“Cool Stuff” They Should Teach in School

Kent and Kyle Healy
“Cool Stuff” Media (2005)
ISBN 0976025809
Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (1/06)

School teaches students reading, writing, math, history and other subjects that Americans consider important. But thriving in the “real world” requires additional basic skills rarely covered in textbooks or the scholastic setting. Some of life’s fundamentals require monitoring your attitude, communicating effectively, working well with other people, managing money, acquiring a job, planning for the future, setting goals, and pursuing excellence. The Healy brothers address this “Cool Stuff” in an upbeat book designed to help teens “cruise into the real world … with styyyyle.” [their spelling]

The book’s unique appeal derives from the authors’ ages—teens writing for teens. They clearly believe that important information doesn’t have to be dull. Reading the book feels like carrying on a conversation with two young adult self-starters. Entertaining anecdotal material from the brothers’ lives emphasize the main points. The book is designed to be used as a manual with each chapter including short exercises that help readers assess where they are and how to improve. A sensible “To Do” list concludes each chapter reminding teens to practice that set of life skills.

As an adult, I found most of the material was common knowledge. But, I learned much of the information the hard way during college and the years following. Admittedly, I still haven’t mastered some skills like investing and entrepreneurial thinking. Many adults assume that these things are assimilated somehow during the growing up years. Not so. Many youth will benefit from this practical and motivational paperback. I wish I had a book like this when I was a teen.

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