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The funny thing is, the more Hen tries to recapture his old life, the less he really wants it. All the discoveries he's making during this, the worst summer he's ever experienced, are changing him. The question is: How much? And will he even recognize himself by the time it's over?

Friend Is Not A Verb by Daniel Ehrenhaft is a funny, warmhearted novel about friendship, family and finding truth in unexpected places. It's an entertaining, authentic read that will appeal to readers who want a novel that's not too light, not too dark, but a satisfying blend of both. Bottom line: I enjoyed it.

(Readalikes: Hm, I can't really think of anything. Can you?)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), depictions of underrage drinking and illegal drug use, and sexual innuendo

Today, I'd like to welcome Richard and Linda Eyre, authors of The Entitlement Trap and other parenting books, to BBB. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Me: Although I've been hearing your names for years, I'm not familiar with how exactly you came to be known worldwide as parenting experts. Care to enlighten me? Beside on-the-job-training from your nine children, what led you down this unique and fascinating path?

Eyres: I am a Harvard Business School trained management consultant and Linda is a musician and teacher. We wrote an explatory book trying to apply management techniques to parenting and it did so well that we gravitated more and more into writing. When our values book hit #1 on the NY Times bestseller list, we became so busy with writing and speaking that we closed down the consulting company and became full time writers and presenters.

Me: What is "values parenting?" Why is it such an important concept for modern families?

Eyres: Everyone wants their children to follow sound values. We all understand that it is the ultimate way to protect our children. The site collects good ideas for raising responsible kids and makes them available to parents. It also gives parents actual "programs" to keep families on task in the business of improving relationships and reaching family goals.

Me: Tell me about your "Influence Triangle." Which corner of the triad seems to be the most effective as a teaching tool?

Eyres: They work together for us. The books lead to speaking opportunities and media appearances which in turn sell the books and drive awareness up that there are ways that parents can improve and become more deliberate in the raising of their kids

Me: You've given hundreds of presentations on parenting and other subjects throughout the world. Which stick out in your mind as the most interesting, funny, and/or memorable?

Eyres: The amazing thing is that, though the cultures change, parent's basic instincts are the same everywhere in the world. Love of and concern for our children unites everyone who is a parent. A fellow in Indonesia said "My definition of a conservative is a flaming liberal with a teen age daughter!"

Me: Since my husband and I are seriously considering making reservations for an upcoming cruise on which you're the featured speakers, I just have to ask: How often do you take on *tough* assignments like this? And what's the most interesting speaking/teaching opportunity you've ever been offered?

Eyres: What we like about cruises is that there is lots of time on board to talk to individual parents and get into their personal questions and interests.

Me: What's the best parenting advice you've ever been given and from whom did it come? As your children became parents, what advice did you give them?

Eyres: I love the older couple who once told us that the best thing we could do for our kids was to love each other. We have tried to pass this same concept to our kids. That as important as the parent-child relationship is, the MOST important relationship is husband-wife. We are aware of how many great single parents there are, but if you are a two parent family, your relationship with each other has to come fires.

Me: What's the most valuable parenting lesson you've learned while "in the trenches" with your own children?

Eyres: To have a sense of humor. We have found that, with parenting, crisis plus time usually equals humor!

Me: In terms of both the world and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (to which we both belong), your nine children have matured into successful adults, all of them earning college degrees, serving church missions, doing humanitarian work, and either marrying and raising their own families or planning to do so in the future. To what do you attribute this truly phenomenal accomplishment?

Eyres: Lots of it is luck. We were blessed with wonderful kids. Some parents have much harder challenges. Perhaps God didn't think much of us as parents--sending us all those easy kids, and perhaps He thought a great deal of some other parents, sending them such challenging kids. We try never to judge ourselves or others when it comes to parenting.

Me: What inspired you to write your new - and very timely - book, THE ENTITLEMENT TRAP? Why do all of us, as parents and just members of society, need to worry about this growing problem? How do we stop it?

Eyres: We think it is the biggest single problem that parents have today. We wrote the book to help parents solve it.

Me: In talking with parents all over the globe, parents of all different colors, creeds, and financial level, you've noticed something remarkable: Parents everywhere want basically the same things for their children - safety, good values, a good education, and the opportunity to reach their full potential. What, in your opinion, is the single most important thing parents can do to ensure this happens?

Eyres: Have actual goals for their parenting.....to overcome entitlement attitudes and to create, in its place, a true sense of responsibility.

Thanks so much, Richard and Linda!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

The first installment, The Wild, begins with 17-year-old Jack heading to the Yukon to look for gold. Thrilled by the prospect of getting rich as well as the challenge of pitting himself against the extreme Alaskan weather, Jack's ready for the adventure. Even when his brother-in-law, an older man with a bad heart, turns back, he continues undaunted. Despite his vow to trust no one, Jack hooks up with two newbie prospectors, who soon become his best friends. The trio make an unlikely group - Merritt Sloper's a 25-year-old stonemason, Jim Goodman's a 22-year-old schoolteacher, and Jack's a young scrapper with a hot temper - but they're still alive. Which is more than they can say for a lot of their comrades.

Jack attributes the group's success to blind luck and grim determination, but when he's rescued from a desperate situation by an animal straight out of a fairy tale, he's forced to admit that he's got some otherworldly support. A good thing, since not all of the enemies he's battling out in the wild are human. He's seen the evil men embrace out in the lawless north and he's seen ... other things. The only question that remains is: Will he make it out of the Yukon alive?

I don't read a lot of Man vs. Nature type books, so I wasn't sure this one would strike my fancy, but guess what? It totally did. Not only is the book well-written, but it's surprising and engrossing, even funny in parts. Vivid illustrations by Greg Ruth add even more suspense to the tale. I liked The Wild so much more than I thought I would. And I'm a 30 (ish) woman - I imagine teenage boys would find the story especially compelling. The Sea Wolves, the next installment in the series, comes out in February and I can hardly wait. So inspired am I that I might even re-read Call of the Wild. How's that for enthusiasm? Well, what can I say? Judging from the first book, this series deserves it.

(Readalikes: It's been a long time since I read Call of the Wild or White Fang, but I assume both have some similarities to this story.)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), violence and mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Wild from the generous folks at HarperTeen. Thank you!