Name and Tame Your Anxiety

Directed at middle school-age kids, this book offers practical advice to pre-teens on how to practice anxiety-taming strategies. It even includes a chapter on medication. Quotes from real kids also make the subject matter more relatable and let kids know that they’re not alone. The sections on what therapy is like and how you can advocate for yourself can be empowering for kids as well as teaching lifelong skills.

There are lots of things I like about this book. For one, it is perfectly pitched to middle-grade readers with fun (but not baby-ish) art. It’s clear (without being dumbed down), scientifically accurate (minus the jargon), informative (but not overwhelming). The book normalizes anxiety without glossing over the problems it causes and includes real quotes and real questions asked by real kids. Best of all, there are solutions 9-12-year-olds can implement on their own or, even better, with the help of a supportive adult. You can’t go wrong with this one.