Wise words, good advice...the subtitle really sums up this book. Carol Weston has written an inspiring read for all girls. I recommend it! Julia DeVillers, author of Girlwise: How to Be Confident, Capable, Cool and In Control

attention all girls ages ten and up: READ THIS BOOK! I can't tell you how much it has hepled me develop confidence, love myself, be proud to be different, treat my friends and family better, I could on and on! i can't understand how Carol understands us adolescents so well! her advice isn't boring and lecturish, but makes you think "You know, I could do what she's saying. I COULD improve myself and enjoy life." The quotes are awesome and very inspiring. This wealth of powerful information is worth it. BUY IT! At least read it. you'll want to read it over and over.

This beautifully written book is never too far from my daughter's bedside. Except when I have it! It's chalk full of practical advice and ispirational ideas. If you read it through, I guarantee you'll feel uplifted and empowered to tackle the world. My 10 year old turns to this book to browse when she's in between novels or when she needs specific advice. When friends are over, they pore over the "love" and "friendship" chapters, and it has saved her on homework assignments requiring quotes! She especially loves the blank pages at the end of the book where she is moved to record her own pearls of wisdom. I love that she'll look back at them someday. What a treasure! ATTENTION MOMS AND DADS! If you need help for that crucial, life changing pep talk - USE THIS BOOK! It's an invaluable tool for finding the right words for boosting a low self esteem moment, getting over a homework hump, managing an allowance crisis, or enriching a positive experience.

I loved this book! It was really great! It helped me through a lot of things and it acually still does! I still go through it and read it. Every girl out there should have this book!

Carol Weston is every parent's dream -- she's a smart, funny, and very sensible writer who knows just what questions are bothering girls today (including my daughters) and answers those questions in a frank, informative manner. She knows how to talk to her readers, and she knows what ground to cover. I couldn't endorse this book more heartily.

I found Private and Personal, by Carol Weston, to be a very lively, engaging book for girls. It offers sensible advice to questions that a lot of girls would not feel comfortable asking anyone else. I would definitely recommend this book to any girls who need a good humored, solid voice of reason in their lives.

I don't care what kind of advice you're looking for -- whether you're trying to fix a romance, a summer job, or a problem at school -- this book has got something helpful to say. Carol Weston herself is terrific -- practical and funny -- but the book also insludes quotes and advice from a lot of other people, too -- famous writers, artists, thinkers. It's a lot better than just hearing your best friend, for the tenth time, tell you the same old things. A definite recommend!

FOR TEENS ONLY is so good!... Whenever I get depressed or frustrated, I read a few pages and start feeling better. I guess that's because she seems like a real person (well, obviously she is) and because all the quotes seem to be talking right to me. My brother has been reading it too and he doesn't usually read books like this. But her advice make sense and isn't preachy. It's funny and inspiring. I recommend this book to all middle school and high school students. It REALLY explains everything, from how to tell if your crush likes you to when to use "it's" and "its"(which I now finally get)! And if you ever need a quote for a yearbook or paper, it has 580! FOR TEENS ONLY IS A GREAT BOOK!! FIVE STARS AT LEAST!...

Melanie Martin is back from Italy. She is now done with 4th grade (which I just finished, too!). She, her ever-serious dad, her art-loving mom, her six-and-a-half yr. old brother, Matt the Brat, and her best friend Cecily. She is SOO excited to be traveling again, especially with a friend!

The reason Cecily is going with them is because her mom, who Melanie never really liked, had breast cancer. Later in the book, Melanie realizes that Cecily's mother really isn't so bad after all. But 'Mellie' just is not very sensitive towards her best friend.

Melanie is frustrated with her parents, her brother, and especially Cecily. She is sick of hearing everyone dish out compliments to Cecily. Cecily is a good artist, Cecily looks great in royal blue, Cecily is such a good sport, Cecily says the most interesting things. Mel is pretty upset, as I would be. Not admirable,but quite true. In the end, she has a great vacation and she makes up with her pal.

This book was not perfect, but pretty darn good nonetheless. Written in diary form, this very realistic young girl teaches us Dutch words, info about artists, and how to deal with tough stuff. If you are an 8-10 year old girl who is smart enough to ask questions about breast cancer after reading this book, then pick this up at your local bookstore.

The name of this book might make you think it's just for girls. It;s not. Matt is really funny and it's cool to read about the different countries they visit.

This book is really funny. It made me laugh a lot. I enjoyed learning all about Holland, especially the artists from there like Vermeer, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. I liked seeing a new place through the eyes of a person my age. Melanie's trip reminded me of when I travel with my family (lots of excitement, lots of squabbles). I keep a journal at school, and I liked being able to read somebody else's journal. I hope Carol Weston writes more Melanie Martin books soon. I want to read them all.

The Diary of Melanie Martin
By Carol Weston

The Diary of Melanie Martin by Carol Weston is a fabulous book. Melanie, the star of the book, is going on a trip to Italy, and she will have to put up with seeing her brother, Matt, (otherwise known as "Matt the Brat") 24/7. Melanie has many adventure is Italy, such as an unexpected trip to the emergency room and playing Matt and Melanie's favorite museum game-point out the naked people. Many people, including myself, could relate to Melanie because many of us have annoying little brothers and sisters. Although watch was it done to them, they are very easy to get lost-Melanie would know.
My favorite part of the book is when Melanie and her family run into her dad's ex-girlfriend. In this part, Matt is totally oblivious to the fact that Sophie is his dad's ex-girlfriend, and he says some things he probably shouldn't say. Which is why I would recommend this book to anyone with annoying siblings, because Matt can be very funny. I also recommend the sequel to this book, Melanie goes Dutch, also by Carol Weston.

I used this book for our Mother-Daughter book club and the girls thoroughly enjoyed it (all age 9). Out of the five girls, only one girl didn't like it, and we believe it's because she and Melanie were too much alike. During the book club, they enjoyed talking about the poems Melanie wrote and trying to say the Italian words. They related tremendously with Melanie and they were all very excited to discuss her adventures through Italy.

Meet 10 year old Melanie Martin, your average american kid and child travel critic . Melanie keeps a travel journal when her folks take her and her 6 year old brother Matt on a trip to Italy. Remember those family vacations you used to take as a kid? Well trust me, when you travel with Melanie, it'll all come rushing back at you.

Melanie's accounts of plane travel, Italian culture ("Almost everyone here speaks Italian-even kids"), and her goofy adventures with her family (at a museum she plays a game with Matt to "Point out the Naked People") will have you in stitches. Ms Weston is not only a funny writer, she's a mom and it serves her well in her accounts of family behaviour. This book reminds me of my own family trips when I was a kid (hey, when I was 11, my folks took me to Italy too! I can't say I appreciated it as much as Melanie did, but then maybe she should have joined us for the ride!)

Funny, breezy and filled with the easily believable dialogue of a ten year old (complete with doodles on the pages!) This is a great book for would-be travelers of all ages.

This book was a funny look at the practicalities of planning/having a baby. Although the author really has an "ideal" job for having a baby, I still appreciated the troubles, frustrations, etc that she had. Perhaps the whole event went a little to easily and she does seem to have a perfect child and a perfect life after baby, it still inspired me that this may not be such a bad thing. A definite change from the horror stories one is so used to hearing!

Charming, funny, honest. Reassuring and encouraging for us less-than-perfect moms. Reads like good fiction, but we believe every word.

I was pregnant years ago, and boy was I afraid. From here to maternity by Carol Weston helped me greatly and made me become the wonderful mother that I am now. It gave me practical and down-to-earth advice about being a mother. I have a wonderful, smart child now, and I am the best mother I can be because of Carol.

I rolled off my bed one morning and peered at the looking glass in my room, and guess what I saw? A hideously textured face, graphically disgusting body shape, a flat clump of hair. And that's not the end of it. You bet all young girls go through the same ritual each morning, don't you? Well, at least that's what happened to me during my first few years of high school. What had I done except for whining each day about my genetically-determined hopeless physique? However, I remember reading 'Girltalk' and some related books when I was 15 years old. Carol Weston has offered me some of the most essential and practical skills in coping with my life --- from school to sex to relationships to friendships to family, and much more. Its content is the kind of stuff you'll read in an ordinary teen magazine --- only in a condensed manner. And there are these quizzes, tips, sharing of Weston's own diary clips... you name it. Of course this one book alone had not and would not have turned me into a saint overnight, but it has made its part in my development. If I have to criticize the book, it would be the lack of graphics (but I guess the text alone is good enough). Although 'Girltalk' may not be able to make a major twist in your life or mine, it is nonetheless a very useful handbook for girls like you who are going through the doubts and traumas of adolescence

to put it simply, i love this book. i received it as a gift from my sister the christmas after my 11th birthday. about two months later when i got around to reading it, WOW! i was amazed at how great this book was. carol has a way with words that makes you want to listen. i like how she doesn't pretend that a teenager won't have sex,it shows she has an ounce (more like a gallon) of sense about her. she doesn't beat around the bush, she tells it like it is in a warm and comforting way. it helped me understand what was happening to my body, and accept it. because of this book, i have gone from an unhappy and chubby adolecent to a girl who is growing confidence, loosing weight, and learning some of the many questions i had about sex and other things. it is REALLY my bible in every way, and i think that anyone age 10 to age 19 absolutely MUST own this book. you just might wonder how you ever got along without it. i love it so much, i'm considering buying a new copy to replace my very worn one! so, get this book! you won't regrete it

I'm a 12 year old girl, and I loved the book Girltalk by Carol Weston. Girltalk really makes sense to teenage girls. It talks about everything: sex, drugs, money, families, and more. At the end of every chapter, there's a letter section, where Carol answers girls' letters and gives them advice. Girltalk isn't a really nerdy book the way some teenage advice books are. It doesn't tell you to do stuff nobody who's actually a teenager would ever do, and it's written in an upbeat, interesting way. It's funny a lot of times. If you're a teenager, reading this book will make you feel normal. I think the best part is that Carol Weston includes little bits from her diaries when she was a teenager, and it's cool to see what she wrote. There's not really a worst part of this book, except that sometimes it gives advice that's a little too old lady-ish. Mostly, though, I loved this book!

The book offered good information but really basic information. The book also didn't have any tips for getting started except make a flyer.So i recommend getting another babysitting book.

This book gives you all you need to know about babysitting and is fun to read. I think it is quite descriptive on the processes of first aid and so on. I think everyone will enjoy reading this book, kids who are just starting to babysit or who already babysit but just want to brush up on stuff.

This book has a lot of useful information to girls ages eleven to eighteen, but some subjects may be a bit advanced for some. There's safe facts about drugs and a helpful quiz to help you get the information about smoking cigarettes. But there's a section in BODY that has information about inserting tampons and things of such sort. This may be advanced fro some, but overall this book is helpful, informative, and very useful if you need to know the facts that some girls aren't so sure about. I give it thumbs up!