THE RESILIENT TEEN

A primer on fostering adaptability in the face of stress.

As stated in the introduction, resilience is not a fixed end goal but a way of approaching life. The author divides the book into four parts, focusing on key skills for each. The first section centers building and maintaining a healthy physical routine in terms of sleep, nutrition, exercise, and technology. Raja acknowledges that many young people engage in experimentation with drugs and alcohol, offering safety guidelines and reminding readers that they are not good coping strategies. The next part deals with mental and emotional health, presenting the benefits of mindfulness practices such as those that increase emotional tolerance. The third section highlights social engagement through establishing a strong support system and taking the kinds of healthy risks that build resilience. Lastly, Raja discusses finding meaning and purpose through practices like cognitive flexibility, realistic optimism, volunteering, and activism. Each chapter includes dictionary definitions of key terms, stories about teens dealing with different types of obstacles, and specific exercises and checklists, ending with a summary of material covered. The author’s voice is practical and realistic, providing encouraging explanations and suggestions; a recurring message is to be kind to oneself. The information provided is well researched and up to date, including the acknowledgement of teens’ struggles with the Covid-19 pandemic. A welcome section addresses the impact of societal prejudice.

Belongs on every young adult’s bookshelf.