You Have a Brain: A Teen's Guide to T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G.

The title of You Have a Brain: A Teen's Guide to T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G centers on the advice Ben Carson's mother gave him and his brother: you have a brain-use it. The well-known neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson has overcome the obstacles of his father's leaving the family, being considered stupid by his classmates in grade school, and having a violent temper. He articulates eight principles that helped shape his future and which make up thinking big: Talent, Honesty, Insight, being Nice, Knowledge, Books, In-Depth Learning, and God. Writing for a teen audience, Carson amply demonstrates that the effective use of one's brain does trump peer pressure. In his experience, "peers" were actually People Encouraging Errors, Rudeness and stupidity. Carson also makes clear that his own battle with an out-of-control temper required help from God, though using his brain to recognize the need was essential. Gregg Lewis is the author or coauthor of more than 50 books, and Deborah Shaw Lewis has authored or coauthored more than a dozen books; the two are the parents of five children. As a team they have worked with Dr. Carson and are able to articulate insights in a fashion that encourages personal assessment. Leroy Hommerding, CLJ--Christian Library Journal