It's Not About Perfect

It's Not About Perfect
Author: Shannon Miller
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2015-04-21
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1466850841

It's Not About Perfect is inspirational memoir of the most decorated gymnast in American history, her recovery from cancer, and her miracle pregnancy. "When the odds were against me, I was always at my best." When she retired at age 19, Shannon Miller did so as one of the most recognizable gymnasts in the country. The winner of seven Olympic medals and the most decorated gymnast, male or female, in U.S. history, Shannon tells a story of surviving and thriving. A shy, rambunctious girl raised in Oklahoma, Shannon fell in love with gymnastics at a young age and fought her way to the top. In 1992 she won five Olympic medals after breaking her elbow in a training accident just months prior to the Games. Then, in 1996, a doctor advised her to retire immediately or face dire consequences if she chose to compete on her injured wrist. Undeterred, Shannon endured the pain and led her team, the "Magnificent Seven," to the first Olympic team gold medal for the United States in gymnastics. She followed up as the first American to win gold on the balance beam. Equally intense, heroic and gratifying is the story of her brutal but successful battle with ovarian cancer, a disease from which fewer than fifty percent survive. Relying on her faith and hard-learned perseverance, Shannon battled through surgery and major chemotherapy to emerge on the other side with a miracle baby girl. Her story of trial, triumph and life after cancer reminds us all that its life's bumps and bruises that reveal our character. From early on in her career, Shannon knew that life wasn't about perfection. In this incredible and inspirational tale, Shannon speaks out so as to be seen and heard by thousands as a beacon of hope.

I'm Not Perfect and It's Okay

I'm Not Perfect and It's Okay
Author: Dolores Ayotte
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2009-04
Genre: Conduct of life
ISBN: 9781606047811

My recipe for life consists of a little bit of this and a little bit of that borne from my life experiences. Usually, when I use all of the ingredients and stepsI end up with a pretty good product. SometimesI can still fail. It is this failure to succeed all of the time that helps remind me of my humanity and the fact that I am not perfect. From new author Dolores Ayotte comes a bakers dozen of insightful tips to getting through life. In Im Not Perfect and Its Okay, Ayotte presents readers with a means to a better life. Ayottes conversational style makes her feel like an old friend giving advice. With exceptional ease, readers are taken through a recipe for healing, beginning with love for themselves. Readers are reminded to keep lifes recipe simple, being sure to add a cup of laughter, two cups of forgiveness, and a dash of silenceresulting in several goods sure to make life easier. Each step is personal and easy to incorporate into daily living, made memorable through real-life stories and quotes the author has found helpful on her own journey to happiness. This inspiring collection is truly beneficial to readers young and old as they realize that Im Not Perfect and Its Okay.

Kevin the Unicorn: It's Not All Rainbows

Kevin the Unicorn: It's Not All Rainbows
Author: Jessika von Innerebner
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019-10-22
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1984814303

A unicorn's bad day turns into a laugh-out-loud look at the pressure to be perfect and the importance of expressing your feelings Everyone knows that unicorns are perfect. They are glamorous and glittery, and their smiles make rainbows appear! But Kevin is having a less-than-perfect day. First, he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed ...on the floor. Then he discovers that his mane is so wild that even his Super-Perfect-Hair-Day-Spray can't tame it. And the day just gets worse from there. Kevin does his best to keep his outlook sunny, but it's hard to keep smiling when everything goes horribly wrong!

It's Going to Be Perfect!

It's Going to Be Perfect!
Author: Nancy Carlson
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2012-01-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 076138958X

There's something for every parent and child to enjoy in this delightfully fresh picture book that takes playful aim at the art of parenting—and all the hopeful, nail-biting expectations that go with it. What's a parent to think when raising a child doesn't happen quite the way it's expected to?

It's Perfectly Normal

It's Perfectly Normal
Author: Robie H. Harris
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2021-05-18
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1536216127

Fully and fearlessly updated, this vital new edition of the acclaimed book on sex, sexuality, bodies, and puberty deserves a spot in every family’s library. With more than 1.5 million copies in print, It’s Perfectly Normal has been a trusted resource on sexuality for more than twenty-five years. Rigorously vetted by experts, this is the most ambitiously updated edition yet, featuring to-the-minute information and language accompanied by new and refreshed art. Updates include: * A shift to gender-neutral vocabulary throughout * An expansion on LGBTQIA topics, gender identity, sex, and sexuality—making this a sexual health book for all readers * Coverage of recent advances in methods of sexual safety and contraception with corresponding illustrations * A revised section on abortion, including developments in the shifting politics and legislation as well as an accurate, honest overview * A sensitive and detailed expansion on the topics of sexual abuse, the importance of consent, and destigmatizing HIV/AIDS * A modern understanding of social media and the internet that tackles rapidly changing technology to highlight its benefits and pitfalls and ways to stay safe online Inclusive and accessible, this newest edition of It’s Perfectly Normal provides young people with the knowledge and vocabulary they need to understand their bodies, relationships, and identities in order to make responsible decisions and stay healthy.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
Author: Erika L. Sánchez
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2017-10-17
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1524700509

National Book Award Finalist! Instant New York Times Bestseller! The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian meets Jane the Virgin in this poignant but often laugh-out-loud funny contemporary YA about losing a sister and finding yourself amid the pressures, expectations, and stereotypes of growing up in a Mexican-American home. Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed. But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal? “Alive and crackling—a gritty tale wrapped in a page-turner. ”—The New York Times “Unique and fresh.” —Entertainment Weekly “A standout.” —NPR

It's Not a Perfect World, but I'll Take It

It's Not a Perfect World, but I'll Take It
Author: Jennifer Rose
Publisher: Regnery Publishing
Total Pages: 141
Release: 2016-05-24
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1510705503

Jennifer Rose is autistic. She’s also a college student who loves reading, writes fan fiction, and wants to be on TV someday. She sees the world a little differently than most people around her. She’s had trouble coping with school and she’s struggled with bullies, mean girls, and her own feelings of bitterness and inferiority. Through it all, with the help of her parents, she’s learned a few lessons: #5: There are many ways to make a difference. #20: You won’t be perfect at everything, not even the things you do best. #22: Down times will be bouncing up soon . . . #23: . . . but meanwhile, try to enjoy what you have. #44: Talk about your feelings, even when it’s hard. #45: Learn to take jokes, even your dad’s. It's Not a Perfect World but I’ll Take It is an uplifting ode to being different. Told with irresistible honesty and humor, Rose’s fifty bite-sized stories will have teens and adults nodding in recognition and discovering new things about themselves.

Perfectly Norman

Perfectly Norman
Author: Tom Percival
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2018-05-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1681199165

From the creator of Ruby Finds a Worry, an empowering picture book about embracing and celebrating what makes you unique. Norman had always been perfectly normal . . . until one day, he grows a pair of wings! Afraid of what people will think, Norman covers them up with a big coat. But can he summon the courage to be himself? While we all might feel afraid about standing out, Perfectly Norman shows that there's nothing better than celebrating what makes you unique! The Big Bright Feelings picture book series provides kid-friendly entry points into emotional intelligence topics -- from being true to yourself to dealing with worries, managing anger, and making friends. These topics can be difficult to talk about. But these books act as sensitive and reassuring springboards for conversations about mental and emotional health, positive self-image, building self-confidence, and managing feelings. Read all the books in the Big Bright Feelings series! Ruby Finds a Worry Perfectly Norman Ravi's Roar Meesha Makes Friends Tilda Tries Again

To Love and Be Loved

To Love and Be Loved
Author: Sam Keen
Publisher: Bantam
Total Pages: 258
Release: 1999-05-04
Genre: Family & Relationships
ISBN: 0553375288

To Love and Be Loved is a spirited challenge to a culture obsessed with romance and intimacy but dangerously ignorant of the full range of human love. Like a fresh wind, Sam Keen sweeps away tired self-help nostrums and reams of "bad advice from Dr. Lonelyhearts" to reveal a stunningly new map of love in all its forms. Love is not something we "fall" into, claims Keen, but a complex art combining many skills and talents that take a lifetime to learn fully. At the center of his book are sixteen distinct "elements of love": ranging from attention--a precious gift we can bestow on co-worker, friend, child, and spouse alike--to more exclusive gifts like desire and sexuality. Combining stories, poems and quotes with insights from modern psychology and spiritual tradition, Keen brilliantly explores the elements of memory and solitude in love, the importance of both enjoyment and commitment, and how we can cultivate the essential qualities of empathy and compassion. Each piece ends with suggestions for strengthening our daily practice of the element, so that we constantly enlarge our ability to love in all our relationships. The final section of the book is a soaring meditation on the claim that "those who love know God," an invitation to experience our place in the universe through the eyes of love.

The Girl who Never Made Mistakes

The Girl who Never Made Mistakes
Author: Mark Pett
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2011
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1402255446

"Beatrice offers a lesson we could all benefit from: learn from your mistakes, let go, laugh, and enjoy the ride." --JENNIFER FOSBERRY, New York Times bestselling author of My Name Is Not Isabella Being perfect is overrated. Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once ) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, the entire town calls her The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone But in the end, readers (and perfectionists) will realize that life is more fun when you enjoy everything--even the mistakes. Additional praise for The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes: "This funny and heartfelt book conveys a powerful message about how putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect can suck the joy out of everything. Beatrice's discovery that you can laugh off even a very public mistake shows the importance of resiliency and helps perfectionist kids keep things in perspective. Most importantly, Beatrice reminds the reader that it's more important to enjoy the things that you do than worry about doing them perfectly." --A Mighty Girl "The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes is a must-read for any young (or old ) perfectionist. Beatrice Bottomwell is perfectly imperfect " --Stephanie Oppenheim, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio "It's fun and instructive without feeling overly didactic and the illustrations are darling." --Parenting "This book will help little perfectionists see that making mistakes is okay, and it can be a lot of fun too " --Kids Book Blog