Jamel loses his friends to marijuana; Artiqua dates a boy of another race despite her familys opposition. Youniqiue was abandoned by her mother; Charlene is raising her brothers and sisters because their mother is addicted to drugs; Craig is gay and worried about coming out. All of these teens have more than their share of troubles. And all have the resiliency needed to face them, live through them, and move forward with courage, confidence, and hope. In 30 first-person accounts, teens tell how they overcame major life obstacles. Many arent the everyday problems most kids encounter, which makes their stories especially compellingand their successes especially inspiring. As teens read The Struggle to Be Strong, they discover theyre not alone in facing lifes difficulties. They learn about seven resilienciesinsight, independence, relationships, initiative, creativity, humor, and moralitythat everyone needs to survive and thrive in even the toughest times. Vivid, articulate, and candid, this book will motivate readers of all ages to build the skills and strengths they need to triumph over adversity.