THE SECRET TO TEEN POWER
By Paul Harrington
Publisher: Simon Pulse

If you've read The Secret or watched Oprah Winfrey go on about the power of attraction and vision boards on her show, then you'll know what this book is all about.

Yup, it's The Secret for teenagers. It is all about using a positive attitude and good energy to help you focus on what you want out of life, motivate yourself to get it and send out positive vibes to help you get it.

The Secret is so simple. Be positive about your life and good things will come to you. Be negative and you attract more negative energy.

This book speaks to teens about this same law of attraction except it speaks in the lingo and using the things teenagers are used to – Facebook, iPod and all the new, young and hip celebrities.

Each chapter teaches something different – how to use the secret, the secret to money, relationships, health etc. The best part is the book is full of real letters/email from real people (teenagers included) who relate how The Secret changed their life or helped them achieve something they wanted.

It teaches teenagers how to stay positive and focus on what they want to achieve out of life. It reminds them that when they're being whiny and negative, nobody wants to hang around them. But if they are in good spirits, grateful for all the good things in their life, then their dreams come true.

With relationships, it teaches something most of us already know – that you cannot be loved until you love yourself. This means, how can you attract another person if you still have low self-esteem and think you're too fat and unlovable?

The truth is people can sense how you feel and one of the most attractive things is self-confidence.

The Secret and The Secret to Teen Power is not actually saying anything new if you really think about it. It's all stuff we've heard before and know. It's things our mums have told us repeatedly. So why is The Secret making a huge impact in the world now? It's all in the packaging and the marketing.

Getting back to the book, I think some parents might be fearful that too much faith in The Secret, the power of attraction and vision boards (where you paste up photos or words saying what you want; some people say their dreams have come true after they put them up on the vision board) will make their children less religious and have less faith in God.

I don't see why that should be. I myself am God-fearing but I also believe that positive energy, a humble attitude and gratitude for every small thing that comes your way will lead to good things. If you are God-fearing then just remind your teenage child that everything comes from God and it's not given to them just because they want it.

I don't know if dreams really do come true based on vision boards and The Secret. But I do know for a fact that there are certain universal laws that work:

The more you give the more you get (cliché as it sounds, it really is true).

When you go into the world with a good heart and arms open, the world embraces you.

I'll explain this to you another way. I know two women who are good friends. One is bubbly and full of life. One is like Eeyore (Pooh's pal) who is always down and depressed and complaining.

I love spending time with the bubbly one but I have stopped meeting up with the negative one because she's just too depressing and she pulls me down with her.

And that in a nutshell is what this book teaches teens. Be positive about life and you will attract like-minded people and good things.

With all the issues you have to deal with with your rebellious and moody teenager, this book might be a good idea. And for those whose teenage children are not moody or rebellious, this book might still help them focus better and achieve their dreams.