I love this book so much. I think it's so important to give kids (and adults) the tools and language with which to empower themselves.

this book was super crisp and to the point. given that this book was penned down by two own voices author, helped me a lot to relate with it. glad I came across this book. it was super helpful.

This book was good. I thought it was a great addition to the world that we are in right now. I think young kids would learn a lot when reading this book. I do think this book needs to expand to culture and gender specified topics. I think this book is a great start to start talking about anxiety in these COVID times.

Reading this as an adult that has dealt with anxiety since I was a young child, it's hard to separate my thoughts as a reviewer from my thoughts of someone that might have benefitted from this book when I was younger. This is exactly the sort of thing I needed when I was a kid - I didn't know how to express what I was feeling, I didn't know who I could talk to about it, and I didn't know how to create healthy coping mechanisms for what I was going through. This book, with its easy to understand descriptions, the quizzes, infographics/graphics, etc, is a good resource for middle graders needing to understand what's happening, and how they can deal with it. This is in no way takes place of professional help, but it is a positive step, and might help a juvenile find out exactly what they need to say to express their feelings and get the help that they need.

Definitely recommended for every public or school library's middle grade nonfiction section.

SUPER POWERED Transform Anxiety into Courage, Confidence, and Resilience by Renee Jain & Dr. Shefali Tsabary

WOW! Parents, teachers, and counselors, get this book. period.

Present
Original
Whole
Energized
Resilient

When I first found out I was going to be a mom, I jumped online and looked for every gentle & respectful parenting book I could find. I was terrified of being a bad mom, and I didn’t want to put my own child through some of the very hurtful things that happened to me when I was little. I quickly found Dr. Tsabary. Her message and style of parenting really resonated with me. I read THE CONSCIOUS PARENT and THE AWAKENED FAMILY before Atlas was born, and those books are still my guiding light as a parent. And Reene Jain is the Founder of GoZen! I absolutely love her account @gozenlove!

What I love most about SUPER POWERED is that this is a book for kids! It’s meant for them, and written in a voice that is empowering and encouraging. It normalizes many uncomfortable feelings and gives them strategies on how to cope in healthy and resilient ways, even meditation techniques. This is a book that even at 31 I benefited from reading. I’ve actually used some of the tactics while taking nursing exams (haha) I’m not joking!

This is such a sweet book filled with cartoon graphics and space for your child to write in and reflect on their own feelings. It covers everything from feeling overloaded with what you “should” be, to handling worries, bullying, and growing from your mistakes. More importantly that it’s okay to make mistakes. Being a good friend to yourself takes practice, and I just really really love Dr. Tsabary. She’s given me so much confidence in my own parenting journey and has helped me break multigenerational cycles and start anew.

Thank you @hearourvoicestours & @randomhousekids for getting this book into my hands! It has been surprisingly helpful for my own nursing school journey!

This was such a fun book and very very informative! This was a really fast and fun read, on a very life altering topic. Learning how to handle you anxiety and manage it will always be tough, but this book helps young reads view it in a different way. I love the terminology the came up with, definitely fitting for someone half my age, and I mean I might start using it too. It has illustrations that also help the reader visualize what they are talking about, or even how they might be feeling. Which honestly soon as I was able to identify my anxiety for what it was was a big part of the management. I can see this being very helpful for someone who is younger and doesn't necessarily fully understand what they are currently going through.

Really pleased with how much this book provided in the area of mental health. I'm going to recommend this book to my students, and even discuss a few things with them in class (virtually, of course, for now!).

I loved this book and enjoyed my experience reading it. The exercises were really helpful. I loved the stories that were sprinkled throughout. What I enjoyed most was that this wasn't something that was a cure-all but it let it be know that this is an aide. Definitely will be recommending this.

I wish I’d had this book when I were younger because it probably would have saved me so much time and heartache. Even as an adult, I found SUPERPOWERED to be incredibly relatable and helpful. There are several interactive moments throughout the book that allow readers to take a moment, process the helpful information they’re just been given, and then learn how to apply it to the real world. I’ll be honest: I did a lot of the interactive pages, and they were fun! This is a book I would recommend to parents, guardians, teachers, and anyone who comes in contact with tweens as the perfect gift. This book is definitely backed by a TON of research, time, and personal stories, and it shows throughout the book. I found myself learning things about anxiety that I never even knew, and I’m glad this book exist in the world.

Couldn’t have picked up Superpowered at a better time. With everything going on in the world & in India at the moment, I have been experiencing bouts of despair and intense anxiety for a week now.

The book was definitely written with children in mind but is insightful & consists of various helpful exercises and ways to deal with anxiety I believe even I would benefit from, as an adult.

I cried while reading it last night because as the book says people tell you, “it’ll be okay” and you know it’s true in some measure but you have to ride the waves of anxiety alone and just knowing you’re not the only person feeling like this gives you a little relief even if it’s just figures in a book.

I have read a few self-help books on anxiety as I have been struggling with it in varying degrees for about 5 years. This one I could relate to a good deal because my anxiety stems from a lot of the same reasons mentioned.
I wish I’d read it sooner last month so I could’ve included the effects of the exercises now.

Nonetheless I definitely plan on getting a physical copy so I can write down in the book as I’m meant to. I think it’d be a great help to kids with anxiety and parents/schools should definitely get it for young children.

Thought I should add: It mentions JKR as an inspirational figure in just a small paragraph.

Before starting this, I would like to mention this is a review from someone who was diagnosed with severe Anxiety and still experiencing it. Before the tour hosts let us sign up for this tour, we were also asked first if we will comfortable to read such book as it may triggering for some which I personally liked.

To be honest, I feel bad for giving Superpowered a 3 star rating as I feel like if I've read this when I was younger, I probably would've given it MORE than a 5 star rating. But I'm afraid I am not the target audience for this book so I would like to clarify that Superpowered isn't a bad book at all. In fact, even as an adult, I found it quite helpful. The was they simplified the meaning of anxiety and how it was  described when you were experiencing it without downplaying it was, in my own opinion, accurate. I also truly enjoyed the fun illustrations that comes with every chapter and explanation. On top of that, the authors included fun activities that will also help the young readers to understand what they just read. 

Another thing that I really liked about this book is how realistic their sample scenarios were, these are examples that I am 100% sure our readers experience or will be experiencing. The way the book was written as well is not at all "preachy" and it feels like just having a normal conversation with someone which I know will work well with the young readers.

Its been said from the previous reviews as well but using JKR as an inspirational figure did not sit well with me. This doesn't erase the said persons struggles but I believe that there are a lot more public figure that couldve been used.

Other than that, I would really recommend Superpowered to parents if you're looking for more tools to help you in making your child understand anxiety and managing them, same goes for educators and librarians out there.

Thank you to the publisher, Hear Our Voices Tours, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

As someone who has struggled with an anxiety disorder for years, I can attest that there are a lot of great techniques in this book! It has concise explanations that are accessible to preteens, and there are a lot of practical activities to help them work through what they are experiences!

My anxiety has been really ramped up this whole year, so it was actually difficult for me to get through the first part of this book. Some of the descriptions and explanations were actually really triggering for me. I would encourage those with extreme anxiety to read this in a safe manner and to be aware that it can be hard!

I definitely think this book could be helpful for younger kids with mild to moderate anxiety. I would recommend they have someone to help them work through it, though! Even as an adult, I would have benefited from having someone work through this book with me.

I am planning on donating this to my local middle school library so students who are interested in getting help for their anxiety can have access!

* NOTE: My thoughts for this book are going to be divided into two different sections (first my review and then an #OwnVoices reflection!) *

MY REVIEW:

Before I begin, I would like to mention a couple of quick disclosures. First, I am not the target audience for the book! And second, non-fiction is not a genre I typically frequent. I have nothing against it at all, I just usually prefer to read fiction 🙂

Okay, so, now that all of that is out of the way, let’s begin by discussing the pros and cons!

WHAT I LIKED:

• The POWER Acronym: If you know me (even a little!), you will know how much I absolutely LOVE acronyms and pneumonic devices. I use them literally ALL the time, from tests at school to helpful reminders at home. So, it’s not really surprising that I loved the use of the POWER (Present, Original, Whole, Energetic, Resilient) acronym, and in particular the explanation behind it (being that when we were younger, these “POWERs” got zapped, leaving us with anxiety).
• The illustrations: If you don’t know, I’m also a total sucker for cute illustrations in books. And not only did these add to the aesthetic appeal of the book for me, they also served as a way to better illustrate and explain the points that the authors were making.
• The writing style: One thing that I actually DESPISE in self-help books is the feeling of getting “lectured to.” However, that couldn’t be farther from the case here! The authors talked to readers (us) in such an understanding, accepting, and supportive tone of voice, which was really nice. Also, even though this book has two authors, I sensed no major discrepancies in the writing style, and it flowed really well.
• The interactiveness: This book is filled with dozens and dozens of illustrated interactive activities for the reader to perform. And while I didn’t partake in many of them because it felt a little silly, I can TOTALLY see how this would appeal very much to younger readers. I would even bet that, had I been even a few years younger, I would’ve gotten a TON of enjoyment from them!

WHAT I...DIDN'T:

In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t really THAT big, but… at one point during the book when giving examples of real-life people that have faced similar struggles, JK Rowling was mentioned (and in a fairly positive light!)

I understand that this is factual, and she truly DID face issues of rejection in the publishing industry, but in light of everything recently with JK Rowling revealing herself as a totally toxic TERF (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist)… it just hit me the wrong way?

And yes, I also understand that this was probably written at least a few months before JK Rowling took these harmful actions. That being said, her story of rejection is VERY cliche. I’d even be willing to bet that most of you reading this knew her rejection story before I even mentioned it!

I get why she was used (for recognition’s sake) but I can also think of plenty of other people (authors included!) that I would’ve loved to have been included instead of her.

AN #OWNVOICES REFLECTION:

I’ll be honest, I feel a little different writing an #OwnVoices reflection for a non-fiction middle grade book. While I can guarantee that I’m #OwnVoices for anxiety, I would just like to again bring up the fact that I am no longer a tween, and therefore NOT the target audience for this book.

That being said… I was genuinely surprised at how helpful I found this book to be! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that this book has “cured” me of my anxiety in any way, shape, or form. However, after reading this, I can now say that when I do get feelings of anxiety, I am now significantly better prepared for handling those situations.

Superpowered has given me a wide variety of helpful tools for dealing with anxiety, and if a book for tweens can help me improve my life, well… you can only begin to imagine how POWERFUL (get it? 😉 ) it will be in the hands of the intended audience.

OVERALL: After reading this book in an #OwnVoices light, I can now say, rest assured, that this book is an excellent resource for tween readers with anxiety. It’s the kind of book that I only wish I had when I was younger, and I dare say that it’s going to do a world of good in the lives of young readers around the world. Four stars!

This was a great book! It's the kind of book I wish I would have had access to as a child with severe anxiety. It would have been very helpful. This will be a necessary addition to all school libraries and counselors offices. Also a great recommendation for booksellers when parents are asking for books on the subject.

My full review and blog tour stop including an interview with the authors will be available on my blog 10/2/20

This book was so perfect for my 5th grade class! I read a couple of the early chapters for them as a preview to see how they’d receive and and it was such a hit. My students were really happy that their struggles were recognized and they felt the tools to help were something they’d apply day to day. This was personally applicable to me as a 24 year old as well. As simple as these techniques are, they’re effective and easy to remember so I was quite happy that I could remember then when anxieties ran high. I greatly appreciate that this was written by authors who have worked with children and have researched anxiety disorder. It made me trust the advice a lot more. I’m incredibly pleased with this book!!

Although this book is marketed for the middle grade aged reading group and younger, this book provides much-needed insight and advice for any age, between its in-book activities and the advice and real-life stories from kids experiencing anxiety and anxiety/stress like symptoms.

In a world full of anxiety-inducing circumstances, sometimes it’s difficult to remember our own amazing capabilities. The pressures of the world break down our defenses and make it impossible for us to feel or perform our best. Fortunately, all hope is not lost! There are many strategies out there to help combat anxiety and take back our lives from fear. In Superpowered: Transform Anxiety into Courage, Confidence, and Resilience, Renee Jain and Dr. Shefali Tsabary present a variety of tools and tricks to help fight anxiety. Using superpowers as a metaphor for each person’s inherent abilities, Superpowered does a wonderful job of communicating the struggles anxiety brings along with tools to help cope.

You can get your copy of Superpowered on September 22nd from Random House Children’s Books!

OwnVoices Reflection-
Though the audience for this particular anxiety guide-book is a bit younger than my own age demographic, I still found Superpowered to be an enjoyable and useful read! I particularly liked reading the section about how to view worry as useful feedback, that can be either acted on or ignored. I have already found myself using some of the tools from this book in everyday life to deal with some of the ways anxiety affects me. If you or someone you know is struggling to cope with their anxiety, I would definitely recommend this book as a starting point.

My Recommendation-
This book would be perfect for anyone working to deal with anxiety, especially younger folks, as it is written to be accessible to all ages. No matter your age, this book contains a ton of useful exercises and strategies to help make anxiety more manageable. Personally, this book really hit home for me by combining superheroes (which I absolutely love) with coping mechanisms (which everyone needs)!

When I first saw that this book was over 300 pages, I was nervous, and thought no teen would ever read something that long about anxiety. It was written very well, as if the authors were talking directly to the teens instead of just reciting a bunch of medical facts about anxiety.

There are plenty of illustrations throughout that help drive in the message. There are sections that encourage the reader to reflect and write down answers to various questions as they work their way through.

I think this book will be an extremely valuable resource for any teen or adult who is struggling with anxiety. In fact, as soon as I finished it, I pre-ordered it so I can have a copy myself to share with a family member who I think would benefit from reading this book.

"Superpowered" takes the power away from anxiety and stress and gives it back to the person experiencing it. There are fun graphics, quizzes, and easy-to-learn acronyms that are designed to help with stress-management. The book delves in to the internal and external feelings of anxiety, and helps to combat them in a helpful and positive manner. The set-up is perfect for those who enjoy graphic novels.

Superpowered is an excellent way to help kids (and, frankly, adults) deal with anxiety and stress through understanding what causes it, how the body responds, and how you can work to change your mindset and move forward. Though the concept of "superpowers" seemed a little cliche to me, the authors used the theme well and incorporated many great exercises throughout the book to make it even more understandable. It seemed a little long, but the clear scenarios and graphics made it worth it. I hope there's a sequel workbook in the making.