Well, the title says it all. This book is a kid-friendly resource for parents and kids to develop strategies for various things in kids’ lives that might ‘suck’. Kirrilie Smout is an SA-based clinical psychologist who is the Director of ‘Developing Minds’ (Developing Minds), and this book describes itself as ideas and tips for when you feel mad, worried or sad – or life gets kind of messy! It covers the following:

· When life sucks with friends and classmates (including when someone is being mean, you feel left out or have had a big fight with your friend)
· When life sucks with family and parents (including my parents don’t let me do the things I want and my sibling is really annoying)
· When life sucks with school and teachers (including my teacher is unfair and not feeling very smart)
· When life sucks with tough life stuff (such as parents getting a divorce, someone having died, and not being able to get to sleep)
· When life sucks with thoughts and feelings (including getting really angry, worried a lot, or feeling ugly)

The book is for 8 – 13 year olds and could be read independently by kids as it is directed to children. It both gives them different perspectives on the issue (for example, why a parent might make you clean your room), and ways to make it less of a problem (for example, kids thinking about how to motivate themselves to do something they don’t want to do). It contains examples from other kids who have had these issues and how they were resolved, and contains wonderful reminders that hard times will pass and that kids are not alone.

I have read it with my 9-year old and we both learnt some new strategies for a range of issues. I think that parents could read it to younger children selectively.

This is a practical resource that would be valuable in all house-holds – definitely recommended!