This is the book that every parent of rising 9th and 10th graders needs to read. From the parent of an ADHDer, who finally hit puberty and is now off meds, on sports teams, and hitting their stride. Getting As and Bs... but hasn't always been high achieving in school. For a kid like that, who needs to get some wind at their back before they believe they can really sail into life... they need alternatives that don't feel like they're being left behind while everyone else goes off to college to catapult into their future. Or, like the military is the only alternative. These kids have very few role models to follow... not everyone can be Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. What else is out there? This book meets you where you as a parent need to be, so you can guide your kid.

This book would be a solid addition to a library education and career collection, with an engaging and informative tone appropriate for both young adults and their concerned caregivers.

Each chapter provides examples of the types of careers being discussed along with questions for the reader and places to start if interested in that field. While the specific information about salary and availability can be misleading (national numbers don't necessarily reflect local realities) the overall analysis of each field is thoughtful and encouraging. Unfortunately, some readers will find the language jarring enough to distract from this content (a chapter that begins by describing all work as dignified ends with a job described as "menial", a chapter on de-stigmatizing mental health challenges uses the term "idiotic" to describe a lack of basic knowledge, etc) but the resource lists and contemplation questions make the book worth adding to the library or guidance office shelf.

I found this piece to be exceptionally well-crafted, and I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to delve into more works by this author. Given its potential popularity among our library patrons, we're certainly looking forward to adding it to our collection

I am going to make all of my students read this! The obsession with college as the only path to a good life is creating a tremendous amount of anxiety and despair in our kids, and this offers a solution.