Nicole Taylor, an ex-Bloods gang member, has a riveting story to tell. Her true stories of gang life, as well as stories about violence and drug abuse in the family and problems fitting in at school, are wrapped in fun activities that teach important life skills. Young people are immediately interested in Nicole's true story and will enjoy activities that show them how to make decisions, keep self-esteem high, resist peer pressure, set goals, resolve conflicts, handle stress, and solve problems. Photographs of Nicole's friends and family accompany the story. Teens will feel as though they know Nicky personally by the end of the book. Frances Caldwell, co-author, provides background material, thought provoking questions for group discussion and personal writing, and 100s of activities to do alone or in a group. Steve Nawojczyk, well-known lecturer and consultant on gangs and violence and subject of the award winning HBO documentary Gang War: Bangin' in Little Rock, has worked with gang-affected communities in over 30 states. Endorsing Ask Nicky, he says, "Ask Nicky is just what many kids need. Nicky's straightforward, first-person story adds a great deal of credibility to this important and much needed approach to violence prevention. Young people are moved by stories of other young people who have turned their lives around and become part of the solution." This workbook can be used by a youth alone or working with an adult. A parent, mentor, teacher or counselor working with either a single young person or with a group of teens will find the Ask Nicky Parent-Teacher Guide, a companion to this book, brimming with information on how to work with teenagers. The book targets youth particularly at the middle school level, but older teens will also find the stories appealing. An email component invites young people to communicate with Nicky personally.

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