Johanna, Rasheedah, and Rachel: each became an unmarried mother while she was still in her teens. With the birth of her baby, each girl’s “ordinary" teen life was over. Johanna’s boyfriend acted happy when he heard she was pregnant. But as her pregnancy progressed, she saw less and less of him. Soon after the baby’s birth, he went to jail. How would she support a baby without even a high school degree? After Rasheedah’s baby was born, all she could do was cry. She didn’t know anything about babies. She didn’t even dare touch this screaming, demanding stranger. Her depression grew as her dreams of college vanished into thin air. Rachel wanted to be popular. Boys liked her. But she also wanted to save her reputation. When she discovered she was pregnant, she told a lie—one that would haunt her until her daughter was born. Johanna, Rasheedah, and Rachel are three of today’s teen moms. They have offered to share their stories so that other young girls won’t make the mistake of thinking, “It couldn’t happen to me."

How do some people accomplish so much with their lives? Is it that they’re just lucky? Or amazingly smart? Or is it that they are ordinary people who have learned to motivate themselves, even when the going gets tough?Read about real-life people who have faced real-life obstacles—maybe some of the same obstacles that stand between you and the achievement of your dreams. Despite their problems, all have found ways to motivate themselves to succeed. Here are four of the people you’ll meet in this book: Paul, who flunked out of college and into a minimum-wage job. Dawn, whose chaotic life was filled with violence, drinking, and drugs. Peggy, a college student clinging to a boyfriend who liked her best when she was failing. Grant, whose drunken accident on graduation night was an appropriate end to his high school career.

True stories of incest and recovery.

Profiles twenty young men and women of a variety of ethnic backgrounds whose courage and determination have helped them overcome such obstacles as poverty, racism, abuse, neglect, illness, and drugs.

The real life story of Gaby Rodriguex, the teen who faked her pregnancy as part of a sociological experiment.

Through thirty first-person teen narratives, including new stories on social media and gender identity, readers learn about seven resiliencies everyone needs to survive and thrive. Otis deals with the real-life consequences of online aggression; Artiqua dates a boy of another race despite her family’s opposition. Charlene is raising her brothers and sisters because their mother is addicted to drugs; Craig is gay and worried about coming out. All of these teens have had more than their share of troubles. And all have the resiliency needed to face their troubles, live through them, and move forward with courage, confidence, and hope. In thirty first-person narratives, teen writers share how they’ve overcome obstacles in their lives. As teens read, they discover they’re not alone in facing life’s difficulties. They learn about seven resiliencies everyone needs to survive and thrive in even the toughest times: insight independence relationships initiative creativity humor morality In this updated edition, new stories feature topics such as social media, gender identity, and drug addiction. A “Think About It” section at the end of each story offers questions for personal reflection or discussion. Vivid, articulate, and candid, these stories will motivate readers of all ages to build the skills and strengths they need to triumph over adversity. The corresponding leader’s guide, A Leader's Guide to The Struggle to Be Strong updated edition, provides activities, exercises, and questions to invite teens to go deeper into the stories and issues of The Struggle to Be Strong.

In this inspirational and unflinchingly honest memoir, acclaimed author Reyna Grande describes her childhood torn between the United States and Mexico, and shines a light on the experiences, fears, and hopes of those who choose to make the harrowing journey across the border. Reyna Grande vividly brings to life her tumultuous early years in this “compelling...unvarnished, resonant” (BookPage) story of a childhood spent torn between two parents and two countries. As her parents make the dangerous trek across the Mexican border to “El Otro Lado” (The Other Side) in pursuit of the American dream, Reyna and her siblings are forced into the already overburdened household of their stern grandmother. When their mother at last returns, Reyna prepares for her own journey to “El Otro Lado” to live with the man who has haunted her imagination for years, her long-absent father. Funny, heartbreaking, and lyrical, The Distance Between Us poignantly captures the confusion and contradictions of childhood, reminding us that the joys and sorrows we experience are imprinted on the heart forever, calling out to us of those places we first called home. Also available in Spanish as La distancia entre nosotros.

"Important work . . . A beautiful example of what happens when you let girls write and share it with the world." — Samhita Mukhopadhyay, Teen Vogue Teenage girls tell their most urgent stories, punctuated by inspiration and advice from Zadie Smith, Roxane Gay, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Gloria Steinem, Alice Walker, and more of today's great writers. Girls Write Now: Two Decades of True Stories from Young Female Voices offers a brave and timely portrait of teenage-girl life in the United States over the past twenty years. They're working part-time jobs to make ends meet, deciding to wear a hijab to school, sharing a first kiss, coming out to their parents, confronting violence and bullying, and immigrating to a new country while holding onto their heritage. Through it all, these young writers tackle issues of race, gender, poverty, sex, education, politics, family, and friendship. Together their narratives capture indelible snapshots of the past and lay bare hopes, insecurities, and wisdom for the future. Interwoven is advice from great women writers—Roxane Gay, Francine Prose, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Zadie Smith, Quiara Alegria Hudes, Janet Mock, Gloria Steinem, Lena Dunham, Mia Alvar, and Alice Walker—offering guidance to a young reader about where she's been and where she might go. Inspiring and informative, Girls Write Now belongs in every school, library and home, adding much-needed and long-overdue perspectives on what it is to be young in America.

The editor of the classic GO ASK ALICE has compiled the poignant journals of a 14-year-old date-rape victim who contracted AIDS and died.

Get ready for a thrilling romantic ride with three complete romantic suspense novels from the FBI series by #1 NYT Author Barbara Freethy PERILOUS TRUST "A non-stop thriller that seamlessly melds jaw-dropping suspense with sizzling romance, and I was riveted from the first page to the last." USA Today HEA Blog It was one dark night that brought Damon Wolfe and Sophie Parker together. They were two tortured souls, looking for escape, and they weren't supposed to see each other ever again… Four years later, Sophie's FBI father, who is also Damon's mentor, is killed in a suspicious car crash after leaving Sophie a cryptic message to trust no one from the agency. When Damon shows up looking for her, she isn't sure if he's friend or enemy, but she knows he could easily rip apart what is left of her heart. The last thing Damon wants is to get involved with Sophie again. It was hard enough to walk away the first time. But she's in trouble, her father's reputation is under attack, and the lives of his fellow agents are at stake if there's a traitor in their midst. When someone starts shooting at them, they have no choice but to go on the run and off the grid. Everyone in their world becomes a suspect. They want to uncover the truth, but will it turn out to be the last thing they expect? Proving her father's innocence might just cost them their hearts…and their lives… RECKLESS WHISPER "This story has so many twists and turns that I read it in one sitting...a must read for everyone, I don't want to ruin anything, so I will just say...WOW" Booklovers Anonymous Blog FBI Special Agent Bree Adams has a personal secret, something she has managed to keep hidden for the past ten years-at least she always thought so… But a chance encounter on a train, and whispered words of chilling consequence change everything. Is the truth about to come out or is someone playing with her mind and her life? Nathan Bishop knew Bree when she was a street kid like him. Their dark past once put him in her debt, and he had to pay up. The last thing he wants to do is help her again. He has a new life now—a life he could lose with one wrong move. But the beautiful Bree is desperate—how can he walk away? To get to the truth, protect innocent lives and their own, they'll have to fight their way through the past, as danger stalks their every move, and heartbreaking choices must be made. DESPERATE PLAY "Words cannot explain how phenomenal this book was. The characters are so believable and relatable. The twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat and flying through the pages. This is one book you should be desperate to read." Caroline Special Agent Wyatt Tanner has always worked undercover. He thrives in the dark of the night. He survives by turning himself into someone else. But living so long in the shadows can make a man forget who he really is. When people start dying, when he finds blood on his own hands, he questions the choices he has made, the people he is with. Can he find his way back to the light? Can he trust the beautiful woman who needs his help? Or does she also have a secret life? He'll have to make one desperate play to find out… Don't miss this page-turning, heart-stopping romantic suspense collection by #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy Note: THE FBI SERIES takes readers on thrilling, romantic, and suspenseful adventures! Every story stands completely on its own and there are no cliffhangers! The books feature complex and exciting storylines ranging from kidnapping to organized crime, terrorism, and espionage. Personal stories often play out against a bigger, broader storyline, and surprising twists will keep you up all night. Start reading today! Check out other books in the series! Perilous Trust #1 Reckless Whisper #2 Desperate Play #3 Elusive Promise #4 Dangerous Choice #5 Ruthless Cross #6 Critical Doubt #7 Fearless Pursuit #8 Daring Deception #9 Risky Bargain #10 Perfect Target #11 Fatal Betrayal #12