CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE TEENAGE SOUL: Reading Response

I'm not really that far into "chicken soup for the teenage soul: the real deal" by Jack Canfield, Mark Hasen and Deborah Reber, but i can already say that it's different. It has many different voices, perspectives, story lines, etc. I think that there are a lot of different ideas from the actual text about friendship. But I think one of the most important one's is the format.

Having the book be like a newspaper almost is like a friendship. you can easily skip ahead in this book and completely understand. But, you could be missing out on some of the best stories and lessons that will really matter to you. Plus, you have to read some bad to know when a good one comes along. The same way in a friendship. You could easily skip ahead all the bad parts in a friendship and still be happy, but in the end, you won't have put any effort and niether would the other person, and that person won't really have touched you in your heart (vise versa). You have to work on something for it to be real and matter.

The structure also shows how complex a person can be. They're going to have some parts that you don't like and some that you love. It's not really possible to like every little thing about your friend. If you can see and realize the parts you don't like about your friend, but still love them and care, you're really a true friend.

But i think it goes even further than that. In life, all the bad moments are what really make you who you are. They help you realize for yourself whats good and bad and what you like. If you skip all those parts, how would you even have an opinion on something? Like I said before, without any bad you don't even know whats good. This book has really showed me how much one little step along the way can make a big impact on the person you are today.

WASTED-Reading Response

The book wasted by Marya Hornbacher is a memoir about the struggles of a teenage girl/young adult. Many kids struggle with the problems that Marya has (drugs, not eating, sex at a young age, etc.), or more create these issues in their lives. But, the only reason it ever gets too far is because the people who you need aren't there fully or at all. Marya had friends and family left and right there to help her with ANYTHING. But, the only people she really needed were her parents.

I believe her parents truly wanted to help her and wanted the best for her. But, that wasn't good enough. She needed her parents to reach out and grab her and never let go, no matte how many times she pushed them away. When instead, they had too many of their own problems to fully focus on Marya. Marya's mother had always had her own eating problems and fear of commitment with her dad, so she used Marya (with no intention to hurt her) to stabilize herself. And her Dad was always afraid that Marya's mom would leave him, so he often left for a period of time, then came back only to cling on to Marya. Her parents stacked their problems on her, depended on her way too much, and used her for their own good. Parents make mistakes, but when they realize it they need to fix it. I think that Marya's parents thought it was too late, even though if that person is still that person it is never too late. But then they put her in therapy and later the hospital. When all she needed was support from her parents and to talk to them and for them to understand.


Lora was a girl Marya roomed with in boarding school. But more importantly shew as a girl who risked everything to help Marya. She literally risked her whole friendship. And it did, unfortunately, end. Because like i said before, it didn't matter who tried to help Marya she never got what she needed. Because to her nothing would matter or help unless it was her mom and dad.

One of the lessons in this book is that when someone you love is hurting you need to drop everything fort them and do anything for them to get better from what ever in dragging them down. And if they need someone else who is not giving them the attention, you still need to drop everything and try to get their attention.

AM I BLUE?

                                                                   AM I BLUE?
                                             Bruce Coville

In the short story, "Am I Blue?" a boy named Vince is struggling with his identity. He is bullied by a group of kids who call him gay, and one of those kids is actually gay. But when a fairy godfather comes to the rescue, at first Vince is struggling with the idea that he might be gay and that he is hanging out with someone who is gay, but by the end he learns to accept that he needs to be himself.
I think that this story is really about how you always need to work on accepting yourself and accepting others. If you can't admit what you really feel, just to yourself even, and to the people you care about, you are never going to really be happy. Hiding in shame to be you is not okay, because you is okay, so being you is what you need to be.

In the story, Vince is not sure if he is gay and he is embarrassed. He asked hid fairy godfather, "Does this mean I'm gay?" I think that is a perfect example of what not to do. Who you are is not up to anyone, but you. No one else can tell you who you are and aren't, because its your choice. also, he says, "it won't really do me much good to be walking with a guy like you." I think that is incredibly rude and wrong. You shouldn't care what people think about you and your friends, just be happy also it is very wrong to put others down when they want trying to be themselves. But, i do get how he feels, sometimes being seen with someone you actually don't mind,puts the image down that you are trying to project. Though that wouldn't even be a problem if you are just yourself.

Vincent does change though. He Starts to realize it's actually okay to be different if that's who you are.You may be bullied now, but in the long run you will be much happier with yourself. you will truly be able to be happy no matter what anyone else thinks or says. When he says, "For the girl of my dreams...or even my price charming." i feel very proud of the fact that he is able to say that. I think the best gift in life is being happy and loved, and both of those can only happen if you love who you are and don't care what everyone else does.

                The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

In the story "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh", the main character, Joby, a 14 year old boy, ran away from home and has entered the war to become the drummer boy.  At first, Joby is really nervous and uncertain about going through with the fight, But when the general hears him crying, he goes to help Joby realize how important he really is and that he needs to stay strong.

In the passage, it says, "Nothing was as it once was", this makes me think how much things really change. Your environment, lifestyle, and people change. Also, how much things change people and other things. This war will change families, friends, and even the earth itself. there will always be memories of what it was once, but it will never be the same no matter what. No solider will ever be the same,  and no family of the solider will either. Joby is just a kid and his whole life depends on the next few days pretty much. And even before the war Joby has so much fear and regret, what happens when all this is done and all he has is nightmares of these few days left, with nothing to even look forward to, won't that be worse?

The general helps Joby move on from his feelings of fear and doubt and get to a better place. I think this relates to the part of the story that says, "the soldiers can only give as good as they get". If Joby can get to a good place emotionally, then he can give a good beat and lead a good war.

Also, when the general says, "I even did some last night" (referring to the fact that he cried), i think he means that crying helps you move on. it helps you get closure on your bad feelings and thoughts, and let go to move forward with your life. Joby needs to let go of his fears and move on to a happier time, and there will be one.  He also has to physically move on  with his life and get out and do what his country is depending on him for. 

The General helps him gain strength in his heart to go with the war, and Joby will be able to pass that around his family and friends to help them in their time of need as well.