I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure edited by Smith Magazine

Could you tell your life story in just six words?  That's the premise behind I Can't Keep My Own Secrets.   The editors of Smith magazine challenged over 600 kids, ages 13-19, to write a memoir about their lives using only six words.

The results are astonishing.  Only the authors' first names are given, and in some cases that anonymity allows for the sharing of very personal, often touching, details:

"Called me stupid.
I'm only dyslexic."

"I have accepted your abandonment, Dad."




Others are inspiring!

"I draw my dreams in crayon"

"Chose happiness over anger and hate."

Still others are thought-provoking, and kind of funny:

"Because the chicken is a nonconformist."

"He only knew one word: meh."

It's a great collection to browse through, or read in any order you like.  You're sure to recognize bits and pieces of yourself in these pages, but would you contribute to the anthology?  What is YOUR six-word memoir?

Mine is:

"Always up for adventure and fun."

You can find I Can't Keep My Own Secrets in the JYA non-fiction section (for older readers).