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Create Your Own Happy ISBN: 9780008301217
Alexander, Penny, Forrest, Clare and Goddard-Hill, Becky
Published by Collins, 2018
In order to use a book about feeling happier, one must need the book because one is not happy. This may or may not be because of serious unhappiness about, say, a death in the family or the parents separating, or mental health issues, but a child showing signs of unhappiness, whatever the reason, could be helped by the suggestions in this book. The book is lengthy (160 pp), but there are lots of short sentences and colourful, fun drawings throughout, which will appeal and make the information accessible. There are three divisions, the biggest of which is Making Yourself Happy. This has 18 sections on subjects such as feeling positive about your own strengths, exercising, decluttering, being confident about speaking in public, etc. and because this is a book about creativity, there are things to do along the way. Part two is about making other people happier, and Part three has to do with helping the world by doing such things as recycling, growing your own food, doing charity work, and encouraging wildlife, etc. Where there are scientific reasons for doing all these things, this is talked about and explained. The authors emphasise that you don't need to do everything in the book, but can pick and choose along the way - an excellent idea as otherwise one might get discouraged by the shear number of suggestions made. There is lots here to think about, and it would be great if families used the book together, making the project a community effort.
Age: 10+