Chicken Soup for the Girl's Soul : Real Stories by Real Girls about Real Stuff

by Canfield, Jack, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780757303135
• ISBN10: 0757303137
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-09-07
• Publisher: Hci

Summary

From Barbies to your first bra, from holding your teddy bear to slowdancing with your first boyfriend, from knowing everyone in elementary school to trying to make new friends in middle school. . . . When dealing with these changes, it's no wonder preteen girls can freak out from time to time. Consider Chicken Soup for the Girl's Soul your survival guide! From reading the true experiences of other preteen girls, as well as women who've been there, you'll see that you're not the only one who feels clueless and insecure sometimes. You'll read about tough subjects, such as peer pressure, cliques, divorce and loss, as well as fun girls only stories about friendship, embarrassing moments (these could take up an entire book!), body changes and first crushes. These stories will make you laugh, cry and realize that girl power is truly something to celebrate. You'll turn to this book again and again, whenever you need the advice only girls can give. Chicken Soup for the Girl's Soul is sure to be what a girl wants!

Table of Contents

Foreword	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction	xvii
1. STRAIGHT UP GIRL STUFF
A Perfect Fit
Kathy Lynn Harris	2	(7)
Not Just for Girls Anymore!
Diane Sonntag	9	(2)
The Bust Developer
Mary Laufer	11	(4)
"One Day You'll Look Back on This..."
Laurie Lonsdale	15	(3)
The Day I Gave My Panties Away
Katherine Anne Magee	18	(4)
Unidentified Floating Object
Sandra Wallace	22	(4)
Girl to Girl
Multiple Authors	26	(8)
Do Girls Belong?
Angelica Haggert	34	(4)
2. I'VE GOT THE POWER
Big Things
Dallas Nicole Woodburn	38	(4)
Call Me
Cynthia M. Hamond	42	(5)
The Slam Book
Barbara J. Ragsdale	47	(3)
Compassion for a Bully
Melanie Pastor	50	(4)
The Most Important Lesson
Hope Rollins	54	(4)
Lost and Found Dream
Kathryn Lay	58	(3)
A Cheer of Triumph
Kim Rogers	61	(5)
3. FRIENDSHIP AND BFFS
Soul Sisters
Kayla K. Kurashige	66	(5)
The Five Flavors
Roxanne Gowharrizi	71	(3)
My Friend
Anna Vier	74	(4)
Forget Him
Sarah Hood	78	(3)
Do You Remember When?
Mina Radman	81	(2)
One Is Silver and the Other Is Gold
Karen Waldman	83	(6)
A Friend's Secret
Bethany Rogers	89	(5)
A Valentine to My Friends
Rachel Punches	94	(5)
4. FAMILY MATTERS
The Day Our Dad Came Home
Pamela D. Hamalainen	99	(4)
God on Her Side
Ashleigh Figler-Ehrlich	103	(6)
Miracle Babies
Stephanie Marquez	109	(4)
The Perfect Brother
Kacy Gilbert-Gard	113	(4)
One Single Egg
Cheryl L. Goede	117	(4)
Raining Memories
Kirsten Lee Strough	121	(4)
Sarah's Story
Sarah Crunican	125	(4)
Home
Cynthia Charlton	129	(6)
5. SISTER SISTER
Ready or Not
Morri Spang	135	(5)
Jackie's Little Sister
Lauren Alyson Schara	140	(2)
Big Sister
Olga Cossi	142	(4)
If Only
Rita M. Tubbs	146	(4)
The Wild Hair
Ariel G. Subrahmanyam	150	(2)
The Gift of Faith
Nydja K Minor	152	(4)
Best Friend
Bethany Gail Hicks	156	(6)
6. TOUGH STUFF
For Michelle
Satya Pennington	162	(4)
The Day My Life Ended
Sammie Luther	166	(3)
Cancer, the Only Word I Can't Say
Sammi Lupher	169	(3)
It Never Your Fault
Hattie Frost	172	(4)
BIT
Courtney VanDyne	176	(4)
Hero
Brittany Shope	180	(5)
Behind the Bathroom Door
Katy Van Hoy	185	(4)
Sleep-Away Camp
Kellyrose Andrews	189	(5)
7. THE PRESSURE'S ON
So Which Will It Be? Us—or Her?
Anne Broyles	194	(4)
Danny's Courage
Penny S. Harmon	198	(3)
You Are Never Too Young to Take a Stand
Maudie Conrad	201	(3)
Trying to Handle It
Marcela Dario Fuentes	204	(4)
File Party That Lasted a Lifetime
Leigh Hughes	208	(7)
Suffocating
Marion Distante	215	(2)
To Have a Boyfriend—or Not?
Patty Hansen	217	(6)
Easy as 1, 2,...3
Emily A. Malloy	223	(3)
Intimidation
Carrie Joy Carson	226	(6)
8. CRUSHIN' HARD
My Story
Melanie Marks	232	(5)
A "Bite" of All Right!
Paula Goldsmith	237	(3)
Never Should Have
Kristen Weil	240	(5)
My First Kiss
Khristine J. Quibilan	245	(2)
Secret Crush
Karin A. Lovold	247	(4)
The Truth
Anna Bittner	251	(2)
Learning How to Move On
Elizabeth White	253	(3)
Nineteen
Kathleen Benefiel	256	(4)
9. CHANGES, CHANGES AND MORE CHANGES
Late Bloomer
Julie Workman	260	(5)
ARB
Alison Gunn	265	(4)
Headgear
Stephanie Dodson	269	(4)
Did She Say "Ovary"?
Tasha R. Howe	273	(6)
Hair Horror
Michelle Peters	279	(4)
Strapped for Cash
Robin Sokol	283	(5)
I Learned the Truth at Thirteen
Carol Ayer	288	(4)
10. FREE TO BE ME
The Shy Girl
Laura Andrade	292	(6)
Never Cool Enough
Natalie Ver Woert	298	(5)
Parting Ways
Christina Shaw	303	(2)
Sweet Lies
Laura Gene Beck	305	(5)
Okay to Be Me
Monica Marie Jones	310	(4)
Ugly Girl
Morri Spang	314
Afterword
Rachel Punches	320	(3)
Share with Us	323	(1)
Supporting Girls	324	(1)
Who Is Jack Canfield?	325	(1)
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?	326	(1)
Who Is Patty Hansen?	327	(1)
Who Is Irene Dunlap?	328	(1)
What Is Discovery Girls Magazine?	329	(2)
Contributors	331	(10)
Permissions	341

Excerpts

One Day You'll Look Back on This . . . I've learned to take time for myself and to treat myself with a great deal of love and respect 'cause I like me. . . . I think I'm kind of cool. - Whoopi Goldberg I can't go to school like this! I wailed as I stared into my mirror, hating my face, my body and life in general. A river of salty tears traced a path down my cheeks. Summoned from the kitchen by my shrieking, my mother appeared at my side a second later. What's the problem? she asked patiently. Everything . . . just everything! I complained and continued to stare horrified into the mirror. At almost thirteen, the problems that I felt I had were overwhelming. I had a hideous new crop of angry, red pimples that had erupted on my forehead and chin overnightevery night. My hair suddenly looked greasy all the time, even though I washed it every second day. My aching tummy signaled that my newfound friend was about to visit once again, causing my jeans to fit too snugly and make me appear as though I had been eating nothing but hot fudge sundaes. And to top it off, my chewed-up fingernails were torn and bloody, since biting them seemed to go along with the way I worried about how other people perceived me. But everything that was bothering me wasn't just on the surfaceI also had a broken heart. The guy I had been going out with had recently dumped me in favor of an older, more developed girl. Everything combined, I was a physical and emotional wreck. Come on, now, Honey. Try not to cry, my mother said with a smile. I remember what it was like to be your age. It was awkward and frustrating, and I got my heart stomped on, too, but I came through itand so will you! It's not as bad as you think, and once you get to school with all your friends, you'll forget all about your pimples and what's-his-name, and one day you'll look back on this and wonder why you were ever so upset. Convinced that she didn't know what she was talking about, I gave her a dirty look and headed off for school, greeting my girlfriends on the sidewalk while my mother waved encouragingly from the front door. Later, as much as I hated to admit it, I found out that my mother was right. As I spent time with my friends who were going through the same things that I was, my mind wasn't on my troubles anymore, and soon I was laughing. When I returned home later that day, I was in a much better mood and because I had put my best foot forward, my mother rewarded me with a bag of goodies she had purchased from the drugstore. On my bed was a bag that included shampoo and conditioner, some acne medication, a gift certificate to a hair salon and, surprisingly, some hot, new shades of nail polish. What on earth is this? I asked bewildered, thinking that my mother had to be out of her mind if she thought I was going to flaunt my gnarled nails. As it turned out, she had a plan. I thought that it was cruel at the time, yet it turned out to be highly effective. I wasn't allowed t

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Excerpted from Chicken Soup for the Girl's Soul: Real Stories by Real Girls about Real Stuff by Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Hansen, Irene Dunlap, Jack Canfield
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.