Start Something: You Can Make a Difference

• Follow Your Passion, Not the Pack

• Did You Help Someone Today?

• Respect Your Body

• Complaining Is For Cowards

• If You Don't Know the Answer, Ask for Help

• Lose like a Winner

• Showing Off Is Not the Same as Showing Confidence

• Forgive Someone

There are a few basic qualities that can help folks of any age live a happier life: a sense of personal responsibility, good sportsmanship, willingness to share time and feelings, and the all-important trustworthiness. These basics can be easy to forget in our busy daily lives, and that's why Start Something is such a handy little book to share with friends and family members: it helps you remember what's important. Earl Woods, author of Training a Tiger, and his son Tiger have put together a wise and friendly manual for being a better friend, student, teacher, and community member, and it's so plainly written that middle schoolers can make as much use of it as their grandparents.

Kids starting a new activity or school will find help in pages labeled "It's Ok to Be Nervous" and "If You Don't Know the Answer, Ask for Help". Plenty of grownups can gain from checking out sections like "Control Your Anger" and "Don't Spread Rumors." Role models, both being one and finding one, are an important part of this book, and readers are encouraged to look beyond famous accomplishments to see personal characteristics--as Tiger says, "I don't consider other athletes to be my role models, although I admire them for their abilities. My role model is my dad." Each of the book's many sections are short and to the point; few run over two pages in length. Start Something is an easy read, one that can be shared aloud and discussed with children of all ages. --Jill Lightner