Gold
Medallion Book Award
For Youth
2003 - 2005
2005 Winner
Every Young Woman’s
Battle, Shannon Ethridge & Stephen Arterburn YA 241 ETH
Guys aren’t the only ones fighting a battle for purity. The world you live in promotes sex as the answer to just about everything. The pressure to go along with the crowd is greater than ever before, and it’s easy to compromise in little ways that are a lot more harmful than they seem. You and your friends may become caught up in destructive relationships or sexual activities without even knowing how you got there. You just want to be normal–to fit in, to be liked, to look attractive to the opposite sex. But are you paying too high a price?
2005 Nominees
The
Dirt on Sex, Justin
Lookadoo YA 306.7 LOO
Some of the data is documented, but the author frequently cites his own
interviews with teens. As the book progresses, Lookadoo includes an
increasing number of biblical references and offers a chapter counseling teens
who have been sexually active and now want to become abstinent to turn to God.
The book is laid out in punchy, bold graphics that are visually exciting but not
particularly original. Fictionalized scenarios and dialogue appear frequently,
both in the text and in sidebars.
Signs,
Michael W. Smith
Each chapter is named for one of Michael's songs, tying the book directly to his
music. The book also includes journal exercises to make it more interactive, and
end-of-chapter notes from Michael himself give readers further guidance on
using those blank pages as a means for evaluating their own lives. Michael's
message awakens teens' hearts and minds to the signs from God that surround them
every day.
Don't Buy the Lie,
Mark Matlock, YA 261.5
This book helps teenagers understand how
to think clearly and biblically about supernatural events. Every day we hear of
supernatural phenomenon—from Ouija boards to crop circles to psychics on
TV—and it’s difficult for teens to know how to distinguish between genuine
and counterfeit occurrences. Author Mark Matlock, who has conducted a research
project with Barna Research on Teens and the Supernatural and is a member of the
international community of illusionists, presents clear principles and
intriguing examples that teach teens how to respond to the supernatural with
wisdom, discernment, and without being duped.
Using
the Acts community at Berea as a model, Matlock identifies "thinking
traps" that lead to deception, such as not balancing the mind and emotions,
mixing truth with lies, and making false association. With clarity, he shows
readers how to find Christ, and provides biblical answers to frequently asked
questions about such things as Ouija boards, psychics, angels, and demons.
Life
Interrupted, The Scoop on Being a Young Mom, Tricia Goyer,
YA GOY
One day you’re a typical student. You’re working part-time at McDonald’s
to pay for your clothes and car. The next day, you’re a mother-to-be. You’re
confused and scared. Emotional and standoffish. You feel like a kid, but now
with a huge responsibility. How could your life change so fast? Your youth
wasn’t supposed to be packed with worries and obligations, Lamaze classes and
daycare choices—and you’ve still got work and school to deal with. Whatever
happened to fun, friendships, and dating? You’d do anything for your
baby—but what about you? What about your needs? Sharing stories from her
own experience as a teenage mom and from other young mothers, Tricia Goyer shows
you what to do about meeting nine basic needs that all young moms have. Needs
such as the need to be appreciated, the need to know your life is not at a dead
end, and the need to be loved. In Life Interrupted, you’ll meet lots of young
moms just like you. You’ll also meet God, who cares about you very much.
2004 Winner
Boom: A Guy's Guide to Growing Up,
Michael Ross, YA 248.8 BOO
Relax. You're not alone in asking those questions. Whether they want to admit it or not, your friends are all asking the same questions. Boom: A Guy's Guide to Growing Up cuts through the uncertainties of your life and addresses all your questions — body, mind and soul — transforming you into the confident, godly man you want to be.
2003
Winner