ME, MY SELFIE, AND I

An illustrated guide offers self-help exercises geared toward girls.

This book’s title is a bit misleading. The work has nothing to do with photographs. MacDonald explains what she means by selfie: “Your selfie is all the qualities you are and your true self—not just what you see in a picture taken on a smartphone.” That about sums up this manual, an assemblage of exercises and crafts focused on discovering and putting forth the best of one’s self. The guide has a target audience—girls in grade school, maybe on up into their freshman or sophomore years in high school. For older teens, some of the exercises may seem a little juvenile. It’s hard to imagine, for instance, a high school senior constructing an “Outer Sanctuary” box that includes pieces of paper that say, “This makes me feel safe” and “This makes me feel loved.” Still, MacDonald provides some useful information when it comes to self-acceptance. She tells readers not to be defined by what people say about them and how they treat them and gives instructions on wellness for the body, mind, and selfie. Things can get a bit simplistic, such as this insight into how you should feel if someone doesn’t like what’s on your selfie board: “Not everyone is going to like the things you like and that’s OK! Just because someone may not like it does not mean it’s bad or wrong!” MacDonald’s text is accompanied by some lovely and fun illustrations, though the book oddly doesn’t indicate who contributed them. The author ends her work with 68 cards that she suggests readers refer to at least once a week. They contain pronouncements such as “I see beauty in others when I see their qualities” and “Fitting in means growing and learning, not changing who I am.” That’s about as deep as MacDonald cares to go, although these sentiments—and others like them—are important to learn at a certain age.

While the advice leans toward the basic, this manual imparts some helpful messages.