Review by Booklist Review
Anxiety can be a tricky thing to pin down, but this useful guide helps children understand their feelings, find the words to describe those feelings, ask for help if they need it, and learn some calming techniques. Lewis hits the right tone in her writing, never talking down to her readers or, conversely, becoming overly clinical. Instead, she lays out the general science of anxiety's effects on the brain and roles of neurotransmitters, as well as how ancient human instincts still inform our actions today, as in fight or flight responses. Throughout, Touliatou's childlike illustrations make the book feel approachable, underscoring Lewis' consistent message that all fears and feelings matter and are legitimate. Chapters utilize relatable examples of when anxiety is negatively impacting one's life to help readers gauge whether theirs is a problem and to identify the cause(s)--moving, wanting to fit in, etc. Suggestion lists and "Top Tip" advice bubbles offer ways of managing or discussing one's anxiety, and a list of mental health resources concludes this comprehensive and thoughtfully crafted book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This comprehensive nonfiction primer for middle grade readers explains myriad facts and aspects of anxiety. The first chapter ("What Is Anxiety?") lays a foundation for the rest of the handbook, defining the condition and briefly surveying some of its varying manifestations--generalized and social anxieties, phobias, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorder--as well as differentiating between the topic and depression, paranoia, worry, and stress. The second chapter ("What Makes You Anxious?") focuses on facts, including possible background triggers, brain chemistry, and anatomical responses. The final three chapters provide tangible steps to recognize, address, and cope with anxiety ("How is anxiety affecting you? Have you altered your behavior in the long term because of your anxiety?"). Touliatou's art has a scribbly, childlike feel that pairs strangely with the authoritative text, but her colorful, unoutlined figures may hold appeal for younger readers. An approachable resource for those interested in mental health. Ages 8--12. (July)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This handbook directs children to exercises and further resources for managing serious anxiety. What is anxiety? Where does it come from? What are some things that make people anxious? How is anxiety affecting my life, and how can I start to manage it? These are the questions that are addressed in this slim illustrated book, with the longest chapter describing some of the things that make people anxious, such as the news, the dark, social situations, hormones, and peer pressure. The information about what anxiety is and where it comes from is most useful; the chapter helping readers to identify the role of anxiety in their lives is important, but its vague instructions will be useful only to highly motivated readers. The concrete action steps that round out the book include breathing, muscle relaxation, visualization, and choosing someone to talk to. It is unclear when readers should practice these techniques in order to achieve benefits in anxiety reduction. While the font is fairly small, each spread consists of large pictures and separated chunks of text, and bold headers make browsing easy. The pictures of people are diverse and expressive; the personified embodiments of anxiety itself are anthropomorphic red scribbles that evoke the internal disruption it causes. A solid introduction to anxiety management. (resources) (Nonfiction. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
