Attitudes are contagious.
Don’t make fun of someone doing their best.
Mikie Montmorency, age 12
Don’t tell a teacher your dog ate your homework, especially if you don’t have a dog.
Raelyn Ritchie, age 12
Afterword
It is our hope that these stories have brought you hope, joy, courage and inspiration, and that they will live on through you. You are now the storyteller. May they continue to touch you and empower you.
Reading Stories: An Act of Co-Creation
A story is a magical, mysterious
Instrument.
Told
————through words, not pictures ————
A written story
allows readers or listeners,
in creative collaboration with the author,
to be co-creators of the story
and thus fully and uniquely
to live
the story’s
rhythms, lessons and meanings.
James Elwood Conner
More Chicken Soup?
Many of the stories and poems you have read in this book were submitted by readers like you who had read earlier Chicken Soup for the Soul books. We publish at least five or six Chicken Soup for the Soul books every year. We invite you to contribute a story to one of these future volumes.
Stories may be up to 1,200 words and must uplift or inspire. You may submit an original piece or something you clip out of the local newspaper, a magazine, a church bulletin or a company newsletter. It could also be your favorite quotation you’ve put on your refrigerator door or a personal experience that has touched you deeply.
To obtain a copy of our submission guidelines and a listing of upcoming Chicken Soup books, please write, fax or check one of our Websites.
Chicken Soup for the Soul
P.O. Box 30880 • Santa Barbara, CA 93130
fax: 805-563-2945
To e-mail us or to visit our Websites:
www.chickensoup.com
www.clubchickensoup.com
Just send a copy of your stories and other pieces to any of the above addresses.
We will be sure that both you and the author are credited for your submission.
For information about speaking engagements, other books, audiotapes, workshops and training programs, contact any of the authors directly.
Supporting Kids
In the spirit of supporting kids everywhere, the celebrities who have contributed to this book have chosen the following non-profit organizations, to receive a portion of the profits from the sale of this book:
Chosen by Shannon Miller
Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for and awareness of children’s hospitals. The hospitals associated with CMN care for all children with any affliction and ensure that care will be provided, regardless of the family’s ability to pay.
Children’s Miracle Network
4525 South 2300 East, Ste. 202
Salt Lake City, UT 84117
801-278-9800
www.cmn.org
837 Princess St., Ste. 302
Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 1G8
613-542-7240
HYPERLINK http://www.cmn.org
Chosen by Chuck Norris
KICK DRUGS OUT OF AMERICA FOUNDATION is an organization whose purpose is to help fight the war on drugs and youth violence in America through the disciplines and philosophies of martial arts. Through this school site-based program, kids have a chance to potentially earn a place on Chuck Norris’ martial arts T.E.A.M. (T for truth, E for esteem, A for attitude, M for motivation).
KICK DRUGS OUT OF AMERICA FOUNDATION
427 West 20th St., Ste. 620
Houston, TX 77008
713-868-6003
Chosen by Shaquille O’Neal
Little Miss African American, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, positive education and scholarship program for African American girls ages six to ten years of age. The program teaches and reinforces life skills such as decision making and problem solving, as well as language skills, through the use of literature and computers. The yearlong program concludes with a pageant in which each girl participates.
Little Miss African American, Incorporated
15030 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 578
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
213-969-1730
Chosen by Kathy Ireland
The Homeless Education/Liaison Project of Santa Barbara County (HE/LP) serves homeless children, assisting in areas such as education, health care, school supplies, social services, clothing, after-school programs and other areas of need. HE/LP also assists parents by linking them to community services.
For more information, contact:
The Homeless Education/Liaison Project
of Santa Barbara County
Center for Community Education
1235-B Veronica Springs Rd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805-569-3873
Chosen by Kenan Thompson
Kids Konnected offers friendship, understanding, education and support for kids who have a loved one with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses, or have already lost a loved one to illness. Kids Konnected is uniquely headed by kids under the direction of adult volunteers who provide a twenty-four-hour hotline, online communication, a teddy bear outreach program for younger kids, age-appropriate group meetings and summer camps and social events.
Kids Konnected
P.O. Box 603
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
800-899-2866
www.kidskonnected.org
Chosen by Kel Mitchell
Boys & Girls Clubs of America has, for the past 138 years, offered America’s kids a place to go within their community, as well as guidance from committed professional staff and dedicated volunteers. Each Boys & Girls Club has a wide range of educational and recreational programs with a common goal of helping young people possess a positive self-identity and set and attain goals.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
1230 West Peachtree St.
Atlanta, GA 30309-3447
800-854-CLUB
www.bgca.org
Chosen by Danielle Fishel
Childhelp is a national nonprofit organization and one of the nation’s largest agencies dedicated to the treatment, prevention, and research of child abuse and neglect. Services include: residential treatment villages for abused, neglected, molested and abandoned children; advocacy centers for sexually abused children; foster family agencies; child safety programs for elementary schools; and the twenty-four hour Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD.
Childhelp®
15757 N. 78th St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
800-4-A-CHILD
www.childhelp.org
Chosen by Rider Strong
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is an organization working to protect kids from tobacco. A few of their goals are to change public policies to limit the marketing and sales of tobacco to children, to alter the environment in which tobacco use and policy decisions are made, and actively counter the tobacco industry and its special interests.
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
1707 L St. NW, Ste. 800
Washington D.C. 20036
202-296-5469
www.tobaccofreekids.org
Who Is Jack Canfield?
Jack Canfield is a bestselling author and one of America’s leading experts in the development of human potential. He is both a dynamic and entertaining speaker and a highly sought-after trainer.
Jack spent his childhood years growing up in Martins Ferry, Ohio, and Wheeling, West Virginia. Jack admits to being shy and lacking in self-confidence as a kid, but through a lot of hard work, he managed to earn letters in three sports and graduate third in his high school class.
After graduating from college, Jack taught school in Chicago’s inner city and in
Iowa. Most of his professional career after that has been spent teaching teachers how to empower kids to believe in themselves and to go for their dreams.
He is the author and narrator of several bestselling audio- and videocassette programs, including Self-Esteem and Peak Performance, How to Build High Self-Esteem and The GOALS Program. He is a regularly consulted expert for radio and television broadcasts and has published fourteen books—all bestsellers within their categories.
Jack addresses over a hundred groups each year. His clients have included schools and school districts; over one hundred education associations, and corporate clients such as AT&T, Campbell Soup, Clairol, Domino’s Pizza, GE, Re/Max, Sunkist, Supercuts and Virgin Records.
Jack conducts an annual seven-day Training of Trainers program in the areas of building self-esteem and achieving peak performance. It attracts educators, counselors, parenting trainers, corporate trainers, professional speakers and ministers.
For further information about Jack’s books, tapes and training programs, or to schedule him for a presentation, please contact:
The Canfield Training Group
P.O. Box 30880 • Santa Barbara, CA 93130
phone: 805-563-2935 • fax: 805-563-2945
To e-mail or visit our Website:
www.chickensoup.com
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?
Mark Victor Hansen was born to Danish immigrants, Una and Paul Hansen, in Waukegan, Illinois. He began working at nine. He also had his own newspaper route, and by age sixteen was an assistant supervisor at that newspaper.
When Mark was a sophomore in high school, he watched the Beatles premiere on TV. He called his best friend, Gary Youngberg, and said, “Let’s start a rock ’n’ roll band!” Within two weeks, they had a five-member group called The Messengers. Because of the band, Mark made enough money to pay his own way through college.
Mark went on to become a professional speaker who, in the last twenty-four years, has made over four thousand presentations to more than 2 million people. His presentations cover sales excellence and strategies, and personal empowerment.
His mission to make a profound and positive difference in people’s lives continues to be his main focus. Throughout his career, Mark has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to create a more powerful and purposeful future for themselves.
A prolific writer, Mark authored Future Diary, How to Achieve Total Prosperity and The Miracle of Tithing. He is co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Dare to Win and The Aladdin Factor (all with Jack Canfield) and The Master Motivator (with Joe Batten).
Mark has also produced a complete library of personal empowerment audio- and videocassette programs that have enabled his listeners to recognize and use their innate abilities in their business and personal lives. He has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, PBS and CNN.
Mark lives in Costa Mesa, California.
For further information about Mark contact:
Mark Victor Hansen & Associates
P.O. Box 7665
Newport Beach, CA 92658
phone: 949-759-9304 or 800-433-2314
fax: 949-722-6912
Website: www.chickensoup.com
Who Is Patty Hansen?
Patty Hansen has contributed many of the most loved stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She is the coauthor and editor of Condensed Chicken Soup for the Soul, and coauthor of (with Mark Victor Hansen and Barbara Nichols) Out of the Blue: Delight Comes into Our Lives.
Patty was committed to making Chicken Soup for the Kid’s Soul relevant to the issues that kids face today, and to make sure that it would be a book that kids, ages nine through thirteen, would not only love to read but could also use as a guide for everyday life.
A third-generation California native, Patty was raised in Pleasant Hill, where her mother, Shirley, still lives. Her sister, Jackie, lives in Oregon.
Prior to her career as an author, Patty worked for United Airlines for thirteen years as a flight attendant. During that time, she received two commendations for bravery. She received the first one when, as the only fight attendant on board, she prepared forty-four passengers for a successful emergency landing. The second was for extinguishing a fire on board a mid-Pacific flight, thus averting an emergency situation and saving hundreds of lives.
After “hanging up her wings,” Patty became the chief financial officer and troubleshooter for M. V. H. & Associates, Inc., in Newport Beach, California.
In 1998, Mom’s House, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides free childcare for young mothers, nominated Patty as Celebrity Mother of the Year.
Patty has two children Elisabeth and Melanie. With the help of their housekeeper, Eva, they share their lives with one rabbit, one duck, two horses, three dogs, four cats, four birds, five fish, and twenty-one chickens.
If you would like to contact Patty:
Patty Hansen
LifeWriters
P.O. Box 10879 • Costa Mesa, CA 92627
phone: 949-645-5240 • fax: 949-645-3203
To send e-mail or to visit our Website:
www.chickensoup.com or
www.PreteenPlanet.com
Who Is Irene Dunlap?
Irene Dunlap began her writing career in elementary school when she discovered her love for creating poetry, a passion she believes to have inherited from her paternal grandmother. She expressed her love of words through writing fictional short stories and song lyrics, as a participant in speech competitions and eventually as a vocalist.
During her college years, Irene traveled around the world as a student of the Semester-at-Sea program aboard a ship that served as a classroom, as well as home base, for over 500 college students. After earning a bachelor of arts degree in communications, she became the media director of Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine, California. She went on to co-own an advertising and public relations agency that specialized in entertainment and health care clients.
While working on the book, Irene managed to stay involved with her children’s sports and after-school activities, to be the busy president of the Parent-Faculty Organization at Kaiser Elementary School, to carry on a successful jazz singing career, and to continue to be an active member of her church’s music team.
Irene lives in Newport Beach, California, with her husband, Kent, daughter, Marleigh, son Weston, and Australian shepherd, Gracie. Her mother, Angela, who has been her lifelong source of tremendous support and unconditional love, lives in nearby Irvine. Irene’s sisters, Kathi, Pattie and Pam, who are also three of her best friends, live in California with their families.
In her spare time, Irene enjoys singing, horseback riding, painting, gardening and cooking. If you are wondering how she does it all, she will refer you to her favorite biblical passage for her answer, Ephesians 3:20.
If you would like to contact Irene, write to her at:
Irene Dunlap
LifeWriters
P.O. Box 10879 • Costa Mesa, CA 92627
phone: 949-645-5240 • fax: 949-645-3203
To send e-mail or to visit our Website:
www.chickensoup.comor
www.PreteenPlanet.com
Contributors
A few of the stories in this book were taken from previously published sources such as magazines and newspapers. Those sources are acknowledged in the permissions section. Most of the stories in the book were submitted by kids and adults who had read our previous Chicken Soup for the Soul books and who responded to our request for stories. We have included information about these authors and contributors below.
Valerie Allen is an editor at a crossword puzzle company, and is the published author of The Night Thief, a children’s picture book. Valerie can be reached at 930 SW 86th Ave., Pembroke Pines, FL 33025.
Barbara Allman is a children’s writer and former editor of Schooldays Magazine. Barbara enjoys speaking to school groups and encouraging children to write. School visits can be arranged through her publisher, Carolrhoda Bo
oks, Inc., phone: 800-328-4929.
Bader Alshammeri, age fourteen, is an eighth-grader from Rio Bravo Middle School in El Paso, Texas. He plays all sports, especially basketball. He is now six-feet-two-inches tall, and says he still has four more years to grow. His goal is to reach seven feet, and to play professional basketball.
Erin Althauser is a fifteen-year-old freshman at Timberline High School. She is thinking of taking after her dad and becoming a computer professional. She enjoys talking, hanging out with friends, listening to music, and writing short stories and poems.
Killeen Anderson is a sociology major who enjoys her volunteer work with the disabled students on her college campus as well as foreign languages, music, film and a good day of bodysurfing. She resides in California with her husband, Ralph, and their Labrador retriever, Digby.
Nate Barker is a thirteen-year-old from Colombus, Ohio. He likes to draw, write and participate in swimming, track, basketball and snow skiing.
Kendra Batch, age twelve, is an eighth-grader from Indiana. When she is not writing, she likes to ride her bike and go-cart.
Anne (A. F.) Bauman, a professor of English, specializing in writing and children’s literature, has had her work published in books, anthologies and magazines. She is now working on a mystery for children.
Martha Bolton has been a staff writer for Bob Hope for fifteen years. She is the author of twenty-four books and has been published by Reader’s Digest, The Christian Herald and Breakaway Magazine. She has received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics and is the winner of two International Angel Awards.
Vanessa Breeden is a thirteen-year-old who lives in Texas. She enjoys writing, playing the piano, in-line skating, track, canoeing and collecting pictures of Leonardo Di Caprio.
Marcia Byalick is a freelance writer, award-winning columnist, college writing instructor, and author of three young adult novels and three self-help books. One of her novels, It’s a Matter of Trust, was honored as an International Reading Association Young Adult Choice for 1997. Marcia can be reached through Writer’s House Literary Agency.
Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul: 101 Stories of Courage, Hope and Laughter Page 26