The first chapter, �How Did I Get Myself Into This?� has three stories where teens face moral dilemmas. One teen finds himself in possession of a photograph that could ruin a teacher�s reputation and career, another must decide whether she will do the right thing even if it means breaking the rules of her workplace, and a group of teens who created their own video game must deal with the legal ramifications of microsubliminal messages that affect player behavior.
Other chapter titles are �It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time,� �What Do I Do Now,� �How Do I Get Myself Out of This,� and �I�m Sorry.� Booklist (November 15, 1997) described some of the stories as �disturbing� and �shocking,� with stories that were �right out of today�s headlines.� Teens in these stories face problems that include pregnancy, bullying, blackmail, parental conflict, gang warfare, drug addiction, war, cheating, peer pressure, and facing the consequences of their actions. Each story has a brief one or two sentence �preview� and is followed by a brief biographical sketch of the author, including literary accomplishments. Many of these biographical sketches illustrate how the writer�s life influenced his or her writing.
Each of the stories in this book was written specifically for this collection. They are Donald Gallo�s response to the popular belief that today�s teens are ethically illiterate with no moral compass. Rather than condemn or promote certain behaviors, Gallo�s intent in preparing the collection was to show �fictional teenagers who find themselves in situations that test the strength of their character. They are called upon to make moral choices, to face the consequences of their actions, to consider what it means to �do the right thing.�� (p. xii)
Teens will find the stories accessible, because the characters are close to their own ages, in contemporary settings, facing realistic problems. The organization of the stories by theme provides opportunities for comparisons and discussion in a classroom or book club setting. Kirkus Reviews (October 15, 1997) praised the book as �an honest, sturdy collection; it poses complicated questions and allows readers to search for the answers in some very good company.�
Awards
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Related Websites
Donald R. Gallo Bio: http://www.candlewick.com/authill.asp?b=author&m=bio&id=2930&pix=n
Teen Central: http://www.teencentral.net/
Source
Books in Print [database online]. Available from http://www.booksinprint.com. Accessed 18 November 2004.
School of Library and Information Studies
TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY