Teens live for the moment and want to experience what they see other teens do. Many don’t want to feel left out and will do anything to fit in the crowd. A child becomes a teenager at the age of thirteen and at eighteen they are considered an adult. During the five years, we lose many teens through drugs and suicide, many become teenage parents or are serving time in jail or prison. The real-life stories in this book will take the teens on a journey of the aftereffects of these temptations, and know how to avoid yielding to them when tempted.

Book Critic

I have just finished reading How to Succeed Through Your Teenage Years by Thesina C. Daniel. This is a positive, powerful book with a deep understanding of what young adults have to deal with during such a critical stage in life. Ms. Daniel breathes life into the characters allowing the reader to relate with them from the beginning of each chapter. Simple flowing sentences with a powerful positive message make this an easy and enjoyable read at any age level. I strongly recommend this book to young adults and parents for it is a valuable tool for building the teen/parent gap. –M. Schultz

 Dear Miss Daniel: I read a few stories from your book. I really enjoyed the ones I did read. The first one that I had an interest in when I looked at the table of contents was Dream Date. I feel that this was extremely good way to show teenage girls what could happen if they get to involve with a guy and the wrong guy at that. I loved that story because every girl has the one crush that makes you melt. I really thought that you hit the nail on the head with your stories. The book had a really accurate sense to it. You could really see the situations in your head. To me your book had a very valuable impact on me. I would recommend your book to anyone with or without problems because of the sincere way you have. I am sure that anyone who comes across your book will appreciate life a lot more. The thing is that most people with a problem don t know that what they are doing is wrong until they see how it can affect another person. Your book can really help a lot of people. Some teens have yet to come across any of the issues address in your book, but by reading the stories it can prepare them for future battles, and teach them that the easy way out is not going in at all. I would just like to thank you for the time thought and effort you have spent in this amazing book. –A. Mackin, High School Student

Dear Miss Daniel: I am a high school student. I read your book, How to Succeed, and I think it was a really great book. Most books are not as popular as this book. I just happen to see a blue book in many of my classmates hands so I said to myself, you aught to try that. I began to read the introduction and the first story I started with was Suicide. While reading the story I found myself wiping tears from my eyes. This book really gives you something to think about, I mean at first you would think of life is a piece of cake but it’s not that easy. The next story I read was ‘Dream Date’, and by me being a teenager, girl, myself it really slowed me down from the way I was going because if I would have been in April’s place I don’t think I would have been able to handle being a teenage parent. Last but not least I really enjoyed your book and I am looking forward to reading another one very soon. Always, Edwards.

Dear Miss Daniel: I read your book in my English class. I really enjoyed your book especially the part about Suicide. I used to be suicidal. I did not see any purpose for me to live, I felt no one loved me, and people could care less if I am alive of dead. But now I do see a purpose in living and I know that God has a plan for me in life. I now know that I am loved by friends and family. My friends had a really big part in it, they helped me get my head straight and get help. Your book also inspired me to get help. I realized that life is a very good thing and I would not take it for granted. Your book inspired me to go for things that I didn’t believe were possible. So I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope that I get to meet the woman who inspired me to live. Take care, Lauren

Dear Miss Daniel: I am a 10th grader. I came across your book by a friend who took it out of our English class. I was bored one day and I read the book. What I found interesting about your book was that you wrote about drugs, teen pregnancy, suicide, etc. and got straight to the point. If you were to ask a lot of other people about the topic they would avoid the question. I am glad you wrote about it and I got to read it. It gave me the knowledge to know what could really happen if I chose to commit suicide, do drugs or have sex outside of marriage. I respect that you had the courage to tell us about things that other people wouldn’t. Thanks, Sincerely, Sabrina

Hello Miss Daniel: I read a few stories from your book. I really enjoyed the ones I did read. The first one that I had an interest in when I looked at the table of contents was ‘Dream Date’. I feel that this was extremely good way to show teenage girls what could happen if they get to involve with a guy and the wrong guy at that. I loved that story because every girl has the one crush that makes you melt. I really thought that you hit the nail on the head with your stories. The book had a really accurate sense to it. You could really see the situations in your head. To me your book had a very valuable impact on me. I would recommend your book to anyone with or without problems because of the sincere way you have. I am sure that anyone who comes across your book will appreciate life a lot more. The thing is that most people with a problem don’t know that what they are doing is wrong until they see how it can affect another person. Your book can really help a lot of people. Some teens have yet to come across any of the issues address in your book, but by reading the stories it can prepare them for future battles, and teach them that the easy way out is not going in at all. I would just like to thank you for the time thought and effort you have spend in this amazing book. With appreciation, Mackin

Dear Miss Daniel: I am a 10th grader, I play sports and I love to do outdoor activities. When I do read books, they are always tips to make me better at basketball. I have read one other book but when I heard about your book, I was in class. All the girls were taking about it so I decided to give it a try….and I liked it. I couldn’t put the book down. The chapter that really was interesting to me was chapter three, ‘Pressured to Commit’. I was in a similar situation as April, I felt as if I had to be committed. But I got out of that situation. But all in all your book was great. Your book help me realized a lot of things and helped me understand some things. Well thanks for your help. I look forward to Reading your next book. Sincerely, Moreland

Hello Miss Daniel: I am sixteen years old. I read your book during silent reading in my English 111 class. I am really glad I indulged myself in your book because your book really helped me realize that the way I was living my life was not right. It also taught me how to pick and choose my friends. Your book can really help a lot of teenagers. Your writing about teenagers is phenomenal. Thank you, Louverture

Dear Miss Daniel: I am an eleventh grader. I respect and enjoy your book. I think you really relate to teenager really well. You talked about avoiding drugs, teenage pregnancy, suicide and serving time in jail. The best chapter was when you was talking about suicide, you really, really touched me. I even inspired my best friend who was thinking about suicide to read your book. It helped because she called me and was like, “Girl I can’t kill myself I got too much to live for”. I was so happy to hear her say that. Miss Daniel, thank you for writing this book. From, Celestin.

Dear Miss Thesina Daniel: I am a senior in high school. I came across your book one day in Economics class. I read it and it was informing and real. When is say real, I mean they are real life situations that happen to people everyday. Your book can actually change people mind about wrong choices they have made or about to make about their lives. I understand every story clearly and enjoyed the book from the first story. This is a great book that all high schools should read and have copies of. Sincerely, Gavin

Dear Miss Daniel: I attend a school for misguided children. A lot of us kids have seen, experienced or heard about topics you have covered in your book. This is probably why they have them here for us to read. A lot of us kids don’t like reading. I like your book because it is a great way for kids to learn through others mistakes. I like the story about teen pregnancy, pressured to commit and the jail story. The book has made an impact on me because it gave me good advice. Sincerely, Rhodes

Dear Miss Daniel: I am fifteen years old in 10th grade. I came across your book by hearing everybody talk about it. Once I opened the book and started reading I couldn’t put it down. It was so interesting that I finished it in one day. It has made me think twice about how I want my future to be. I kind of felt sorry for the young people and the parents in the stories. Plus I like how the one boy got to see what would happened before he committed suicide. I really enjoyed the book and it inspired me a lot. Sincerely, Collar

Dear Ms. Daniel: I am a teenage mother with a one year old daughter. I came across your book by a friend. She said it was an awesome book and asked me to read it, I read it. I also thought it was a great book and it made me realize a lot of things. This is also things I have come across for example, The Dream Date story”, it relates to my own life story. Your book tells teenagers exactly what teenagers go through. Ms. Thesina you did a wonderful job, I look forward to reading your next book. Sincerely, Valencia

Dear Ms. Daniel: I am a 10th grader. I am one of the many who really admire you and your writing. This book really has made me change my life around about many things I do and have done in life. Ms Daniel you have really inspired me a lot because I have refreshed my mind and thought of killing myself. Now that I have read your book it has really touch something special in my new world. Truly, Virgil

Dear Miss Daniel: I am sixteen years old in the 11th grade. I found your book to be very insightful. I rally like the chapter on suicide. I myself used to be suicidal but since my last attempt I gave up trying to commit suicide. When I read the chapter I cried. Thinking about it I realized that all the times I tried and never succeeded means that God say it’s not time for me to go. My friend Margie thinks that your book is great. I appreciate you for writing such a good book. Thank you, Laban

Dear Miss Daniel: I am a 9th grade student. Your book has inspired me so much. Your stories are so great. They helped to change me in a big way. Let me tell you how. When I was about 12 or 13 I got raped and often thoughts of doing drugs to help with my problems. I was at the point where I wanted to commit suicide. Even though it was not my fault I hated myself for this. Then I read your book and seen how many people commit suicide or do drugs not knowing how many people get hurt when they do it. We think we are solving our problems by taking our lives but we are making more problems. So I can really relate to your book. As you can see it has changed my life in a very big way. When I read your book it made me think twice about committing suicide. Your book was so inspiring to me. I think you did a great job by writing this book. Thanks for changing my life. Sincerely, Reyes

Dear Miss Daniel: I liked your book because it had a personal impact on my life, I am fifteen years old. My mother had seven kids and she was not ready for the responsibilities. My grandmother told me the story of her life. She said, my mother tried drugs and got hooked on them and started doing whatever she pleased. She could no longer care for the kids and we had to live with our grandmother. She did not care and went on doing her drugs. I did not see my mother for about five years and one day I saw her walking down the street, she looked so bad that you could see her bones and skull. I said hello to her and she curse me and said, “I don’t know you hoe”. At that moment I wanted to give up every thing and die, but thinking about your book made me think positive things so I went home and did not talk to anyone. It made my heart pain. I think of your book often reminding me that I am going to be a future leader or at less one of the future leaders. One day she asked me if I want to do what she does and we will die together. I just walk away and kept focus because I know now there is something to live for. Thank you so much for writing this book because it really helped me. Thank you, Anderson

Dear Miss Daniel: I am writing to say thank you for writing this book because it help stop me from spending time in a bad place called jail or a grave yard. One of my friends asked me to go with him to a car lot and I was thinking to myself, a car lot. Then I said to him, “What are you trying to do man”. And as soon as I said that he hit a car window with a brick, jump in the car and drove the car off. I ran all the way home and told my mom what happened. A few minutes later the cops came to my house and took me down to the police station to question me. I told them everything that happened and set me free. My friend got five to ten years in jail. My mom was glad I was not a part of it. Thank you for your help, Cannady

Dear Miss Daniel: I read your book on Dream Date it really touched my girlfriend heart because she thought she was ready for a baby. I kept telling her let’s wait but she was so determined. So I said sure, okay, you want to have a baby, so before the process took place I came across your book and told her to read the book first and after reading the book let me know if you are ready. She read the book and changed her mind. If it wasn’t for your book I would be a teenage parent. I give you a lot of credit for this book. Thank you, Powell

Dear Miss Daniel: The stories in the book help me quit drugs. I was addicted to marijuana and your book inspired me to quit. I think your book is one of the best books about teens. You are a big part of my quitting, I thank you very much. Thanks. Foulick

Dear Ms. Thesina Daniel, I am one of the many students who read your book. The chapters on drugs and suicide really help me. I was able to quit after. Wineglass

Dear Miss Daniel, your book inspired me so much like not to do drugs. Thank you for inspiring me to follow my dreams. Jermaine.

Dear Ms. Daniel, I am reading your book, How to Succeed and I want to say thank you for writing such a great book. I am really into the topics which you discuss, and the story about suicide is golden. I love how you make the stories sounds so real. I sometimes can picture these things happening. I just want to thank you for writing such and educating book. Geromy

I want to thank you for writing that book. It is a good book. I learned a lot of stuff from the book. I learned not to do drugs, don’t commit suicide, or rob a store. Gonzalez

To Thesina Daniel, My name is Joseph. I read your book. This book is really educating. It taught me what not to do as a teenager. This book is a really good book because it taught me how no to drink, smoke, or even commit suicide. All of these things are helpful because it help me tell myself not to do these things when I am tempted. It tells me not to get a girl pregnant. Not to kill myself. Not to do drugs, and especially not to go to jail. It tells me not to do anything stupid while I am in college. This is the best book ever!

Dear Thesina C. Daniel, I really like your book, how to succeed through your teenage years. It taught me allot of stuff like why not to do drugs and that having a child is a big responsibility, and you should not have a child at an early age and it could mess up your whole life. And if you get on drugs it can be really hard to get off and it can kill you. I would never think about doing that. Garrett

Dear Ms. Daniel, Your book was wonderful. It reminded me of some of the things I used to do. I used to go out during the day and buy drugs, but then I read your book and it has really changed my self around. When I started reading about suicide, I cried because my father committed suicide. I stop taking drugs. I started a new life. Ramsey

Hi, I am James. I love the book that you have done. That was one of the most best book that I have ever read. And that is all I want to say and that is why I will love your book and try to do somethings with my life. I will not be a book person like you, I want to become a doctor. I hope I can see you in person.

This book really shows how it is in a teen’s life. These teens struggle with sex, drugs, suicide and peer pressure. This was probably one of the most real books. The stories in the book have help me realize that I shouldn’t give in to peer pressure because the results of peer pressure, in most cases ends up in someone getting hurt or in trouble or dead.  And another thing is suicide. Suicide would not do anyone any good because you would not be there anymore and everyone have at least one person that cares about them and by killing yourself it would cause them pain. So all in all your book has shown me what to do in certain situations.  Christopher

My name is Starla, I am a 10^th grade student. I read your book during English class. I read the chapter on life in jail. Some people don’t understand the seriousness of life and to get your freedom taken away. The book has a personal impact on my life cause it has help me understand how important it is to resist temptations so I can be successful and achieve my dreams and goals I have set for me.

Dear Ms. Daniel, I am a tenth grader. I want to thank you for writing how to succeed through your teenage years. My favorite chapter was chapter two, where you talked about being introduced to drugs, the effects, and the consequences of using them. I personally feel your book will encourage teens not to try drugs. Bryant

 Dear Ms. Daniel, My name is Brittany. I am a 10^th grader. I came to read your book because the teacher recommended for everyone to read it. The part on suicide really got to me because I am going through allot. I really enjoy reading your book.