some have specific evangelical contexts, the list of resources appended is nonsecularincluding phone numbers and websites for Al-Anon and national child-abuse, suicide, drug-abuse, and domestic-violence hotlinesand many of the proposed practical-action steps would be sound for anyone facing such issues to consider.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)