"Maybe you don t stand out (and never

will) as a scholar, an athlete, or a beauty

queen. Well on the other hand, maybe

you do, or will sometime. In any case,

you can be you, bringing to this world

the unique things only you and nobody

else can. No one but you can possibly

do things as you. Even the kind of

friendship you have to offer is unique,

and no one else can be a friend in ex-

actly the way you can. They d be nuts to

try, just as you wouldn t be playing with

a full deck if you tried to imitate some-

body else s unique brand of friendship."

With his lively conversational tone

and witty way with words, Joe

McGIoin knows how to hold the atten-

tion of teenage graduates. He lives

with them daily, knows their concerns,

is aware of their hopes and dreams.

He doesn t talk down to them; neither

does he launch into boring para-

graphs filled with advice that adults

think graduates want to hear.

High school graduates must make

choices -- many choices. And that s

where this book fits in. It encourages

the graduate to make his or her own

choices, but with humor and sparkle

points out that the wise graduate will

accept the advice and help of others

in plotting his or her future.

Joe McGIoin wants to see young

adults develop self-esteem, spiritual

wholeness, moral values, and social

awareness. He stimulates them to do

so, sometimes prodding them with a

witticism or a ni[ty cartoon. But al-

ways the challenge is there: "You are

living right now -- unless of course

you have chosen only to dream. You

can t wait until you have grown com-

pletely and become an "adult." You

live as you grow, and you either grow

all your life or you wither and die."