Between: A Girl’s Guide to Life

Between: A Girl’s Guide to Life
Vicki Courtney
B& H Publishing Group
ISBN: 0-8054-4193-2
Non-Fiction, Self Help, Teens
Reviewed by Laura Pelkey

Many of the issues facing preteen girls have been intensified by television, movies, music and even the internet. Preteen girls are feeling the urge to grow up faster and faster. Parents are often left wondering how they can stop this social trend. Between: A Girl’s Guide to Life is a Christian based guide that aids girls in making positive choices by giving practical and accessible advice.
The guide is organized into three Chapters, You, Others and God. Under each topic there are several smaller articles and even quizzes. The first chapter primarily deals with self-esteem and self-image. However, there is also a very good section on protecting oneself online. Girls are told not to communicate with strangers over the internet and are reminded not to gossip or engage in other similar behavior through e-mail or instant messaging.
The next chapter deals with interpersonal relationships. It gives advice on how to strengthen bonds with both friends and family. Selflessness, trust and forgiveness are emphasized in this chapter. Also, girls are taught how to cope with mean girls and how to interact with boys. Divorce is also touched upon in this chapter, though, probably not as much as it should have been considering that so many girls have divorced parents.
Lastly, the final chapter discusses the importance of prayer and using the bible as a guide through life. It reminds girls to be grateful to God and to consult a knowledgeable adult if something in the bible confuses them. There are quizzes in this section to test the reader’s knowledge of biblical facts. Furthermore, it explains that everyone sins and that God’s love is unconditional.
Though, this is written for preteens, parents should read this guide as well. This way they can reinforce some of the values being taught and maybe discuss exceptions to certain “rules”. For example, being trustworthy is important but if a friend has confided that they are being abused or engaging in some sort of risky behavior, then, it is okay to tell an adult that can help them. Some secrets are just too big to keep. Also, a section about interacting with girls of different faiths would have been a nice addition. It wouldn’t be very Christian to use Christianity as an excuse to be cliquish or cruel. However, overall this guide has a lot to offer preteens and when used with appropriate parental guidance will be a powerful weapon against negative influences.