Nonfiction Monday Review: DOABLE by Deborah Reber

Laurie Thompson — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 09:51:24 +0000

DOABLE: THE GIRLS’ GUIDE TO ACCOMPLISHING JUST ABOUT ANYTHING
by Deborah Reber
Beyond Words/Simon Pulse (January 2015)

In this well-organized, easy-to-digest nonfiction book for teen girls, Reber employs her training as a life coach as well as her extensive work with teen girls to lay out an eight-step plan for readers to achieve whatever it is they want to tackle in life. The steps include defining the goal, defending against obstacles, developing support systems, determining what success looks like, doing the work, dealing with setbacks, and delivering the goods. Each step has numerous examples, pullouts, journal exercises, and more, and every chapter ends with a summary to reinforce the main points. Reber manages to do all of that while maintaining a charisma and relatability that puts readers at ease while at the same time empowering them, and the tone is never the least bit condescending nor overwhelming.
I loved this book and plan to refer back to it for my own to-do list management. In fact, my one and only quibble with this book is that it is targeted solely at teen girls, because I think EVERYONE over the age of 10 should read this book! I think we could all learn a thing or two from it that would make us more successful and make our lives that much easier. That said, Reber is perfectly in touch with the teen girl audience, and while the core content is highly applicable to any reader, the voice and viewpoint will surely be directly relevant and relatable to many teenage girls.
This book would make a great eighth grade or high school graduation present, and it’s a super helpful read for anyone who wants to be more productive (don’t we all?). Far from being didactic, DOABLE instills a sense of confidence and excitement. Reber is a fantastic coach AND a cheerleader, all rolled into one. Highly recommended!

Review: Start It Up teen nonfiction

Laurie Thompson — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:26:36 +0000

START IT UP by Kenrya Rankin is a must-have resource for teen (and even middle-grade) readers who wish to start any kind of business, whether it be for profit, nonprofit, or mixed.
The book is clearly written and easy to understand, yet includes a wealth of information for young entrepreneurs. The design is clean and functional, with pullouts for quick tips, anecdotes, quotes, and recommended resources. There are also fun quizzes and helpful worksheets. All of this combines to turn what could be a dull, dry topic into a fun, encouraging yet realistic resource.
I’d bet there’s enough substance there’s enough substance in this little gem that even the most seasoned entrepreneurs (adults included!) will find something of use here. And it’s presented in such a way that even the least business-minded individuals (again, adults included!) will be inspired and able to get started in no time.
For changing a life, or changing the world, this book is a winner! For more great nonfiction books, check out the rest of the catalog at Zest Books–Teen Reads With a Twist. (And no, I haven’t been compensated in any way for this post. I received a free galley from NetGalley for review purposes only.)
This post is part of the Facts First! Nonfiction Monday roundup. Nonfiction Monday takes place every Monday at various blogs throughout the kidlitosphere, who write about nonfiction books for kids and collect all the reviews in one place. This week, the Nonfiction Monday roundup is being hosted by Jean Little Library. To see the entire schedule, please visit the Nonfiction Monday blog.

teen - Laurie Ann Thompson

Nonfiction Monday Review: DOABLE by Deborah Reber

Review: Start It Up teen nonfiction