A wealth of sensible information for parents of boys.
A how-to guide on raising boys.
"Boys don't demand our attention the way girls do," writes Wiseman (Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World, 2009, etc.), but that does not mean they don't need guidance just as much as girls. In fact, she writes, "[b]oys profoundly want strong, comforting, honorable adults who admit how messy life is." Using scientific research and information gained directly from more than 150 boys, Wiseman examines the complex world of young men as they navigate school, the playground, locker room, playing fields and social arenas of modern life. Based on the concept that there are unwritten rules about how to "Act-Like-A-Man," which affect every male child, Wiseman unravels how these conventions stop boys from expressing their emotions and asking for help. The author breaks typical boy behavior into a variety of groups, from the Mastermind to the Punching Bag, and helps parents figure out where their son fits. From there, she gives straightforward advice on how to converse with a boy so that a parent receives actual information, not sullen stares and rolling eyes. From lying to sneaking out of the house to proper manners to use of the computer, Wiseman's sound and steady assistance provides a calm response to every twist and turn on the multifaceted road of parenthood. Especially important are the insights she presents on what to do when a boy discovers the roller coaster of emotions and desires involved in sexual situations, such as sexting, foreplay and sexual abuse.
A wealth of sensible information for parents of boys.Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-307-98665-8
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Harmony
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
A straightforward tale of kindness and paying it forward in 1980s New York.
When advertising executive Schroff answered a child’s request for spare change by inviting him for lunch, she did not expect the encounter to grow into a friendship that would endure into his adulthood. The author recounts how she and Maurice, a promising boy from a drug-addicted family, learned to trust each other. Schroff acknowledges risks—including the possibility of her actions being misconstrued and the tension of crossing socio-economic divides—but does not dwell on the complexities of homelessness or the philosophical problems of altruism. She does not question whether public recognition is beneficial, or whether it is sufficient for the recipient to realize the extent of what has been done. With the assistance of People human-interest writer Tresniowski (Tiger Virtues, 2005, etc.), Schroff adheres to a personal narrative that traces her troubled relationship with her father, her meetings with Maurice and his background, all while avoiding direct parallels, noting that their childhoods differed in severity even if they shared similar emotional voids. With feel-good dramatizations, the story seldom transcends the message that reaching out makes a difference. It is framed in simple terms, from attributing the first meeting to “two people with complicated pasts and fragile dreams” that were “somehow meant to be friends” to the conclusion that love is a driving force. Admirably, Schroff notes that she did not seek a role as a “substitute parent,” and she does not judge Maurice’s mother for her lifestyle. That both main figures experience a few setbacks yet eventually survive is never in question; the story fittingly concludes with an epilogue by Maurice. For readers seeking an uplifting reminder that small gestures matter.
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4516-4251-3
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Howard Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
The sub-title of this book is "Reflections on Education with Special Reference to the Teaching of English in the Upper Forms of Schools." But one finds in it little about education, and less about the teaching of English. Nor is this volume a defense of the Christian faith similar to other books from the pen of C. S. Lewis. The three lectures comprising the book are rather rambling talks about life and literature and philosophy. Those who have come to expect from Lewis penetrating satire and a subtle sense of humor, used to buttress a real Christian faith, will be disappointed.
Pub Date: April 8, 1947
ISBN: 1609421477
Page Count: -
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 17, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1947
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