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Because how words are used matter, I struggled with reviewing this helpful book. The book: “You are Awesome“. My lad summed it up well: “Words are important to you, but they aren’t important to everyone. Think about what the book is trying to say and ignore the title”. “You are Awesome” speaks to youth, encouraging them to build toward a future of greatness rather than mediocrity.
What I am Reviewing
You are Awesome.
Matthew Syed
Toby Triumph (illustrator)
Sourcebook Jabberwocky.
Reviewed for Raincoast books.
Trade paperback, ages 9-12, 160 pages
Self help, Growth, leadership, growth mindset
WHAT IF YOU COULD BECOME AWESOME AT (ALMOST) ANYTHING?
It’s not as impossible as you might imagine. If you’re the kind of person who thinks …
• I need a special type of brain to do math
• You’re either good at sports or you’re not
• I don’t have a musical bone in my body
Challenge the beliefs that hold you back! Whatever you want to be good at, the right mindset can help you achieve your dreams.
The Details
Encouragement fills the pages of this 160 page book. Youth are encouraged to think beyond the moment to the future. What dreams do you hold? Do you have things you want to do? What work are you willing to do to get there? Do you want to be an average youth sliding through like or do you want to be amazing one? We all have choices… what choice will you make?
Graphics and clean text fill the pages. The graphics never overwhelmed the text and helped to illustrate it well. Line drawings and interesting fonts made for an eye-catching read.
Most of the book was done up in black and white, this maybe since I received an ARC version. Some of the pages had splashes of yellow.
Many real-life people were drawn in to help illustrate points. Steve Jobs, forced out of a company he spent 9 years making, didn’t wallow in despair, but started up other companies. Black cab drivers have to know 25,000 streets as well as landmarks in London. J.K. Rowling was rejected 12 times before Harry Potter was finally published. David Beckham put in hours practicing his soccer skills as a child. These are just a few of the many examples given to inspire.
Mr. Syed helps youth aged 9-12 work through their dreams and make decisions about how they want to work towards those dreams. To be aware of failure, and yet willing to keep moving forward. Determination and hard-work continually paving the way.
My Thoughts
I love how Matthew Syed works through the stages of becoming the type of person you want to be while providing real life examples. The colours and graphics will draw in youth, and the message to realize important truths.
While teachers and parents can greatly influence a person, what matters is the person themselves and what they make of their lives. Are they willing to examine themselves finding lies they believe and then changing them? Are you willing to find your strengths and weaknesses and build upon them? To become the breathtaking, amazing, stunning, astounding, astonishing, stupendous, staggering, extraordinary, incredible, and unbelievable people that you can be?
The title… oh, it needs to be changed. It’s not faith-based but the title was so off putting to me. Only God is awesome. People are not. Words matter.
I agree. The title is not right. But it sounds like some good encouragement can come out of the book.