Cliques, Phonies, & Other Baloney

Peer Power explodes existing myths about children’s friendships, power, and popularity, and the gender chasm between elementary school boys and girls. Based on eight years of intensive insider participant observation in their own children’s community, the authors discuss the vital components in the lives of preadolescents: popularity, friendships, cliques, social status, social isolation, loyalty, bullying, boy-girl relationships, and afterschool activities.

This book is designed to help recreation leaders better understand individuals with learning disabilities in order that they may better implement quality leisure experiences. The book describes in detail characteristics of various learning disabilities; the instruments used to diagnose learning disabilities; self-awareness of a learning disabled in regard to learning, living, and leisure; the benefits of leisure to a learning disabled individual; and possible modifications needed in the delivery of recreation and leisure services to these individuals. Packed with helpful appendices and suggestions, it sheds new light on helping create quality leisure experiences for all individuals.

Brain chemistry, not bad parenting, is responsible for the 12 percent of children younger than 18 who have diagnosable brain disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), separation anxiety disorder (SAD), or enuresis (bed-wetting). Through case studies, scientific data, and information about children’s development and brain chemistry, Koplewicz helps parents understand the obstacles their brain-disordered children face. A practicing psychiatrist, he also suggests means, including therapy and medication, by which families may lessen the difficulties posed by those disorders. He devotes the final section of the book to considerations of the nature and treatment of problems including, besides those noted above, depression, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, and autism. Presented with compassion but in no-nonsense style, his effort offers a wealth of scientific information in a format easily accessible to parents, extended families, and friends of “difficult” children.
—Kathryn Carpenter from Booklist

This book uses the Building Blocks model. The Building Blocks model is practical, supported by research, and easy to implement. It identifies ten areas important to school success (the building blocks), divided into three levels:

1. the foundational level includes attention and impulse control, emotion and behavior, self-esteem, and learning environment blocks
2. the symbolic processing and memory level contains the visual, auditory, and motor skills blocks
3. the conceptual level comprises using strategies and thinking with language and images

Meet Eddie Minetti, human whirlwind and third-grader. He thinks, moves, and speaks quickly and it often gets him into trouble. One day at school, Eddie arrives late because he forgot his lunch, misses part of his spelling test, is accused of cheating, knocks over things, and loses the classroom’s pet rat and that’s only part of the morning! His exasperated teacher, Mrs. Pinck, says, “I’ve had enough, Eddie, enough!” That’s all it takes, and soon the entire class is taunting Eddie with his new nickname, Eddie Enough.

Richard Bolles’s What Color Is Your Parachute? has helped millions of readers find their path in life, and now his Creative Approach to Job-Hunting is brought to bear on the specific challenges faced by job hunters with disabilities. In Job-Hunting for the So-Called Handicapped, Bolles and Dale Susan Brown guide readers through the often-frustrating, but ultimately rewarding process of securing independence in their lives and personal satisfaction in their careers. The authors begin by demystifying the intricacies of the ADA, describing in clear terms what the act does and does not guarantee disabled job hunters, and then move on to job-hunting strategies tailored specifically to people with disabilities.