Teens - Life & Relationships, Teens - Hot Issues

Heartbreak and Roses

Name: Heartbreak and Roses
Author: Janet Bode,Stanely Mack
ISBN: 9780531117767

by Janet Bode, Stanely Mack

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Overview

In a compelling collection of teenagers' essays, Janet Bode presents an honest look at romance and how it affects today's young people. The voices are true and vivid, painting a remarkable picture of teenage emotions and needs.

Teachers and students from dozens of schools used the first edition of Heartbreak and Roses to begin a dialogue about young love and its complications. By reading the essays, students were able to see that their worries and troubles are universal, and they were assured that others shared the problems they faced in their own lives.

Now in this revised edition, Bode again provides teachers and students with an invaluable tool. These essays serve as a starting point for those who wish to understand the experiences of teenagers who are in -- and out -- of love. The voices of these young people set the stage for frank discussions about boyfriends and girlfriends, issues of race and sexual orientation, and making good decisions amid pressure from parents and peers.

Young love is not merely about attraction; in our modern world, it can be about choosing sexual activity or abstinence, having to combat verbal or physical abuse, and balancing friendships with romances. Heartbreak and Roses presents the problems and pitfalls of love, and it provides hope for those who seek healthy and nurturing relationships.

Teens from around the United States reflect on love, sexual behavior, and relationships with their parents and friends.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

ISBN 0-440-21966-3 A dozen real-life stories explore teenage relationships, focusing on such topics as interracial dating, codependence, coping with a disability and breaking up. PW called the work ``compassionate and compelling.'' Ages 12-up. (Jan.)

VOYA - Voya Reviews

This revision of the 1994 publication is primarily one of style, not content, with a new artistic cover and trendy interior design. The content is divided into three parts: "10 minutes on love" are mini-autobiographies; "Love troubles: the details" are four- to five-page relationship stories; and "This thing called love" is a teachers' and students' guide to the book. The revisions in content include five new mini-autobiographies; updated fact boxes throughout the text; and the inclusion of part three, the section that suggests discussion questions and activities. The bulk of the book, "Love troubles," remains the same as the first edition, though two stories replace those of Charlene and Amy-Rachel, who tries to maintain a long-distance relationship and friendships, and Frank, who grew up in a cult and has been unlucky in love until he starts to make friends on the Internet. A new comic strip by a girl with a disability, a poem titled "I am still me," and a letter from LaDonna, whose boyfriend was killed, were added as well. The honesty and reality in these teens' stories continues to be relevant. Consider a purchase of this important book, especially if your first edition copies are worn or missing. Illus. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2000, Franklin Watts, Ages 12 to 15, 144p. PLB $25, $8.95 pb. Reviewer: Julie Wilde