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If not me, then who will save my child? A mother must confront the unthinkable when her son is diagnosed with a rare medical condition. Patti M. Hall's life is pitched into an abyss of uncertainty when a golf ball–sized tumour is discovered in her teenage son's head and he is diagnosed with gigantism, a disease of both legend and stigma. After scrambling to access a handful of medical experts in the field, Patti learns that her son could grow uncontrollably, his mobility could be permanently limited, and his life could be cut short without timely and aggressive treatment. Patti's attention shifts fully to her son, away from her relationships as well as her own career and health. Her new normal sees her step into a dozen additional roles, including nurse, researcher, advocate, risk assessor, and promise maker, while she struggles and fails to rebuild her life as a recently divorced woman. In Loving Large, Patti discovers that resilience is learned and that the changes experienced in the aftermath of crisis can often create the greatest opportunities.

An illuminating study of the complex relationship between children and media in the digital age Now, as never before, young people are surrounded by media—thanks to the sophistication and portability of the technology that puts it literally in the palms of their hands. Drawing on data and empirical research that cross many fields and continents, authors Valkenburg and Piotrowski examine the role of media in the lives of children from birth through adolescence, addressing the complex issues of how media affect the young and what adults can do to encourage responsible use in an age of selfies, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. This important study looks at both the sunny and the dark side of media use by today's youth, including why and how their preferences change throughout childhood, whether digital gaming is harmful or helpful, the effects of placing tablets and smartphones in the hands of toddlers, the susceptibility of young people to online advertising, the legitimacy of parental concerns about media multitasking, and more.

Finally: Someone Who Gets It Adults may mean well, but do they really get everything you're facing as a teenager? The pressure to drink and party, cheat on that test, or give in to that guy? How about the devastation of losing a friend, parents divorcing, or low self-esteem? Who can better relate than your peers? This Is Now is a devotional written by your peers across the country who face the exact same things you do. God wants you to find encouragement and support through one another “that they might be called trees of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:3, KJV). Brief entrées and rich Scripture verses are packed with hope and wisdom to guide you through these challenging years. This Is Life—the Real Deal Nobody said these years would be easy. Or maybe someone did—but it was probably an adult who doesn't get it. Now, in this 365-day devotional, teens just like you come together from around the world to offer guidance through your toughest questions and situations. The entries are genuine—solidly built on the Word of God. “Why do we look at the girl next to us and wish we had her hair, nose, or thighs? Did God make a mistake when He made you or me? No way! We are expressions of His ingeniously creative mind.”“When I got older; I wasn't so sure of myself anymore. I wanted to grow up, have a career, get married…but I still wanted to climb trees, run, and play.”“Satan tells me things like,'You don't look pretty'or'Your friends don't really care about you.'I think these are lies that most girls face. So what do we do with them?”“This wasn't the first time I had vomited a meal. It was just that, well, I ate too much. I wanted to take it back. I didn't think I was fat; I just wanted to be thinner than I was.”Story Behind the Book“The teen years make up one of the most challenging and exciting time periods in anyone's life. Teens are faced with temptations most adults either don't understand or have forgotten about. For the one committed to Christ, pressures are even greater. They look for encouragement, support, and belonging from their peers. Sadly, much of what is found is divisive and destructive. So I figured: If teens are intent on learning from their peers, why not give them incredible peer role models? A book written by teens for teens in devotional format will be an exciting tool for spurring spiritual growth among teens!” —Patti M. Hummel

The past several decades have witnessed thousands of studies into children and the media. Yet, much academic research is still in its infancy when it comes to our knowledge about the uses, preferences, and effects of different media. This distinctive volume moves the field forward in this regard, with its insights into the latest theories and research on children and the media. Author Patti M. Valkenburg explores'screen'media (i.e., television, films, video and computer games, and the Internet), and focuses her study on the most fundamental topics in the study of children and the media. In each chapter, Valkenburg examines an essential topic on children and the media: the effect of media violence, children's emotional reactions to news and entertainment, the intended and unintended effects of advertising, and the uses and effects of computer games and the Internet. She has structured the chapters to provide an overview of existing theories and research on a particular topic, and supplements the work of others with her own ground-breaking research findings. She provides a careful and even-handed treatment of research in children's media, and includes current and noteworthy studies. As a resource for study in children and media and media psychology, this volume provides a timely and thorough examination of the state of theory and research. It will serve as a valuable reference for scholars and as an engaging text for advanced students.