Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review, courtesy of Ginae Says:
50 Things Your Kids DON’T Want to Tell You
by Shelly Campbell-Harley, M.A.ED
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: 978-1478773627
Synopsis*:
Shelly Campbell-Harley has a Master’s in Education and has had dozens of articles published online and offline, including The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, where one of her articles was included in TOS magazine’s Best of the Best 2013 special publication. Shelly has been involved with young people in many different facets over the past two decades, including that of teaching, educational consultant, youth group leader/director, and working with youth in a rehabilitation environment. She is currently teaching at-risk youth in an innovative charter school program in southern California.
50 Things Your Kids DON’T Want To Tell You is a compilation of valuable insights gleaned from young people aged 10-19 whom Shelly has encountered and wanted to share with parents and other adults who work with young people. It is an eye-opening experience for many who are curious as to what is going on in the lives and minds of our youth today. It was written with the purpose of opening the lines of communication between adults and young people, as well as promoting more positive relationships. 50 Things Your Kids DON’T Want To Tell You is a fascinating, scary, and realistic read that will awaken your mind and shake up your impression of how well you think the youth of today are living. With the rise of teenage suicide rates and school shootings, this book may be the beginning of an important connection needed to bridge that gap of communication while helping our young people see that they are being heard and understood.
Critique:
50 THINGS YOUR KIDS DON’T WANT TO TELL YOU
50 Things Your Kids Don’t Want to Tell You (50 Things) is comprised of five chapters;
- Family Relationships
- Personal Choices
- School: The Stage
- Legal: Crossing Lines
- S_x: No Plan
After each chapter, Campbell-Harley has a, “Reflection Page.” This is where you may list your thoughts about what you’ve read. Here, you may use free thought, mind mapping, or whatever method you deem necessary to lead to possible truths.
There isn’t any commentary on the 50 Things and it’s supposed to be that way. The book was meant to help you to think critically (deeply, not negatively) about whether or not your offspring is struggling with some of the mentioned issues. If 50 Things brings you and your young to a point where a non-judgmental conversation can be broached, then, the book will have well-earned your bucks.
Perhaps, a resource section would have been good though.
[ reviewed by Ginae McDonald at Ginae Says ]
Here’s what other reviewers are saying:
Shelly Campbell Harley understands the most important thing about getting your teen to open up and talk to you, the parent, about what’s going on with their lives. And that is listening. Not interrogating, but rather inviting your child to share with you, and responding in a way that allows for them to feel safe in their sharing. The key to get them to take you up on this invitation could be unlocked in this simple book. Forever grateful to Shelly Campbell Harley.
– Amazon Reviewer S. Brown
This book has such a great mission: to inform parents and to help empower them to have conversations! I can’t wait to share this book with my friends who have kids so they too can learn how to ask those sensitive questions.
– Amazon Reviewer Kristan
* = courtesy of the book’s Amazon book page.
Thanks for reading! Keep up with the latest in the world of indie and self-published books by watching this space every Saturday!
Self Publishing Advisor
Self Publishing Advisor 