HOW TO HANDLE STRESS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL SUCCESS

What can middle schoolers do to avoid being consumed by worry?

Psychologist Guerra structures her overview of middle school stressors and coping mechanisms as if it were a game with levels from one to 10. Following the format of other books in the Kid Confident series, she introduces three young people who are diverse across various dimensions of identity, pointing out both their strengths and the things that may stress them. These stressors are wide-ranging, from being hungry or easily discouraged to impulsivity and perfectionism. Readers are likely to recognize some of these characters’ issues as their own. Using a comforting tone, the writer addresses readers directly with competence and confidence. Emphasizing that stress is a natural and protective bodily response, she discusses the conditions that may cause stress in middle school, how it presents itself, how to manage it, and ways to keep it at bay. She encourages the adoption of good physical and mental habits, providing hacks for self-calming and feeling better emotionally. The book also explains the concepts of mindset and GRIT (here, a mnemonic that breaks down the components of perseverance). Guerra calls for and explains how to achieve the adoption of an attitude of self-efficacy. Regular review and reinforcement are provided through sidebars with activities, puzzles, and short quizzes as well as reminders at the end of each chapter of the skills learned. Spot art, charts, and diagrams also break up the text.

Solid, reassuring, and appealingly presented advice from a professional.