After publishing four successful books in the groundbreaking Teen Ink series, this fifth-and possibly best-installment takes a close and compelling look at what's really important to today's teens. Partnering with the worldwide Laws of Life Essay Contest, a program of the John Templeton Foundation, this collection offers a unique tapestry of teen expression. Many of the haunting questions of all time are tackled by voices that sing with hope and the reality of being a teenager in the 21st Century. With eloquent prose, insightful poetry, art and photography, these teens present timeless values through their own experiences and explore principles such as, "It's better to give than to receive," "If at first you don't succeed . . ." and "Honesty is the best policy." In Teen Ink: What Matters, you'll find fresh and honest interpretations of these and other ideals that we all try to live by. In addition, teen authors and artists journey into waters filled with forgiveness, generosity, courage, love and bravery through personal expressions about tough challenges, family, friends and everyday events. Young people from as far away as China and Ukraine reveal fascinating insights in this selection from over 88,000 submissions to the Laws of Life Essay Contest. Teen Ink: What Matters is an uplifting book of hope, reflection and inspiration that will resonate with teens.

I Believeby Sarah Meira Hoberman IBelieveFirmlyIn tear-streakedHappy EndingsIn the soul of Mother EarthAnd in her children.And I believeThat good things happenTo those who sit in the sunshineAnd sing their hearts outWithout acoustic guitars.And I believe,Yes,I believe in Walt WhitmanMake fun if you will.I believe in not caringWho makes funAnd in caring deeply.I believe in caringFor anyone who needs a helping handThat is true chivalry,Not who holds the doorFor whom.I believe in grammarAnd disjointed trainsOf thought.I believeIn Attention DeficitDisorder.I believe in chaosAnd myselfAnd rebellion against rebellionWhy are you laughing?I,I believe in math teachersAnd science teachersHistory teachersMusic and psychology teachersArt teachersI believe in English teachersThe Great GatsbyAnd Huckleberry FinnI believe in Jim.I believeThat it's okay to start a poemWith the words"I believe"You're laughing again.But hey,You can't argueWith what I say I believe(My mother cuts down that argumentIn ten seconds flatIn ninth-grade bible,She tells me in triumph.)I believe in my motherDoes that make me notSeventeen? I believe in seventeenAnd in SeventeenAnd in not being snide:Stop laughingI didn't say I read it!I believeIn losing trackOf the original train of thoughtAnd I believe in writingPoetry at midnight,The weak light fallingOn purple psychedelicMushroom pajama pants;I believe in my pants.I believe in the sixtiesAnd the seventiesAnd the fiftiesAnd the nineties.I believe in Norman RockwellStan RodgersThe BeatlesPeter, Paul and Mary.I believeIn my sister's friend MaryA beautiful little girlWith cerebral palsy:I believe in a lifeIn which Mary walks her walkerThrough the hallsOf our high schoolPulling straight A'sIn honors math.I believe in schoolAnd in desksAnd in alphabetical orderStarting with Q.I believe that wingsAre something every human being hasJust nobody knows how to use them.But listen I believeThat the best thing you can do forYourselfIs believe;Now will you please stop laughing?I'm making a point! Good-Bye, Dennisby Gina M. Antonacci For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever. Laura Swenson The sound of a soft pink rose hitting the coffin resounds in my head. The gray sky begins to release its own tears. I stand alone, looking down with tear-filled eyes. The only other sound is a lonely crow in a tree, looking for shelter from the rain. I hear my mother softly calling, "Gina, come in out of the rain." I say, "Good-bye, Dennis. I'll miss you." These are the last words between me and my brother. I had lost my brother, but more than that, my "self" became a pile of shattered glass, and I was frightened these pieces would never be put together again. I could no longer find where I left my soul, or my faith. I knew that my being was somewhere on a dirt road, way off the highway of my mind, and I needed to

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Excerpted from What Matters by Stephanie H. Meyer, John Meyer, Peggy Veljkovic
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.