The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love the journey of Canadian Norris Kaplan, hockey player, Haitian American, snarky, and moving to Austin, TX. His guidance counselor asks him to keep a journal of his observations of this new world, thus the title of the book. His ruminations, his real life interactions into the high school world, and just life in general all go into the field guide. Funny most of the time, but Norris' thoughts and mouth continues to get him in trouble. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

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Haiti On My Mind; Stories By Haitian American Teens

Haiti On My Mind by Dana K. Vincent

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow, for such a skinny book of stories, Haiti On My Mind, was compelling heavy reading. I was captivated by the Haitian teens writing for Teen Communication telling their stories of hope and fear, joy and despair. With a moving foreword by Edwidge Danticat, Haiti's history, traditions and heritage is chronicled by teens who now live in the United States. The message is clear; since the 2010 earthquake, Haiti will need our understanding in order to rise above the chaos that decimated much of their country. The essays speak about the refugee experience and also about the many challenges of teen life. Teens reading this book will learn about prejudice, triumphs, failures and alienation, but they will also see the proud resilience of the Haitian American immigrant.



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