A highly engaging middle grade story that weaves together one girl's struggles with anxiety and the Bosnian refugee crisis that occurred in the 90s. I felt like I was in Austria with Becca and the rest of the characters as she pushed herself way beyond her comfort zone and became more confident in herself and the world around her. I really appreciated that this book is set during a time period when society didn't talk much about mental health, especially with young people.

The Thing I’m Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine, 368 pages. Putnam’s (Penguin), 2021. $18
Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

12yo Becca is virtually crippled by anxiety, but her mom is flying with her to Austria, where Becca can spend the summer with her father. Accompanied by all of her Doomsday journals, where she writes all of her fears and possible solutions, Becca hopes she and her dad will have fun together. But now she has his girlfriend, the girlfriend’s 13yo son, and an au pair who is a Bosnian refugee. Becca, Felix, and Sara each make a list of things they want to conquer that summer (eat a soft boiled egg?)– but planning for every eventuality doesn’t mean that you can brainstorm all of the ways your life may take shape.

Set in the summer of 1993, this is kind of historical fiction, especially when Sara’s passport gets stolen and she is taken into custody. But the framework for Becca’s life is her anxiety and I am just tired of 12yo girl characters having anxiety as their main character trait. I can only take so much of this tired trope. I have plenty of books about girls – plenty.

Becca is spending the summer in Vienna, Austria with her father. She wants to be excited, but really is just anxious. Really anxious. She has such high anxiety she keeps Doomsday Journals that tell her what to do in the inevitable emergency. This summer, however, all that is about to change. She will learn how to push through some of those anxieties and to start pushing back on her fear thanks to a few new friends. Set in the 1990s the book weaves in the narrative on the Bosnian conflict and the impact on Austrian politics. This book will linger with you long after the reading is done. The parallels to that time in history and what was happening in Bosnia correlates directly to what is happening now in the United States and around the world. Beautifully written and highly recommended.

I saw myself in this book and really loved the growth in the characters. It was also intense at the end and I couldn’t put it down! Thank you to the author and publisher and Netgalley for sharing.

There are lots of books dealing with anxiety right now, but this one does it really well. I was also intrigued by the unique setting.

Twelve-year-old Becca suffers from almost crippling anxiety related to her concerns that various pursuits may result in injury, illness, or death. Although she has a therapist and has developed some coping strategies, including a Doomsday Journal, she still suffers from panic attacks in new situations. Flying to Vienna to spend several weeks with her father while her mother backpacks around Europe is definitely out of her comfort zone. The fact that her father, who is divorced from her mother, has a new girlfriend, Katarina, with a son of her own, Felix, doesn't make her feel any more comfortable. Becca's father makes arrangements for Felix's au pair to keep them entertained and explore the city. Sara is a Muslim refugee from Bosnia, and she worries about the whereabouts of her mother and little brother who are still there while conflict rages. Slowly, with support from Felix and Sara, Becca takes little steps in conquering her fears, making a list of things that she fears but is willing to try. As it turns out, Felix and Sara also have fears of their own,

I thought this book was charming. The setting of Austria in 1994 made you fall in love. Also, I loved seeing how by working with a therapist, friends, and family Becca learned to change how she looked at fear, bravery, and her anxiety. I especially liked that so many types of fears were discussed from falling off of a bike to social anxiety, to the loss of loved ones. Each of the character's fears are real and were treated with respect.

This is a great purchase for middle grade readers who like realistic fiction, historical events, or social issues.

I dive into each new book with the clear expectation that I will love it. But when I started reading The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine, I honestly wasn’t so sure. The story opens with a bang: Becca, a 12-year old dealing with anxiety attacks is traveling from her home in Virginia to spend the Summer with her father in Austria while her supportive, yet free-spirited, mother prepares to backpack across Europe in her absence. It seemed a bit fantastical: an anxious child bravely undertaking a large life event, parents getting along beautifully after a recent divorce and an au pair waiting to oversee it all. Perfect. I thought I knew how the story would predictably unfold in a perfect happily-ever-after story, but I was wrong. Yes, Becca tackles her fears and has a summer to remember, but this book was so much more than expected. Levine so beautifully invites us into Becca’s mind, not only helping us feel what it’s like to be anxious, but actually showing the reader how to get through it. She invites us into the lives of Felix and Sara, putting complex feelings and life challenges into simple facts that inspire courage, connection and confidence. From the bugs in the Goulash and happy chickens to the list-making and Doomsday and Pig Journals, every reader will find a piece of themselves in this book, child AND adult, a piece of themselves that will feel just a bit stronger for having read this book. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m starting a Pig Journal of my own.

Historical fiction books can be tricky. This story manages to intertwine past (is 1993 really that long ago?!) with modern problems kids face today. A solid read indeed!

I really like Levine’s work, but I could not get into this book. The protagonist was not at all appealing. All the obsessive worrying got boring. It just took forever for anything consequential to happen. This book might appeal to a select group of readers who also have this disorder.

Twelve-year-old Becca suffers from severe anxiety. The idea of flying to Austria to spend the summer with her dad adds to her fears, but she boards the plane despite her nerves. Her ever-present Doomsday Journal, a notebook she uses to record her worst-case scenarios, helps her to manage. Once she arrives in Austria, she meets Sara, the nineteen-year-old au pair who will be watching both her and Felix, the son of her father’s girlfriend, during the summer days. Sara and Felix are patient companions when Becca’s anxiety appears as they explore Vienna together. After Becca learns about Sara’s experience escaping from war-torn Bosnia, leaving her family behind, she is inspired to confront her fears. This is an engaging story with well-developed characters. Readers will enjoy experiences how Becca perseveres and grows over the events of the summer.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine.The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of is a middle-grade book about a girl's struggle with anxiety. Kristin Levine creates Becca as a nervous, anxious character trying to overcome her fears to be part of her father's new life in another country. Becca's struggles to help herself and her friends make her a heroine worth rooting for. Levine gives readers methods for coping with anxieties and shows the reader that sometimes we fail and other times we succeed.

12-year-old, Becca’s parents are divorced. Dad wants her to fly to Vienna for the summer of 1993. But Becca has anxiety, and her mind always travels to the worst-case-scenario which filles her with fear and panic attacks. Soon, she sets off for a European adventure with the help of her doomsday journal to help her cope with her fears and possible reactions. In Vienna, she meets her dad’s new girlfriend, her son Felix, and her new au-pair Sara (a 19-year-old Bosnian refugee). With her new friends she learns about the fears and trials others face and learns new coping mechanisms. The main character is wonderfully complex and realistic. The plot is a well-developed story of how Becca grows and finds a more expansive world view and gains hope. Readers who enjoy realistic fiction, self-discovery, and overcoming fears will enjoy reading this book. 4 stars, Grades 4 to 7

Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of is a wonderful books for anyone dealing with anxiety. The main character, Becca, has a lot of fears. So many she has filled 3 Doomsday Journals with them and is working on her 4th. When her dad moves to Austria, she has to overcome a lot of her fears to be able to visit him. Everything from the x-ray machine, to the airplane scares Becca. When she gets to Austria, she meets new friends, including her au pair Sara. Sara is a refugee from Bosnia who fled because of the civil war. With Sara's help, Becca learns what it means to be brave and begins to find ways to overcome some of her fears. This is a sweet book that covers a lot of good subjects: anxiety, refugees, fear, love, and how to cope.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Kristin Levine has such a way with shaping characters and I love it! This is a beautiful book about Becca and her living with her severe anxiety and dealing with it in a new place with new people. I liked the unexpected friendship Becca and Felix formed. And I really loved how Becca found ways to face her fears. Another beautiful book by Kristin Levine, that any middle grader dealing with anxiety will find comfort in.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!