The Real Rules for Girls

"Your first boyfriend should be like the first pancake. Just a tester to see if the griddle is hot enough." If this sounds like good advice, throw out that book of horoscopes and get some real advice from Girl Press. This publisher has already put out some pretty swell titles, from Cool Women: The Thinking Girl's Guide to the Hippest Women in History to Zine Scene, a book about how to produce your own zine, coauthored by that very cool woman, Francesca Lia Block. Now those Girls are at it again, with their own irreverent advice for young women on work, life, love, and impossible parents.

It's a tough world out there, and this book's short, sassy chapters are the cheat sheets. With lessons such as "The football captains of today are the burger jockeys of tomorrow," "Everyone's family is as freaky as yours," and "You be the judge, Judy," readers will be prepared for any test life--or that obnoxious little brother--throws at them. This is a fun, inspiring read for high-school-age girls, complete with lots of quotes from famous women, and retro photos from the 1950s and '60s. --Maria Dolan