Embarrassment, Shame, and Guilt

Gr 7 Up—These books provide a multifaceted overview of common emotions, offering explanations that are always informative and never heavy-handed or obvious. For example, Fear and Anxiety describes anxiety as "apprehension about something that isn't right in front of you." The books make effective use of fictional stories that give a human face to the emotions (for instance, a girl named Mya's uneasiness about an upcoming soccer game is used to describe anxiety). Readers also learn about the physical symptoms that can result from feelings and about what is happening in the brain. A discussion of how even the most negative emotions can play a positive role will be enlightening. Graphics help visual learners conceptualize abstract ideas. For instance, a "Stress meter" shows the levels of anxiety on a barometer from "coping" to "stressed" to "anxiety attack." Activity suggestions, such as drawing a neuron, are as top-notch as the rest of the content. Strong offerings.