Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased. Screenwise is a Bookshop.org affiliate and an Amazon Associate, so if you buy a book through one of our links, we may earn a commission. Bookshop.org purchases also support independent bookstores.
Screenwise Verdict
This is exactly the kind of book you hand a 12-year-old who's having a rough time and doesn't want to talk about it yet. It's not flashy or fun, but it's useful—covering everything from making friends after a move to managing screen time to processing grief.
The Week Junior has a solid reputation for treating kids like intelligent humans, and this book follows that approach. It won't win awards for creativity (it's a wellness guide, not a novel), but it builds real skills around emotional regulation, confidence, and navigating the genuinely hard parts of growing up.
The perfect 5-star Amazon rating and the practical topic list (internet safety, fitness, difficult feelings) suggest it delivers on its promise. This is a tool, not entertainment—but it's a good tool to have on the shelf when your kid needs it.
Age Fit
Best for 9-14 year olds actively navigating tween challenges. Younger kids (8-9) can use it with parent support, while older middle schoolers will appreciate the practical, non-condescending approach to real problems.
WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
88
A self-help guide for kids that addresses real challenges (body changes, grief, friendship struggles, internet safety) with a supportive, empowering tone. Focuses on building confidence, expressing emotions, and spreading joy—all emotionally healthy frameworks. The approach appears age-appropriate and constructive rather than preachy.
Imaginative
62
As a wellness guide, this is primarily instructional rather than imaginative. It teaches coping strategies and self-understanding, which requires some introspection and creative problem-solving, but it's not designed to spark storytelling, world-building, or open-ended exploration. Functional rather than fanciful.
Safe
95
Books are inherently safe from a content perspective—no ads, no data collection, no monetization tricks. The topics (grief, body changes, mental health) are handled in an age-appropriate, supportive way for the 8-14 target audience. No trigger warnings or inappropriate content for kids navigating these real-life challenges.
Enriching
85
Directly addresses physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing with practical advice on fitness, internet safety, making friends, processing grief, and building confidence. Strong skill-building and personal growth potential. The 5-star Amazon rating and association with The Week Junior brand (known for quality kids' journalism) suggests solid execution. Empathy-building through understanding difficult feelings.
Parent Info
✓
Why It Might Be Great
Tackles real stuff kids are dealing with: grief, moving schools, internet safety, body changes, friendship struggles—not fluffy advice
From The Week Junior, the respected news magazine brand for 8-14 year olds that parents actually trust
Builds concrete skills around confidence, emotional expression, fitness, and mental health
Perfect 5-star Amazon rating suggests it resonates with families
Empowering tone that helps kids feel capable of handling their own challenges
⚠
What to Watch For
This is a self-help workbook, not a story—some kids will find it dry or too much like homework
Works best when a kid is actively dealing with one of these issues; less engaging as casual reading
May need parent involvement for younger readers (8-9) to process some of the heavier topics like grief
Conversation Starters
"What's one thing from this book you'd like to try this week?"
"Which chapter feels most useful to you right now?"
"Have you noticed any of your friends dealing with stuff like this? How do you think they're handling it?"
"What's one thing you wish adults understood better about what it's like being your age?"
