Blast: Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen by Barbara Becker Holstein

Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen  by Barbara Becker Holstein
Publishers: Sky Pony Press
Published: February 10th, 2015
Pages: 144

Following in the footsteps of The Truth, Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen begins as the thirteen-year-old protagonist makes a move with her family to a new town. She has grown up a lot over the past year—and has made a list of everything that’s important to her now that she doesn’t want to forget when she gets older. But now, as she enters her early teen years, she begins to write down the secrets she wants to keep—and the ones she has no one to tell about. From new school experiences to a new baby in the family to a new crush, this new teen finally feels empowered on making her own decisions with confidence and keeping those secrets she holds dearest for herself.

In a positive and supportive diary-entry format, Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein encourages tween and early teen girls to carry the most precious parts of themselves into adulthood. A great book for mothers and daughters to read together, Secrets is aimed to improve communication, understanding, and self-esteem for young girls as they enter the rocky road of teenager-dom.

 Excerpt

Date: June 27

Dear Diary,

I can’t believe it. Today we moved, and I feel like I’m in a dream. I just keep walking around our 

new house and wondering when we will go home. It feels so different and strange.

Everything is on one floor (that’s called a ranch house). The floors are all bare wood. My mom 

said our rugs would look terrible here so she let the people who bought our old house keep 

them. I think she was probably right. They were a dark maroon and the walls here are a light 

cream. I don’t think that would look good.

I went to the bathroom three times since we got here and every time I used a different

bathroom. I can’t believe it. Three different toilets in the same house! Only my friend

Susan, my rich friend, had more than two bathrooms in her house. And four bedrooms!

And a family room. I can’t believe we have this much space now.

When I look out of the windows I expect to see the shrubs and the Hudson’s house who were 

next to us on the left, but I don’t. Instead, I see a big open field that will probably have houses 

built on it by next year. That’s what my dad said anyway. And when I look out to the right I 

expect to see our clothesline and the Dixon’s driveway, but instead I see rose bushes and a 

wooden bench under a tree that the last owners said we

could have.

Tonight, we had to eat supper off paper plates and use plastic forks, knives, and

spoons because our boxes are still packed. My aunt made us a big picnic basket full of

food and that’s what we ate for supper. It was delicious. There was fried chicken, potato salad 

and potato chips, cupcakes for dessert, and fruit salad. And at the bottom of the basket under 

the ice was a whole package of Hershey Kisses. Yum!

My brother already started to play with a kid next door who’s about a year older than he

is. He’s so lucky. I have no new friends yet and that’s the truth!

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About the Author

I have been a positive psychologist in private practice for the past thirty years. In the course
of working with my clients, I originated the idea of THE ENCHANTED SELF(R), a positive
psychology therapy where I teach people how to recognize and utilize their strengths, talents,
skills and even lost potential. I have developed a number of methods, including using our
memories to rediscover what is right about ourselves and our lives, rather than what went
wrong, helping people to overcome adversity, experience positive emotions and live the good
life!

Since developing this concept, I've been able to use many tools to bring the Enchanted
Self to everyone, particularly women and girls. I've written many books, starting with THE
ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy, and then Recipes for Enchantment, The Secret
Ingredient is YOU! My books for girls are very popular, as they are great fictional reads and
also help deal with many of the questions that trouble kids as they move into the tween and teen
years. The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween and Secrets, Diary of a Gutsy Teen are the first two
books in this series.

I really love to teach and educate about happiness and how to benefit from positive psychology
in ways that let us lead lives of meaning and happiness. You can find me all over the place
on the web. In particular, www.enchantedself.com, www.thetruthforgirls.com, on Facebook at
Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein: Psychologist & Author, on Pinterest at
http://www.pinterest.com/barbarabeckerho/ and on You Tube. Just look for me on You Tube via Barbara Becker Holstein.