Stories by Teenagers Series
Reading about the deeply personal experiences of Catholic teens is an enlightening avenue into the hearts of young people. Each book in this series includes over 45 personal experiences written by students.
By sharing their stories, these young women and men give voice to their faith experiences and help others recognize God's role in their own lives. Each book is illustrated with 11 original student artworks. Catholic teens will find in these engaging books inspiring journeys of faith!
Click on any cover or title for more information.
$9.50
In this first volume of Stories by Teenagers, we invited students to send us stories that relate to the question, "What has been your most memorable experience of good coming out of a bad situation, of kindness in the midst of ugliness, or growth in the midst of difficulty?" In these stories, young people show the extraordinary strength and vision required to draw good out of bad situations. "My experiences as a child were not always pleasant. I have seen things that no child should ever have to see. I was a little girl who grew up too fast for her own good. But the suffering has made me the person I am today. I value life and people. I am more sensitive to the needs of others, and I think I am more understanding of other people's suffering. My life experiences have proven that through the dark shadows of life we can grow emotionally and learn to love." (Neha Lall)
Award: I Know Things Now was a finalist in the category Young Adult Non-Fiction for the Small Press Book Award in 1997.
$9.50
For this second volume of Stories by Teenagers, we invited young people to write about friends. These wonderful stories by teenagers illuminate with biblical wisdom. "I have always considered myself a person who has many friendly acquaintances, but not many true friends. I have always needed many people and activities going on in my life at one time, but because there is so much going on, I never really felt that anyone considered me a close friend. That is, until my father's heart attack and surgery this past November. I've always heard that you judge your friends by who stands by you when things are all wrong, not when things are going well." (Jordan E. Walsh)
$10.50
Certainly we all need hope and inspiration. It keeps us open to fresh possibilities for a bright future. Indeed, we are lost without hope. For this third volume of Stories by Teenagers, young people wrote about where they find hope and inspiration. As these stories make clear, the sources of hope are many. All are important. "I have found my inspiration and hope for the future through my family, from my grandparents, my mother, my aunts, and other relatives telling me of my Chinese heritage. They spin me the stories of their lives, webs of sorrow and joy, good times and bad times, to be heard, felt, and remembered in my heart. I've heard stories of my ancestors from long ago. Their tales are kept alive by word of mouth and passed on through the generations." (Jennifer Kutsenda)
$9.50
"When is God present? When is God absent?" In this fourth volume of Stories by Teenagers, young people write about experiences in which they recognize the presence or the absence of God in their lives. Readers will witness the receiving of gifts that are so fulfilling that the recipients can imagine only one possible source, a loving God. Readers will also witness pain and loss in which the writers can find no evidence of God's presence. In either case, the stories demonstrate how young people wrestle with questions about God's existence and are willing to grow and learn through all challenges. "He looked into my eyes, and I could see God in him. I burst into tears all over again, releasing my joy in a flood. I knew then and there that I was doing a good thing and that it was the right thing. Ryan was crying too, and we hugged each other tight. I don't know if he is the person I will spend the rest of my life with, but we will always share a close bond because of this experience. It is a bond no one can break because it is a bond with each other and with God." (Laura Kay Slavicek)
