School Library Journal Review
| Gr 7 Up--In this deeply thoughtful guide, physician Anbar engages in discourse to help teens navigate the often-difficult time of adolescence. This is not just another self-help book: Anbar provides practical and empowering tips, specifically for young readers, understanding and validating their unique challenges and struggles while also uplifting them and showing them their potential. A lot of the tools provided come from a holistic approach, addressing not only the psychological and emotional aspects of growing up but also starting the conversation at a pivotal age about stress management, building self-esteem, navigating social dynamics, and other similar challenges. Though it is titled as a guide for teens, it truly would be helpful for readers of any age. Growing up in today's world is more complex than ever before, and if there ever was such a thing as a life manual, this would be a wonderfully helpful place to start. VERDICT An excellent book that truly combines empathy and compassion as well as wisdom and practical advice in a way that feels helpful as well as empowering.--Jenna LaBollita |
Booklist Review
| This superb guide, intended for teens and their caregivers, encompasses so much of what teens are dealing with, what caregivers struggle to help with, and what both groups need in order to be better versions of themselves for the future. Divided into five inviting sections, the book covers identifying strategies for feeling resilient, overcoming anxiety and fear, maintaining healthy relationships, and finding success and guidance for the future. Anbar, a counselor and pediatric specialist, offers a variety of tools and skills teens can use to feel empowered to handle day-to-day struggles, deal with complicated emotions, and effectively communicate with friends, family, and others. He emphasizes physical as well as mental health, promoting the importance of adequate sleep and routine physical activity--an opening disclaimer reminds readers to confer with a medical practitioner, helpfully. Using an encouraging, active voice in passages directed to teens and to their adult caregivers and including first-person testimonials from young people, the text will likely leave readers feeling capable of overcoming life's challenges. This action-oriented and advice-packed volume is a strong choice for teen collections. |
Kirkus Review
| Pediatric pulmonary physician Anbar takes a holistic approach to encouraging teens to get their minds and bodies to work together for better well-being. The book is divided into five parts, covering effective strategies for daily life, managing anxiety and other emotional challenges, making improvements to physical health, building healthy relationships, and achieving success across many different areas of life. Within each section, the individual chapters discuss the issue at hand, provide tools that readers can use, offer firsthand accounts from other teens ("Being aware of the power of words helps me find the right things to say--and it also helps me process what other people say"), and advise parents and caregivers. The author presents fear and anxiety as part of our natural survival instincts, which can be harnessed in positive ways using tips from the book. A list entitled "Nine Signs You Are Ready for Responsibility" is also valuable and will apply to many circumstances. Throughout, Anbar breaks his guidance into steps and offers clear, meaningful examples. Some of the tips and tools build upon one another, but the book is designed to be accessible to those who dip into it rather than read it cover to cover. The discussions of spirituality, gender, sexuality, and relationships are inclusive. Static spot art occasionally punctuates the text. A practical compass for adolescents to use in navigating life's tricky areas. (notes, bibliography, index)(Nonfiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |
