Stress Can Really Get on Your Nerves!

My 9 year old son totally enjoys all of the Trevor Romain products. We have borrowed his books from our library and DVD's from Netflix. Now we are building our own collection. We were introduced to Trevor Romain while researaching books on stress and anxiety to help my son deal with difficult situations. This is one of my son's favortite books on stress. A nice reference book that says a lot of the same things "mom" says, but in a kid friendly way.

This book really appeals to my sense of humor. He says many things that need to be said and I like the way he says them (with drawings and words). I think my feelings about the book influence children to share my feelings and to see the points he is making.

This author has a real talent for combining art and text to present serious subjects in ways that are highly motivational. He uses humor and facts to help with solutions. The very title is funny and profound. Yes, stress can really get on your nerves. You need a sense of humor to appreciate the book. Laughter is one of the best medicines. I recommend this for almost any age: the young, the young at heart, and those who want to be young at heart.

This book is not only a great resource for kids who are feeling stressed, but also a humorous gentle reminder for adults in the same boat! The author identifies sources of stress and reaction to stress, tells how your body reacts to stress (i.e., heart speeds up, sweating, etc.), discusses the fight or flight reaction, discusses good ways (i.e., deep breathing, listening to relaxing music, gradual muscle relaxation, making a gratitude list, visualization, making a worry jar, doing chores, exercising, prioritizing, talking to a confident, etc.) and not-so-good ways to deal with stress (taking it out on others, running away from home, avoiding school doing drugs or drinking, etc.), and gives some examples of anonymous children who have been stressed and the inappropriate methods they used to deal with the situation. It gives a list of things to do to help avoid becoming stressed in the first place (eating healthy, exercising, getting enough sleep, etc.). The illustrations are large and appealing and the text is easy-going and even humorous while still giving serious, sound advice on how to relax. For instance, the part of the book that lists effective ways to deal with stress (giving examples of "stress messes" and aids) is called "How to Be a Panic Mechanic." I read this book to my somewhat shy, anxious 9-yr.-old daughter tonight and right away she opened up about the things that were stressing her out lately. I recommend it highly.

This book uses humor, lively graphics and straightforward language to teach kids about stress and how to deal with it. It offers concrete ways to identify and then lessen stress in their lives. I highly recommend it for any young adult.