Hot Button: Internet Edition
by Nicole O’Dell
Kregel, 2012, 168 pp., $9.99

Hot Button: Dating Edition
by Nicole O’Dell
Kregel, 2012, 160 pp., $9.99

Hot Buttons: Dating Edition is part of a new series of books by teen author and radio host, Nicole O’Dell. These books are written as handbooks for parents to address hot button issues they face with their teens. They are divided into four parts and are written in similar format and style, giving continuity to the overall series. The books start off by explaining the issues, as well as giving specific identifiers related to the issues. The second hand half of the books are practical, biblically based guides to start addressing the issues and also actively working through the issue.

Hot Buttons: Dating Edition is a very thorough study of teen dating, with an extremely focused but fair approach to the topic. Little time is wasted, as the author cuts directly the main issues and questions teens and parents ask when it comes to dating: Why? When? How? As O’Dell walks through the answers to the questions she presents, she answers each with a well-balanced biblical mindset. She points to the differences and gives readers an understanding of like, lust and love. She also includes excellent action steps and check point questions at the end of each chapter to help parents along the journey to creating a personal plan for their family. I absolutely appreciate the final section of the book that gives parents and teens spiritual practices to work through as they begin the journey of dating relationships. I especially love chapter 10’s “Armor of God” prayer practice and chapter 11’s set of strategic scenarios to use with teens. As a middle school/junior high youth pastor, this is an invaluable tool as parents approach me regarding many dating and relationship issues. This is a great book to give away to parents or could with very little work translate into a 4-week parent training. With so many books on the Christian market dealing with the issue of dating, I recommend this book because it puts leadership back in the hands of the parents.
—Dan Istvanik

In Hot Buttons: Internet Edition, O’Dell takes on another hot button issue among teens, pre-teens and their families—the Internet. Especially for those who have pre-teens or work with middle school/junior high students, this book is written just for you. At the beginning of chapter 2, she uses this statistic, “…children ages eight to twelve admit to spending an average of 11.4 hours online a week,” and you know it is true if not a little low. For students in the middle school/junior high years, the Internet is king in their lives. It rules their time, relationships and identity, which is why this topic not only needs to be addressed but must be addressed. This book is the one that had to be written. There are other fine books out there, but this one with its fair but straightforward approach is a cut above the rest, in my opinion. Similar to her other book Hot Buttons: Dating Edition, O’Dell starts off by acknowledging the foundational problem as sin. She leads readers through the key questions of When and How, then immediately dives into the hot button issues surroundign the Internet in the lives of young people. She brings up a few of the current social networking sites, the issue of illegal file sharing, and focuses in on the big ones of pornography and predators. The second half of the book, in similar fashion to her previous book, gives very solid practical steps to protecting, praying and communicating about the issues of Internet use. It also includes strategic scenarios to help facilitate discussion. As this book is brand new, it is right on where it needs to be addressing the current trends, topics and technology. The book is well-written and thoughtful. This is a great resource to be shared with parents or to be kept for your own use. The format lends easily to be used in teaching a short series on Internet and technology discernment. The only drawback I see with this book may be its shelf life. With a topic such as this and the fast moving world of technology and Internet, it may soon become outdated. I, however, feel it well worth the price as it is so full of much needed practical help for parents.
—Dan Istvanik

Tough questions and difficult conversations ARE going to come up in student ministry. The question is: Will you be ready to answer them in a practical, intelligible, biblical manner? The Hot Buttons Dating and Internet editions are great resources for parents and youth leaders. There are a wide range of tough issues that are explained in a concise way to help youth deal with problems from peer pressure to dating. It’s important for youth leaders and parents to be equipped to engage and influence their students with strong biblical principles to ensure their worldview is grounded in Scripture. The book is a quick reference guide that can be taught as a series in a large group setting or simply used in one-on-one conversations as issues arise.
—Nathan Cline, Teaching Pastor, REVO Church

Who doesn’t like hot button issues? They are the issues that get us talking, whether it’s necessary or uncomfortable. Nicole O’Dell has provided a fantastic resource in her Hot Buttons Series. I’ve reviewed the Internet Edition and the Dating Edition. Both are extremely practical. Directed toward parents who may not know where to begin the conversation, Nicole walks us step by step from why it’s important to how it can be done. This is a resource I would like to be available for all my parents and youth leaders. For the purpose of being open with our students, this could be used as a discussion starter with the teens in a group setting. If I had stars to give, and if people cared about my stars, I would use them on this resource.
—Rick Nier, Pastor of Youth Christian Education, Winona Lake Free Methodist Church

In the Hot Buttons Series, Nicole O’Dell offers dynamic resources for the family to discuss and consider. Each book within the series challenges the cultural approach to certain topics that impact the maturing years of teenagers. O’Dell provides frank discussion and guidelines that every parent should consider as they raise their teenagers in today’s world. Each opinion presented is backed up with clear biblical examples. O’Dell challenges parents to challenge their adolescents and preteens with ethical living based on the wisdom of Scripture. Following the frank discussion provided within the early chapters of each edition, O’Dell provides resources for families in the form of case studies, prayers and biblically based discussions. This is a very accessible series for youth ministers as they seek to provide ministry for the whole family. Youth ministers could use this series for a parent’s group, guiding the parents through each text and then providing the tools and wisdom for the parents to take the issues in these books home so they can challenge their children toward right living in the areas of dating and the Internet.
—Joel Jackson

Nicole O’Dell is coming out with a series of books called Hot Buttons; and in the Addicitions installment, she talks about proactive parenting interventions that can be used to gain insight into several areas. In this book, she talks about drug addiction. O’Dell uses role-playing exercises to help her kids understand good and bad choices in the safety of the home before answering the same questions in real life. (I think this is a good idea and is one that is used routinely in professional counseling.) She seeks to educate parents on hot button issues and then help them plan ways of dealing with these temptations.

I think she does well in indicating that it’s best to relate to young people as their parents rather then their contemporaries, trying to be cool, by helping them set boundaries and explaining consequences, as well as being the safe rock parents are supposed to be.

The challenge in writing a Christian resource such as this is honoring research that is out there while holding to biblical prinicples about parenting and whatever the hot button topic is. In this book, she does well in balancing them both. As a clinical social worker, youth pastor and author of 99 Thoughts on Caring for your Youth Group, I appreciate that she takes the time to cover many different types of substances abused and how they effect the teen. She uses recent research in a manner that explains what is going on without barraging parents with endless details that they would drown in. The links seem to be from reliable websites used by professional drug and alcohol counselors.
—Matt Murphy

O’Dell, in helping parents understand how to deal with their teens, has parents examine their own lives. Teens are acutely aware of hypocrisy in many forms, and they don’t tolerate it (or ambiguity) well. I apprecate that she gives scenarios to work through and talk through as a family. While it may seem hokey at first, I think making this a regular and early part of one’s life will make it more regular with time. This is made harder if you spent the first 12 years of your kids’ life minimizing conversation with them and not talking, being with or having daddy-daughter dates with your children. She concludes with sectoins on confession and forgiveness.

Overall, I find this book easy to use and read. I appreciate the thoughts and the information given to parents in this media. Even if you don’t do all the scenarios in the book, you can tailor much of the information to your children and bring these subjects up before the world does. Nicole O’Dell has valuable insights for parents and youth leaders alike in bringing the relevance of Christ into the lives of teens and the culture in which they live. 
—D.J. Pittman, Youth and Family Minister, Branches of Christ

I love ministry books that bring parents and students together through learning and conversation. Nicole O’Dell does an excellent job at this in her books Hot Button Issues: Internet and Dating editions. The information is short, blunt and practical. Scripture is weaved throughout the pages. Engaging scenarios for parents and teens are given, and each book has its own study guide for families to work through. This is a resource youth workers need on hand for parents so they can steer their children through the questions of technology use and dating boundaries effectively.
—Shawn Harrison is the Student and Family Pastor at Wayne Street UMC in Saint Marys, Ohio. He is also the author of the forthcoming book Ministering to Gay Teenagers published by Simply Youth Ministry.

Even spiritually mature parents can get lost trying to lead their kids through the temptations of life. The Hot Buttons Series is written to families and youth workers to help teens deconstruct and reconstruct common situations through a biblical lens before they happen. Each chapter ends with creative “What would you do?” questions that ensure a filter to reframe problems before they happen. The Internet Edition offers a core mentality regarding social networking, Internet predators, file downloads and more. The content is academic and faith-based, including discussion points on everything from illegal music to porn websites. The Dating Edition feels more heartfelt and subjective, and offers ideas on everything from dating alternatives to how to honor God in a relationship. Together, these two books create dialogue about scenarios that ultimately will create a healthy parent-teen relationship against negative influences.
—Tony Myles, author, ministry coach, volunteer youth worker and lead pastor of Connection Church, Medina, Ohio

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