Stress Less: A Teen’s Guide to a Calm Chill Life

Gr 9 Up–Tompkins thoroughly explains stress and ways in which to cope with stress. He starts with an overview of what stress is, the different kinds of stress, and the impacts of stress. Chapters 3 to 8 look closer at what stress can look like in different settings. Chapter 9 is all about thriving and includes some great ways for teens to keep themselves continuously calm and motivated. While the book may seem overwhelming, especially for someone who is stressed, there is a chart at the end, the Stress Skill Quick Locator, that can guide readers to different stress hacks, which are located throughout. Each chapter includes an explanation, exercises that can help relieve stress, stress hack tips, and quotes from teens. The chapters are also summarized at the end. The book includes resources for teens and parents as well as helpful apps that can be downloaded and an index. Tompkins has provided a tool for teens who might be overwhelmed. The chapters are easy to understand and the stress hacks include examples. The activities are easy to do and there are examples throughout to show what the end result might look like. Teens who are stressed will more than likely find an exercise that will help them, from creating schedules to setting healthy boundaries with social media.