Girt for a flirt alert |
Tony Bradman(aged 43¾) surveys a selection of advice books for teenagers |
1 | | DEAR DIARY - nice | | | | in garden. | | | | however, compared to righ- |
| | lady from The Daily | | 4 | | Friends or Enemies? (Hod- | | | | teous indignation prompted by |
| | Telegraph rang to ask | | | | der, £3.99), by Anita Naik, | | | | next book off pile. Enter the |
| | if yours truly would review | | | | very like reading magazine | | | | Boy-Zone: Sport Sorted for |
| | books that explain mysteries | | | | articles strung together to | | | | Girls (Piccadilly, £5.99), by |
| | of life, relationships, and so | | | | make book. Not surprising, as | | | | Caroline Plaisted, turns out to |
| | on, to teenagers. Said yes, as | | | | author is agony aunt of Just | | | | be a bluffer’s guide to sport for |
| | own family contains (just) | | | | Seventeen, publication own | | | | girls eager to impress teenage |
| | several adolescents, and | | | | 17-year-old subscribes to, and | | | | males with their understanding |
| | yours truly realises teen years | | | | whose letters page tackles | | | | of the offside rule. Feel this is |
| | can be difficult and angst- | | | | things even yours truly has | | | | obscurely patronising to both |
| | filled. Have dim memory of | | | | never heard of. The book, | | | | sports-crazed girls and boys |
| | going through it, and feel | | | | however, not so hair-raising, | | | | with brains. |
| | advice books might be useful. | | | | but deals with friendships, and | | 8 | | Reach bottom of pile and |
2 | | Large parcel arrives and | | | | is full of sensible advice on | | | | find Victoria McCarthy’s |
| | yours truly thinks of cunning | | | | subject close to every teen | | | | Body Talk (Hodder, £3.99), |
| | wheeze: order offspring to | | | | girl’s heart. | | | | another magazine-style vol- |
| | read books. Alas, 13-year-old | | 5 | | Not quite sure how to take | | | | ume aimed at helping teen |
| | son engaged in permanent | | | | Boys Behaving Badly (Picca- | | | | girls in the quest for “Lurve” |
| | phone conversation (to Mars, | | | | dilly, £5.99), by Jeremy | | | | by reading “body signals” as |
| | judging by bills); 17-year-old | | | | Daldry. At first glance, said | | | | they go on “flirt alerts” and |
| | daughter last seen leaving | | | | volume appears to be a hand- | | | | try to “snare” their men. Feel |
| | house on platform-soled train- | | | | book for teenage boys, with | | | | less said the better on this one, |
| | ers - estimated time of return, | | | | advice on puberty, looking | | | | and am reaching saturation |
| | early hours of morning; their | | | | cool, dating, and so on, all set | | | | point with prose dominated by |
| | 19-year-old sister is now | | | | out in a rIoT of wiLd | | | | interjections of the “Aargh! |
| | costing family a fortune at | | | | tyPOGrapHY. Also thought | | | | I’m so depressed ’cos I can’t |
| | university. So thrown back on | | | | son had scribbled badly spelt, | | | | get a boyfriend” variety. |
| | own middle-aged resources. | | | | unfunny comments through- | | 9 | | Finally decide to come up |
3 | | First book off pile strikes | | | | out, but suddenly realise this | | | | with pithy conclusion on |
| | instant chord. Scan pages of | | | | supposed to make book seem | | | | books under review. Feel |
| | Help! My Family Is Driving | | | | rather sUbvERsiVe. | | | | some are good, many medi- |
| | Me Crazy! A Survival Guide | | 6 | | Still cannot get son off | | | | ocre, and some not worth the |
| | for Teenagers (Piccadilly, | | | | phone, so forced to rely on | | | | paper printed on. No matter, |
| | £5.99), by Kathryn Lamb, for | | | | own judgment. Feel this book | | | | as most adolescents, like son, |
| | tips on how to get son off | | | | has plenty of good advice and | | | | on phone so much they have |
| | phone, but no luck. | | | | information, but am deeply | | | | no time to read them. Things |
| | Annoyingly, said book written | | | | irritated by presentation of | | | | looking up, though, as good |
| | from teenager’s point of view, | | | | same, although as yours truly | | | | lady wife seems interested in |
| | and includes excellent advice | | | | is by now (according to off- | | | | A Complete Guide to Kissing |
| | for adolescents on how to | | | | spring) well past use-by date, | | | | (Macmillan, £3.50), by Nick |
| | handle parents and siblings by | | | | this may simply be a function | | | | Fisher. Perhaps yours truly |
| | using flattery, bribery and | | | | of age. | | | | not past use-by date after all. |
| | diversionary tactics. Have | | 7 | | Feelings regarding young | | |
| | buried Kathryn Lamb’s book | | | | Mr Daldry’s book very mild, | | 'The Daily Telegraph |