With young readers diagnosed with anxiety in ever increasing numbers, this book offers a necessary mirror to many. Raina is white, and her classmates are diverse one best friend is Korean American. Even as she copes with anxiety disorder and what is eventually diagnosed as mild irritable bowel syndrome, she experiences the typical stresses of school life, going from cheer to panic in the blink of an eye. Thought bubbles surround Raina in some panels, crowding her with anxious “what if”s, while in others her negative self-talk appears to be literally crushing her. Amping up the green, wavy lines to evoke Raina’s nausea, Telgemeier brilliantly produces extremely accurate visual representations of stress and anxiety. Her therapist helps her learn to ground herself and relax, and in turn she teaches her classmates for a school project. At first Raina isn’t sure about seeing a therapist, but over time she develops healthy coping mechanisms to deal with her stress and anxiety. She worries about sharing food with her friends and eating certain kinds of foods, afraid of getting sick or food poisoning.
Raina begins having regular stomachaches that keep her home from school. Even a year later, when she is in fifth grade, she fears getting sick. Young Raina is 9 when she throws up for the first time that she remembers, due to a stomach bug. Adults might just learn something, too-there are gems for everyone.Īn instructive textbook for our time, illuminating the questions and community actions youth need to transform the world. Most importantly, she shows young people that this work is not meant to be done alone and encourages them to join a community of others working toward a more free and just world. Jewell makes it clear that she believes in readers: “You are a really good problem solver, and you can help us adults find ways to make the world a much better place to live in for everyone.” Her book offers a way for young people to learn about themselves and their communities, make careful distinctions between how they define themselves and how society may see them, and become champions for change as they combat prejudice and discrimination. The lessons highlight youth agency, awareness, and autonomy. “Putting It All Together” summaries at the end of each chapter reinforce key takeaways.
She incorporates age-appropriate language in rendering complex topics-such as privilege, intersectionality, and colonization-with clarity and precision, aided by buoyant graphics depicting a diverse group of children. Jewell builds upon the foundation of her bestselling This Book Is Anti-Racist (2020) with a primer on anti-racism, intersectionality, and ways of effecting change.ĭefining anti-racism as “the act of making a choice to be active and resist racism,” the author discusses racial identity, power, and activism, covering important vocabulary and concepts along the way.
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