Product Description

Please, No Zits is a collection of fast moving short stories set in America, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. The book also contains a map, and a glossary of several words used in these countries. It has been described as a fun read that motivates without preaching. Also recommended for Family Home Evenings, and other teaching situations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #417465 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-08
• Binding: Paperback
• 131 pages

Review
I recently had the pleasure of reading a book of short stories by LDS author, Anne Bradshaw. Her newest book, entitled Please, No Zits offers quick reading for every taste. There s romance, adventure, introspection, and humor. But, for me, the best part of her book was the glimpse it gave me into life on the other side of the pond.

Anne Bradshaw was born and raised in England. She moved to the United States a decade ago and brings with her a love and feel for the British Isles. Included in her book is a map of the British Isles. The towns and cities mentioned in her book are marked on the map so readers can identify their location. She has also included a glossary of terms. I did not need the glossary except for one word, eeejit. Of course, all of you who do know what the word eeejit means are probably laughing because I have just shown that I am one!

I did not read the book in order. That s the nice thing about these books. You can bounce around according to your mood.

The first story I read was the one Anne talked about the most, Rock Bottom in a Jail Cell . . . The longest story in the book deals with a teenager having to face the consequences of his wrong choices and the difficulty he has in opening his heart to the Spirit. It was a story influenced by personal experiences of the author s friend whose son did make it back and now lectures on drug abuse and recovery

I felt the angst of recently returned Elder Kalan Ballantyne in the story Advertised on Her Face. He struggles with what to do when he comes home to find his girlfriend is engaged to someone much less worthy and notices the visible effects it has on her. Anne did a terrific job of drawing me into Kalan's thoughts.

But not all the stories are so serious. A cute idea for asking someone out on a date is shared in Darkness at Noonday I smiled at the humorous way of asking a fellow seminary student out on a date . . .

But my favorite short story was Mountain Nearing. Feeling awkward in a not-so-voluntary service project, the young hero Aaron Veasey, learns personal lessons and grows in maturity. By the end, the story brought a tear to my eye and, again, I wondered how much was fiction and how much was from personal experience.

Anne writes for teens by writing about teens. She listens to their concerns: be it dating, appearance or feelings of eternity, and then writes a story she hopes will help them understand their divine worth and ability to live righteously despite the pressures of the world.

One thing I appreciated in Anne s book was that so many of her stories were about young men. In fact, my own teenage son has been reading the book in bits and pieces, too. It s not so romantic and mushy that he can t enjoy it. I appreciate that Anne s heroes are not wimps. Some make mistakes and struggle with the consequences. Others struggle when they view the choices made by people they love. Many of her heroes are missionaries and, by creating stories with mature missionaries and returned missionaries, my son is able to stay focused on his own not-too-distant goal. Anne openly shows the struggle of making the decision to serve and the later blessings in Beyond the Thorns . The trials of coming home were expressed in more than one story and even a girlfriend falling in love with a gifted pianist while her beau is serving a mission is shared in Slicing Rainbows.

I liked the fact that the stories in the book were short . . . Easy to pick it up and read from anyplace . . . Though some of the stories are set in the United States, most find a comfortable locale in the cities and countryside of the British Isles. I truly enjoyed the dialogue, cultural insight and language cadence from the various locations . . . It was like going on a mini-vacation without the expensive airfare. How fun and refreshing.

Terri Lynn Adams --BellaOnline LDS Families

Last night I was watching coverage of some music awards program featuring the return to the stage of Britney Spears. She certainly has not been out of the public eye her celebrated marriage, divorce, motherhood, etc., have kept the gossip wags busy. Also in the audience was Paris Hilton, another familiar face with an equally celebrated story. Spears performance was not her best, to say the least. Media reaction was fast and furious.

I was reminded that Americas youth these days have some very odd role models. Young men think they have to become sexual, cigarette smoking thugs; young women feel they need to be thin as reeds and morally loose. I m not the first person to say that young people need better role models.

Is this a modern phenomenon? I am not sure. I think each generation has had its regrettable standards and examples, and that young people are in need of better role models. Parents are challenged, churches fret, but little seems to be done about it. My youth was spent in the crazy sixties. Our role models were rock stars and pot-smoking hippies.

Bradshaw s book presents a different view of young people, one that is more positive and hopeful. The young people who inhabit this brief selection of short stories are, in the end, ordinary kids, some living in the British Isles, but all facing the everyday challenges that young people face during those tempestuous early years. One theme that arises from these stories is the importance of family, and the possibility of triumph over even the most challenging obstacles.

Can LDS young people live victorious lives in these challenging times? Bradshaw believes they can, and her stories reflect the kind of optimism that these young men and women desperately need.

Bradshaw is very good at presenting ordinary people in ordinary situations, who call upon extraordinary powers of faith and goodness to help them make sense of the world around them. The stories in this book do not plumb the depths of spirituality, nor do they challenge the reader to work through complex plot lines and multi-layered characters. Instead, these are stories of the folks next door, of the kids who sit next to you in Sunday School, of, perhaps, your own children.

Please, No Zits will be enjoyed by young people anxious for a good story, and by parents who will find themselves reading these stories to their children. I can envision some interesting conversations, opportunities for young people and their parents to discuss the things that really matter those things that will last into eternity. Parents and children do need to talk with each other more often, and these stories can be an exciting way to engage your children in ways that will stay with them forever.

Jeffrey Needle. --Association for Mormon Letters

Recently I read Anne Bradshaw's latest release: Please, No Zits, a collection of short stories. The stories are about LDS youth and the many challenges they face. I enjoyed each story, from fifteen-year-old Gabe participating in a Primary Nativity much to his chagrin, to Cody who faces the consequences of cheating, to Kimberly who finds a useful way to spend her time while waiting for a missionary.

Unique to these stories is the setting. They take place all over the world: Scotland, England, Utah, Connecticut, Ireland, etc. The author has a great writing style (being from England herself) and has a talent for developing characters that draw you in immediately.

Without being preachy or hitting you over the head with moral advice, Please, No Zits is a great read for teens and adults alike. The stories are inspiring and true to life. I love the frank way that the author approaches difficult topics like a non-member boyfriend, a non-supportive father, and coming back from drug-addition. You ll find lots of humor, some sadness, and plenty of inspiration.

Heather B. Moore, Author of the Out of Jerusalem series. --LDS Readers

About the Author
English LDS author, Anne Bradshaw, now lives in Utah. She has written countless articles for magazines, and has three published books. For years, she traveled the British Isles interviewing LDS youth for the New Era magazine. A desire to help teenagers prompted the writing of this book.