"I Can Do Anything" by Carolyn Mattocks

What career should I choose? What skills are needed for the careers I am interested in? Can I really do anything? These are common questions posed by young people. Choosing a career is one of the biggest decisions a person will make in life. Guidance is needed to make a wise decision. Carolyn Mattocks has provided this much-needed guidance in her book “I Can Do Anything.”

Ms. Mattocks is a summa cum laude graduate of North Carolina Central University with a B.A. in History. She also has a Master's Degree in Public Administration from North Carolina State University. Ms. Mattocks has taught African American History, American History, World History, and European History at both the community college and college levels. Based on her education and experience, Ms. Mattocks is well-qualified to help youths to decide on a career path.

Carolyn Mattocks has a love and passion for history, as shown by this book. She has researched seventeen different career options and the skills needed to be successful in each field. Each section is outlined in a very simple manner so that children of various grade levels can easily understand the information. A brief synopsis is given of each career, followed by historical references. At the end of each section, there are activities that help the student to retain the information. The student is encouraged to do additional research and write a paper.

My favorite part of the book is the profiles of successful African Americans in each field. There is a description of several blacks in every field, including pictures of each one. This gives black students a reason for pride and aspiration. If they can do it, you can too! That message is powerfully driven home throughout this whole book.

After reading each section, students can assess themselves. They can consider the skills needed for each career and decide whether they can or cannot be successful in that field. The student learns how to use the information in a practical way. The end of the book provides additional resources so that the student can find more information on a career that interests him/her.

This book is an extremely valuable tool for young people. It can also be used by parents and counselors to help guide young people to the proper career. I would recommend this book to anyone.