A Little Dose of Reality

How many of you guys grew up reading teen lifestyle magazines? You know the kind I mean—they talked about fashion, health and beauty, and current stars. These magazines could be a lot of fun, but they could also leave you feeling like your life was somewhat lacking. They were full of articles about the “ideal teen girl.” She was up on all the trends, she had a date every Friday night, she spent her Saturdays volunteering, and—of course—she had the perfect clothes, hair, and body.

Kids are still reading magazines like these. Believe me, I know! I read a lot of what’s on offer for kids myself to stay on top of which stars to feature in our Pop Culture Bios series. They’re still fun, but they also still promote ideals that are less than realistic.

That’s why I think it’s so important to have books on offer that satisfy the insatiable desire some of us (ahem, maybe me!) have to read about stuff like style and entertainment. These books present the same info as the magazines, but they aren’t trying to sell products or a certain lifestyle. In fact, they show that celebs’ lives are far from perfect and that it’s crucial to think critically and ask questions in our consumer culture.

Here are just a few Lerner books that cover fun subjects in a thoughtful and objective way. Perhaps you’ll want to hand them to a young reader you know who can’t get enough of popular magazines and celebrity websites.

Liam Hemsworth: The Hunger Games’ Strong Survivor