Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: Stories of Tough Times and Lessons Learned (Chicken Soup for the Soul) by Jack Canfield

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: Stories of Tough Times and Lessons Learned (Chicken Soup for the Soul) Reviews

• 
  Alex

  While I was reading Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff, I read some phenomenal stories, but there was only one in particular that was my favorite, its called I Never Knew. The emotion that this story brought me was very depressing. Its about a girl and her best friend Cindy, and Cindy had everything going for her, she was really popular and all the guys wanted her, and she was incredibly beautiful, but one day she couldn't handle the abuse that her father was doing to her, so she decided to end her life by shooting her self with her fathers gun. My favorite character is Cindy's friend, because she was always there for her best friend when she needed someone, and my not so favorite would be Cindy because she started pushing her friend away to do other stuff, like being with guys, but when she was at her last moments she could only think about her best friend and how she was really the only family and friend that she ever knew and cared about. Also the portion of this story that captivated my attention would be when they told Cindy's friend that she killed her self, and how she was so shocked and she couldn't believe it, because she thought she so was perfect, and nothing like that could ever happen to her. I think the author wrote this book to show that the pressures of life can be devastating for teens, and that teenagers are not alone in the world with all the challenges you face. My favorite line would be the beginning quote of the story, " The difference between holding on to a hurt or releasing it with forgiveness is like the difference between laying your head down at night on a pillow filled with thorns or a pillow filled with rose petals". What made me keep reading this book was all the stories and hurts that other teenagers go through, I mean I'm to busy worrying about schoolwork and responsibilities , but I never even thought about suicides and eating disorders. If this book was made into a movie I would probably be Cindy's friend, because I could never end my own life like Cindy did. I would recommend this book to any teenager who has been through alot of tragedy's in there life, with tough times and lessons learned.
  
  
• 
  Menglong Youk

  This is by far the best books among five Chicken Soup for the Soul I've ever read. For whom doesn't know this book, I want to let you know that it is a collections of short stories on tough stuff that teenagers and some other ages meet in their every day's life, such as death of a person we know, drug, alcohol, self-acceptance, family matters, suicide, tragedy, etc. Most of the stories are more touching and inspirational than those in the previous books. Besides, I love reading stories on tough stuff which is why I love this book. If you don't know which Chicken Soup for the Soul books that you should pick up first, I'd recommend you this one.
• 
  Inès

  I feel heavy with all of these individual stories, but I also feel like I've learned a lot of life lessons.
• 
  Kathy - Books & Munches

  Honestly, I knew what I was starting when I picked up this book and it still overwhelmed me in the best way possible. So many things in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff sounded familiar, hit a chord and made me feel.
  I’m even going as far as admitting that over 30 of the stories and poems had me tearing up or full-out crying and that’s saying something. You’d think that a story of barely four pages can’t get under your skin like that but, trust me, they can. Easily.
  
  This book consists of different themes that are tackled one by one, some of them being drugs and alcohol, abuse, family matters and death. I can’t say there was even one chapter where nothing felt familiar or hit me hard because there always was at least one. Some poems will stick with me for a long time. Some stories will probably be reread a couple of times in the future too.
  
  I loved how this novel consists of stories told by the people who actually lived them. You can feel the honesty they’ve written it down with, the feelings they poured into their words. With all the different stories, you just know that they’re all feel unique too and I loved that.
  
  The fact that several – very confronting – stories and poems have editor’s notes that mention what organizations to contact should you be coping with any of the hard topics – like abuse, drugs and suicidal thoughts – made it all even better.The bad
  
  In saying that, though, there was one thing that I did have a problem with and that’s the simple fact that you don’t always know what’s going to be said in a story, what it’s going to be about. For someone who stays clear of certain triggers, this might be a problem because you don’t always figure it out until it’s too late. Sure, the themes give you some clue of the subject, but it’s not always very clear. Or there are actually two themes going on and the second one sneaks up on you.
  It didn’t bother me exactly, but I know that there are people who would definitely not cope with certain of these stories and they wouldn’t be warned up front.
  
  Still a 5 / 5 though!
  
  Kathy
• 
  Daisy

  Some stories made me cry and realize it could happen to me!!! If any of my friends read this review and story, all I have to say is please learn from these other teens past mistakes and lessons. They can help you in life as they have done for me. Especially now that we are teenagers, we think we know everyhting. Truth is, we don't! Just take my advice, learn from the past mistakes people are trying to help us avoid. I will always have a copy of this book in my house, that's for sure.
• 
  Dasha

  I remember being so young, hiding behind a lightpost at a soccer game (which I loved to watch), and I couldn't tear myself away from reading these stories. I reread them about 10 times each.
  
  Its an essential piece of art to have in your collection if you have a child, sibling, or even for yourself.
  
  
• 
  Alec John

  I love this book! i cried and laughed all the way through. If you feel alone in the world, this book is for you. I personally think they should have made the suicide section longer because it is such an intense issue today, or maybe that's why they didn't. I just loved this book! I have memorized almost all of the poems in here!
• 
  Grzegorz

  This book told many relatable stories about tough times during the teenage years. I found I was able to relate to a few of them and I found comfort that I'm not the only one who experiences some of those problems and that it is more common than I think.
  
  It probably speak out to some people and resonate with them especially if they have had similar experiences to some of the people who wrote story in this book. THis definitely makes me (and probably some others too) enjoy the book more.
  
  I recommend this to teenagers and their families to read.
• 
  Courtney Chappell

  One thing that struck me as weird was how many times there was an editors note saying that the story wasn’t all true and parts were fiction. I liked reading all of the tough stuff stories. It was definitely an easy read, as I could just read one story at a time if necessary.
• 
  Dana

  I love this book. My friends and I read it multiple times in high school, underlining our favorite passages, and comparing our own stories. They made me feel better in the tough times. I know I still have it tucked away somewhere.
• 
  Savannah

  One of my favorites by far ♥ I always reread it
• 
  Tonya Paul

  Even as an adult, reading this before I add it to my classroom library, many of the stories resonated with me. I highly recommend.
• 
  Sierra

  LOVED THIS BOOK. I read it during a hard hard time in my teenage years & this book helped me so much. Forever thankful.
• 
  Aisya

  Just needed something to read while I eat (a bad habit of mine). Nostalgic for me, as I used to read my older cousins' copies when I was younger.
• 
  evelly ๓

  just perfect
• 
  Natalia_loversland

  Amazing book, I loved all the unique stories, they touched my heart deeply. Some made me cry and others smile and for that I am grateful I read this book.
• 
  Katy Lovejoy

  They weren't kidding when they said this was on tough stuff
• 
  _kardelen

  I loveddd this book my new favourite. the stories and poems really open your eyes would recommend and re read this againnnn!!
• 
  Leah

  Chicken soup for the soul is a book that will warm your heart. :)
  This book is a collection of short stories written by and for preteens that focuses on struggles that they face everyday; making and losing friends, fitting in while keeping one’s identity, discovering the opposite sex, dealing with pressures at schools, eating disorders and coping with family.
  I highly recommend this book for preteens, as it very well illustrates the battles that we all have to face in our daily lives!
• 
  Talyah

  I read this book soooooo many times!!!
• 
  Robin

  Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: Stories of Tough Times and Lessons Learned is a book written by teenagers and some people in their early 20's, and this whole book is compiled by Kimberly Kirgerger, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. I wanted to read this book, because I was going through some tough times, and thought that maybe this book could help me get through them. I was depressed, and sometimes had thoughts of how and what it would be like if I killed myself, I hate to admit it but sometimes I see what it's like to try to kill myself. From this book I learned how to deal with my depression and how to deal with my fighting with my parents and how to deal with my thoughts of suicide. I learned how people got help, and learned how to become more sociable and more understanding of life. Even though this book helped me a lot, I sometimes have bad thoughts and sometimes, I have the same thoughts: "What would it be like if I didn't exist?" but not as often. When I finished reading the book, I was glad to know (even though I new before) that I wasn't the only kid or teen that had these certain kind of thoughts, I read and heard them in books, magazines, newspapers, and on the television on certain shows, but I felt better knowing, that all of that was real. I also photocopied some poems and stories that really helped me through my tough times, and I even wrote some to help me get my thoughts and anger out. This book really helped me.
• 
  Em

  Growing up is not easy. There are times when we find that adolescence challenges us the most. We become confused with our roles, our identities, and sometimes comes a point when we break our relationships with people around us, and worse, our relationship with our own selves.
  
  In our teenage years, we had to deal with several pressures – peer and society, family, school, career, relationships – and the greatest challenge posed before us is to triumph against temptations, i.e. to cross the adolescence bridge successfully.
  
  It is like passing through the eye of a needle, as others may say. And requires responsibility and accountability on the part of family and society.
  
  Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff is a special edition that documents the tough challenges of growing up. It is a chronicle of stories and verses that will surely break our hearts and bring us closer to the teenager we once were and to anyone we know who might be caught up in the same situations as those of teenagers in the book.
  
  I read this way back in high school and it made me understand the process I was going through – that everything was normal and what was not normal was how I respond to situations I was faced with.
  
  Adolescence tests our character – our strengths and weaknesses. We hope that this book will help or has helped us come out of it alive and whole.
  
  
  http://flipthrough.wordpress.com/2010...
• 
  Mariana

  Review by:Mariana,Massachusetts
  Title:Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul On Tough Stuff
  Author's name:Jack Canfield
  Genre:realistic fiction
  Summary"Well the book has many stories in it and theyre split into chapters based on what theyre about.For example there was abuse,alcohol and drugs,and death and dying.Its about teenagers who have a story about themselves kind of like a book of memoirs.They all hold lessons at the end which i hope people can learn from.
  Interesting:I liked how even though i havent been abused or done drugs i know all the consequences that could follow and i could feel their pain.
  How was it?:Overall,I liked he book because, the chapters seemed real unlike some books where they all have happy endings and you can tell they were fake.I liked most of the chapters but i wasnt a fan of the chapter about death and dying because even though it taught that your life could be over at any time it was kind of depressing.It shocked me how someone who was so young witha bright future could die just like that.Overall,I give the book 4 stars.=]
• 
  Victoria Garcia

  The book Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff by Jack Canfield tells the story of many teenagers life through a friends death, abuse, drug addiction, achohal addiction, and suicide. Overall, I thought the book was a really good book. I like reading the Chicken Soup books and when I saw this one in the school library I thought I would start to read it for fun. Well I quickly got addicted to this book soon after I read the first few pages. It amazes me that so many teenagers are willing to share their stories with everyone even though they were not perfect in these times. One of the stories that really stuck with me was the one where this girl is talking about how her high school boyfriend would abuse her, but she didn't leave at first because she as so in love with him. This is a really intense book, so I definitly think you need to be at least 13 to read this book.