Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul II Read online

  What People Are Saying About

  Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul 2 . . .

  “When I read the stories, they did exactly what I expected a Chicken Soup story to do—they really provoked my thoughts. Some of them were happy/funny stories, and some of them were sad/tough-to-read stories. But all of them had one thing in common—they all showed how preteens get through the good times and the bad times.”

  Rosemary, thirteen

  “One word . . . ‘GREAT’! ! ! I loved the stories—some of them were happy, some sad—but they all teach a lesson. They are better than the mystery books I read (and I really like those). The stories are real and true . . . and that’s what counts.”

  Brittany, twelve

  “These stories have all helped me in their own way. Each one had benefits. They have touched my life, and as I get older I will remember these stories.”

  Nosylla, fourteen

  “Preteen Soul 2 is an amazing book. It has a story for everyone and they all are intriguing. You can feel the author’s pain, happiness, frustration and laughter in every story. Every preteen’s life will be improved reading a Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul book.”

  Emily, twelve

  “The stories in this book are even better than the first Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul book. When you realize that someone is going through the same thing as you, it just makes you want to go back and read the story over and over again. Every preteen must get a copy of this book.”

  Katrisha, thirteen

  “All of the stories were great! They encouraged me to go out and make new friends, try new experiences, and to defend my body as well as my mind. Thanks, Chicken Soup! You always know where to find the best stories—from the kids themselves!”

  Erika, twelve

  “I have read these stories over and over again! I think that every preteen needs to know they aren’t alone.”

  Fabiola, eleven

  “I just turned thirteen and I have been struggling with a lot of things lately. One of my friends read these stories and they changed her life forever. The stories help you learn what to do when you are in trouble. They teach you how to be yourself and not try to be somebody you’re not.”

  Jessica, thirteen

  “Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul 2 is very powerful stuff. These books mean a lot to me because when I read about the problems preteens in the stories have, it makes me realize that we all have the same problems between ages nine and thirteen.”

  Beverly, eleven

  “When I read these stories I started to cry. They were so motivational and inspiring. Everyone should read Preteen Soul 2. These were the best stories I have ever read, and what I love about them is that they are true and they are stories from people my age.”

  Ahkeyah, ten

  CHICKEN SOUP

  FOR THE

  PRETEEN SOUL 2

  Stories About Facing Challenges,

  Realizing Dreams

  and Making a Difference

  Jack Canfield

  Mark Victor Hansen

  Patty Hansen

  Irene Dunlap

  www.hcibooks.com

  www.chickensoup.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Chicken soup for the preteen soul 2 : stories about facing challenges, realizing

  dreams and making a difference / Jack Canfield . . . [et al.].

  p. cm.

  eISBN-13: 978-0-7573-9468-3

  eISBN-10: 0-7573-9468-x

  1. Preteens—Conduct of life—Juvenile literature. I. Title: Chicken soup for the preteen soul two. II. Canfield, Jack, 1944–

  BJ1631.C4652 2004

  158.1'083—dc22

  2004047450

  © 2004 John T. Canfield and Hansen and Hansen LLC

  All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

  HCI, its logos and marks are trademarks of Health Communications, Inc.

  Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.

  3201 S.W. 15th Street

  Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190

  R-10-07

  Cover art by Danny Cannizzaro, nineteen

  Cover art assembly by Peter Quintal

  Formatting by Dawn Von Strolley Grove

  We dedicate this book to the preteens

  who are making our world a better place.

  We salute you for not being afraid

  to dream and for making a positive difference.

  You are our heroes!

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Introduction

  Share with Us

  1. ON FRIENDS

  Thanks, Y’All! Michelle Strauss

  Right in Front of Me Heather Comeau

  The Mysterious Book Bag Laura Andrade

  A Friendship to Remember Veneta Leonard

  Friends at First Sight Stephanie Caffall

  Tears in the Bathroom Stall Cheryl Kremer

  The Cool Girls Mel Caro

  Being There Jared Garrett

  An Unexpected Reaction Carmen Leal

  2. ON CRUSHES

  Tasting the Moment Andrea Adair

  Ditched Colleen Mahoney

  Clueless Mridu Khullar

  Teasing Tami Michael T. Powers

  The Note Patty Hansen

  Not My Boyfriend Carol Miller

  Without the Kisses Jennifer O’Neil

  3. ON ACHIEVING DREAMS

  Head-Butting the Wall Mike Vallely

  The Idea Sydney Milucky

  Deep Inside Stephanie Ives

  More Than I Had Dreamed Of Lin Rajan

  Welcome to New Hope, Pennsylvania Julia Yorks

  Better Off Kirk Brandt

  No Place I’d Rather Be Kristi Yamaguchi

  4. ON TOUGH STUFF

  Stay with Me Jaime Fisher

  A Loving Mother Holly Howard

  The Worst Day of My Life Jennifer Kerperien

  Lucky Molly McAfee

  Maddy Molly Miller

  A Halloween No One Will Forget Heather Hutson

  The Sandals That Saved My Life Mallorie Cuevas

  65 Roses Denise Marsh

  5. LIFE HAPPENS

  Klutz Dust and Puberty Cynthia M. Hamond

  Jimmy, Jimmy Karen Lombard

  The Mummy Returns Chiara Cabiglio

  Whose Room Is It, Anyway? Aidan Trenn as told by Melinda Fausey

  Gabriella Tiffany Clifton

  The Big Slip Scott Allen

  Confessions of a Four-Eyes Gwen Rockwood

  My Most Embarrassing Moment Multiple Authors

  6. ON CHANGES

  Silence Elisabeth Copeland

  The Best Brother in the Whole Wide World Katie Beauchamp

  Moving On Ellen Werle

  My Problem Allen Smith

  Waiting for Katie Erin Shirreff

  Bad Hair Day Kerry Germain

  Get Over It and Go On Christina Zucal

  The Board Sarah Kessler

  7. BUSTIN’ DOWN WALLS

  To a Different Drummer Lennox Lewis

  Life Rolls On Jesse Billauer

  Kindness Is More Powerful Janalea Jeppson

  Bully Girl Alex Estey

  Anything Is Possible Danny Stein

  A Skater’s Determination Brittany Nicole Henry

  The Fall and Rise of a Star Patty Zeitlin

  Panic Marie-Therese Miller

  Believing in My Strength Kelsey Peters

  8. FAMILY TIES
r />   Pushed by an Angel Erin Carthew

  Three Days Old Jill Helene Fettner

  Cookin’ in Brooke’s Kitchen Brooke Harrison as told by Eryc Stevens

  Paybacks Mel Ann Coley

  I Wish You Were Dead! Shannon Griffin

  A Life’s Moment Jordan Mitchell

  The Great Fish Story Max Alexander

  Pap Pap’s Hands Nicole Koah

  Just the Two of Us Miriam Bard

  The Gift Sarah Strickland as told by Craig Strickland

  9. ON CHOICES

  Hidden in Plain Sight Lance Johnson

  Hot Potato/Cold Potato B. J. Taylor

  Locks of Love Amanda Macht

  Uncle Richie’s Lesson Michelle Collins

  Buckling Up Cassandra Scheidies

  Angel Jena Pallone

  Starring on the Six O’Clock News Erin K. Kilby

  Most Popular Nathan D. Phung

  Lost and Found Antonio Angulo Jr. as told by Marisol Muqoz-Kiehne

  10. ON DEATH & DYING

  Don’t Forget to Wait for Me Heather McPherson

  Dedicated to My Best Friend, Kenneth Nicholas Hall

  Kristina Ashley Kopf

  She Is Now My Sun Amber Kury

  The Baseball Spirit Caleb Mathewson

  Forever in My Heart Lauren Ashley Weilbacher

  Guardian Angel Colleen O’Brien

  Dapples Nicole Buckner

  My Uncle Frank MacKenzie Exner

  Ramon Emma Fraser

  11. ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE

  Adult Teeth Leah Browning

  Staying True to Myself Michelle Williams

  No, Really . . . Barney Ate My Report Card! Jenn Dlugos

  There Is Always Someone Less Fortunate Amy Mallinder-Morgan

  Thirteen Candles Allison Ellis

  Disabilities Heather Bradley

  The Helpful Stranger Alex Judge

  12. ECLECTIC WISDOM

  Covered Victoria Perry as told by Tenna Perry

  Pyramid Surprise Holly Cupala

  Initiation DeAnna Doherty

  My Dad, the Superhero Spencer Westcott

  Grandma’s Pearls Catherine Adams

  Preteen Wisdom Multiple Authors

  Afterword Jessica Sagers

  More Chicken Soup?

  Supporting Preteens

  Who Is Jack Canfield?

  Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?

  Who Is Patty Hansen?

  Who Is Irene Dunlap?

  Contributors

  Permissions

  Acknowledgments

  Once again, we are deeply grateful for the help and contributions of many who have made the process of creating Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul 2 a wonderful, fulfilling experience.

  Our very special thanks to Gina Romanello, without whom this book would never have come together as well as it has. Thanks for your hard work. You are a blessing to us, Gina, and simply put—you ROCK!

  Our heartfelt gratitude to our families, who have been Chicken Soup for our Souls!

  To Jack Canfield’s family: Inga, Travis, Riley, Christopher, Oran and Kyle for all your love and support.

  To Mark and Patty’s daughters, Elisabeth and Melanie Hansen, for once again sharing and lovingly supporting us in creating yet another book. To Eva Espinosa for keeping Patty’s home life running smoothly while she was busy with this project.

  To Kent, Marleigh and Weston Dunlap for helping see us through months of hard work by picking up the slack at home when needed. To Irene’s mother, Angela Jack, for your unconditional love and support. And to Marcia Kirschbaum for helping Irene hold down the fort during book production and for your awesome friendship and support.

  To Brittany Shaw and Joel Bakker for helping with whatever was needed to get us through different phases of production—you are a godsend. To Dena Jacobson, thanks for keeping Patty’s office in order with grace and humor. To Dee Dee Romanello, for your friendship and ongoing support in so many ways.

  To Danny Cannizzaro for another great cover design. We love working with you, Danny, and continue to be inspired by your artwork.

  To Patty Aubery, president of Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises, Inc., for always looking out for us with love and support; Russ Kamalski, chief operating officer for Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises, for your professionalism and vision—you are awesome! Nancy Autio, Barbara Lomonaco, Leslie Riskin, Heather McNamara, Jesse Ianniello, Tasha Boucher, Veronica Romero, Robin Yerian, Theresa Esparza, D’ette Corona and Mike Foster at Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises—you are all wonderful.

  Laurie Hartman, for being a precious guardian of the Chicken Soup brand.

  Jody Emme, Debbie Lefever, Michelle Adams, Dee Dee Romanello, Shanna Vieyra, Lisa Williams, Tanya Jones, Dena Jacobson and Mary McKay, who support Mark’s business with skill and love.

  Peter Vegso at Health Communications, Inc., for recognizing the value of our books from the beginning and for getting them into the hands of millions of readers.

  To our wonderful, easygoing and insightful editor, Allison Janse, at Health Communications, Inc. You are a true joy to work with and we feel blessed that you put your heart and soul into making this the best book that it could be.

  Also, thanks to the rest of the editing team, Bret Witter, Kathy Grant and Elisabeth Rinaldi, for your devotion to excellence.

  Terry Burke, Tom Sand, Lori Golden, Tom Galvin, Kelly Johnson Maragni, Randee Feldman, Patricia McConnell, Kim Weiss, Paola Fernandez-Rana, Pat Holdsworth, and the rest of the marketing, sales, administration and PR departments at Health Communications, Inc., for doing such an incredible job supporting our books.

  Claude Choquette and Luc Jutras, who manage year after year to get our books translated into thirty-six languages around the world.

  The art department at Health Communications, Inc., for their talent, creativity and patience in producing book covers and inside designs that capture the essence of Chicken Soup: Larissa Hise Henoch, Lawna Patterson Oldfield, Andrea Perrine Brower, Anthony Clausi and Dawn Von Strolley Grove.

  All the Chicken Soup for the Soul coauthors, who make it such a joy to be part of this Chicken Soup family.

  To Joanna Stokes at Music World Entertainment for helping coordinate Michele William’s story, to Courtney Myers in Lennox Lewis’ office for your awesome assistance, and to Russ Riggins at Positively for Kids for helping coordinate logistics for Kristi Yamaguchi’s story.

  To our incredible panel of preteen readers and their teachers who read hundreds of stories in order to help us make the final selections—your input was invaluable and very much appreciated: the sixth-graders at Conrad Ball Middle School in Loveland, Colorado; teachers Marilyn Burns, Brooke LaFave, Alyssa Barnes and Pam Breitbarth. The students of Riverchase Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama; teacher Jean Estes, and especially Donna Thompson who has volunteered to help us from our very first book. We love you, Donna! The students and teachers of Robey Elementary School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and principal, Kyle Fessler. The students and teachers of Silvestri Junior High School in Las Vegas, Nevada; Jackie Soden and principal Steve Wood. We appreciate all of your hard work!