The historical and economic circumstances of Somalia have left its population vulnerable to the terrorist group al-Shabaab, sometimes as victims, sometimes as perpetrators, and sometimes as both. Using primary sources, this book shares stories of teens affected by Somalia's violence. Featuring stories of resilience, hope, and activism by Somalis seeking peace and stability for their nation, your readers will become inspired and informed.

Since 2011, Syria has been embroiled in a civil war that has killed more than a quarter of a million people, and it all started with teenagers. That year, fifteen teenagers were arrested for writing antigovernment graffiti. The teens were reportedly subjected to horrific treatment. Peaceful protests calling for the young people's release turned violent when the government sent the army to break up the crowd. This compelling volume introduces readers to the country and region. It includes teens' firsthand accounts of the conflict, both displaced teens and those who have become soldiers, to paint a holistic, engaging portrait of one of today's worst human rights crises.

In April 2014, the Muslim extremist group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, Nigeria. Over the next three years, some of the girls began to emerge from captivity and told their stories. They faced harrowing experiences, yet they survived. This resources includes teens' accounts of their time as prisoners and offers insight into Nigeria's problems, and the efforts of human rights activists to build a more peaceful nation.

Educate your readers about the ongoing consequences of ISIS's presence in Iraq, by providing accounts of the situations that teenagers face there on a daily basis. This book includes background information about ISIS and the country of Iraq and its citizens, in addition to discussing the heart-wrenching effects of terrorism. This volume considers potential solutions to the problems of terrorism, empowering teens to help work toward a more peaceful and just world.

Though many Mexican states are peaceful and feature lifestyles not unlike those enjoyed by other North Americans, regions of Mexico are plagued by violence and terror. In 2016, more than twenty thousand people were killed in the country as a direct consequence of the drug wars. This volume highlights the experiences of teens who have lived through the violence. Background information sheds light on how crime, gangs, and drugs became such a pressing problem in Mexico. This book also looks forward, discussing potential solutions for achieving peace.

The Taliban rose to power in the 1990s in Afghanistan and then in Pakistan. Taliban insurgents implement strict Islamic law, and any perceived transgressions are punished swiftly and brutally. Armed insurgents have attacked civilians and are notorious for limiting the rights of women and girls, including restricting access to education. This book tells the stories of teens who lived through the horrors of the Taliban occupation, surviving in the face of fear and resisting injustice.

A latest edition to the teen Chicken Soup series focuses on the ups and downs of friendships: making them, keeping them, fighting them, losing them, helping them, and competing with them. The second book in the breakthrough series gives teens the real scoop on the ups and downs of friendship in a stylish package complete with sidebars, quizzes, cool graphics and, of course, great stories from teens for teens. The Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul books have sold more than 15 million copies, and they continue to be the strongest selling Chicken Soup backlist. This new series keeps the best of the old (the stories teens love) with the best of the new-teen talk, text breaks, splashy graphics, sidebars, quizzes and other cool features. The second book in the series, after The Real Deal School, explores all facets of the classic obsessions of every child from ages 9-19: friends-making them, keeping them, fighting them, losing them, helping them and competing with them. And there are no lectures here: this is the straight talk from teens for teens that this audience loves. Friends, you gotta have 'em, but sometimes they drive you crazy. You love 'em, but sometimes they make you mad. They'll help you through a crisis ... unless they are the crisis. So What's the Deal? Friends are more than just the people you hang out with. They make you laugh, they keep your secrets, they offer advice (some good, some bad), they give you a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes they move away, or betray your trust, or flake out, but mostly they are the people who are always there for you. And they know you'll be there when they need you most. Because that's what it means to be a friend. Sometimes friendship is overwhelming, sometimes it's confusing, sometimes you feel like you don't have a friend in the world, but don't worry, it's like that for everyone. That's what the stories in this book are all about. They're from real teens, and they're about the bizarre, difficult and wonderful things that really happened to them and their friends. Put that together with weird facts, cool graphics, fun advice and quizzes designed to help you figure out what you and your friends are all about, and you've got the real deal on friendship!

The author relates stories she learned as a Peace Corps volunteer when she lived in the the village of Arabsiyo in northern Somalia in the 1960s.