CNN - Reader's Cafe: Surviving childhood

Corwin, who has a 12-year-old daughter of her own, uses her experience to help shed light on "perhaps the most perplexing stage in your child's development."

Expanding bodies and minds, changing interests, peer pressure, self-absorption -- they all add up to create trying relationships between kids and parents. Corwin's advice? Realize it's temporary and arm yourself with the tools to understand where your son or daughter is coming from. Remember, you were once a tween, too.

Full of worksheets (for both children and parents), personal stories and interviews with experts, "The Tween Years" covers everything from physical milestones, discipline and self-esteem to issues such as depression and eating disorders.

"The Tween Years: A Parent's Guide for Surviving Those Terrific, Turbulent, and Trying Times Between Childhood and Adolescence," was published in October by Contemporary Books.

'Girls Know Best 2'

"Girls Know Best 2," compiled by Marianne Monson-Burton, is true girl power at its best. Ice skating whiz Tara Lipinski penned the introduction, and each chapter, packed full of activities, advice and personal stories, was written by a different girl, ages 7 to 16.

Chapters include "Making Bad Days Better," "How to Have the GREATEST Slumber Party of All Time," " A Girl's Web World" and "What to Do When Your Best Friend Ditches You" -- all pretty important issues in a girl's life.

More serious matters are addressed, too, including smoking, drugs and reckless driving.

Girls will like this book because it's written by their peers -- not adults too far removed to "get it." It may also inspire young writers; girls can submit their own thoughts for future "Girls Know Best" collections.

The book, with fresh and funky artwork, has a photo of each author, as well as a brief biography and a list of her goals. It is available from Beyond Words Publishing.

Parents could learn a thing or two about the mind of a young girl by reading "Girls Know Best 2" -- just don't let your daughter catch you.

'Boys Know It All'

A similar work from Beyond Words Publishing is "Boys Know It All," compiled by Michelle Roehm. Thirty-two boys contributed an intriguingly eclectic mix of topics for the book.

An 11-year-old offers tips for catching toads ("When the sprinklers are on, they can be found in the damp grass eating bugs"); a 16-year-old Native American artist gives the scoop on creating comic books; and two 10-year-olds offer the "Top 10 Cool Comebacks for Getting Dissed."

Parents will like the advice on behaving like a gentleman, being a good big brother and surviving sisters. There is also a moving story titled "Toughing It Out" from an 11-year-old who has battled a brain tumor.

But, like "Girls Know Best 2," boys will like "Boys Know It All" because it's written by kids just like them, in language they can understand. The hip graphics add to the package, helping send boys some important messages in an enjoyable format.

'Cliques, Phonies, & Other Baloney'

Geared toward kids ages 8 to 13, "Cliques, Phonies & Other Baloney" deals with a subject that every youngster faces at one point: the pressure to be popular.

Author Trevor Romain, through funny illustrations and clever dialogue, teaches kids that being a member of a clique isn't all it's cracked up to be. He explains what cliques are and why they can be hurtful, how to spot a phony and how to be a real friend.

By putting things into perspective -- are you really dying to be in a clique? -- Romain lets boys and girls learn that being different is OK.

The concepts are easy to grasp for even the youngest children, thanks to Romain's goofy artwork. "Cliques, Phonies & Other Baloney" is available from Free Spirit Publishing.

'Making Every Day Count'

"Making Every Day Count," by Pamela Espeland and Elizabeth Verdick, is an unusual offering -- a daily guide designed to help young people improve their problem-solving skills, set and reach goals and feel good about themselves.

Each calendar-style entry has a quotation that introduces the subject, a short essay and an "I-statement" that prompts the reader to follow through on what he has learned.

For instance, the February 26 statement is "I'll let my mind wander," intended to encourage creativity. October 9 states "I won't fear the truth," to help children learn to face the facts, even when they are painful. And on July 29, "I'll make time for a friend."

"Making Every Day Count" puts boys and girls in the driver's seat -- they read their daily pages and take action on that day's message. Some of the "assignments" are vague enough to be personally tailored ("I won't hide the real me") and some are specific ("I'll start a Gratitude Journal"), but each gets the message across in a unique way.

Compact enough to fit in a bookbag or nightstand drawer, "Making Every Day Count" would be a great holiday gift to start the New Year off on an inspiring note. It's available from Free Spirit Publishing.

Previous visits to the cafe:

Old time religion - October 2, 1998

Focus on women - September 17, 1998

Focus on art, old and new - September 4, 1998

An autopsy for your teddy bear? - August 3, 1998