The Teenager’s Guide to Life, the Universe and Being Awesome by Andy Cope
Release date: June 25, 2019
Special thanks to Hachette for sending a copy for review.
Summary:
You are already the best in the world at being you. This book will help you get even better.
Mental illness is rife among young people. It’s in the news, daily. The current, somewhat flawed system is, ‘wait until kids crack up and then try to fix them’. But why wait ’til you crack up in the first place? This book shows you how to think big, prepare for your future with confidence and make a dent on the universe.
The mix of science, personal development and humor in this book is easy to read but practical and of equal use to children, parents or schools, and has been developed in line with Andy’s direct experience working with young people across the country (Goodreads).
Thoughts:
It turns out I picked a non-fiction book here. The title is catchy and it’s a guide for teenagers (which I desperately need in my life), so I grabbed it as soon as I saw the title.
When I first opened the book, I saw that there was a contract I needed to sign (it even has signatures) which I found unique. Usually, non-fiction books about success and is an overall guide for life don’t include contracts in them. Another thing to note is that there are dark text boxes that offer activities, quotes, or important ideas to break up large bodies of text which makes the book easier to read. There’s also plenty of space to write down my thoughts for the activities; for example, one of the prompts was about what regrets I have. The only problem I would point out, which is not really one but I still want to point it out, is that there may not be enough space to write in the book. I would suggest that the publishers include more space for their readers for these sections.
My favorite quote from the book is ‘Why be “ordinary” when you can choose to be “extraordinary”? Why live life in black and white when it can be colour?’ (Wilkins 44). I felt that this applied to my life because I want to live my life to the fullest and be the most extraordinary person I can be.
There is also the occasional illustration to make the reading experience more enjoyable. Sometimes the illustrations contribute to the story that they tell, while others may have a pun to cheer up the reader. I definitely had a smile on my face while reading the book because of the humour. Moreover, the writing is simple enough to be comprehensible. What I find in some books that go over success and how to guide oneself through life tend to make me lose interest because they boringly drone on about the subject. For this book, the writing style is simple and concise, and they have mottos like “what goes in must come out” to help the lessons of the book stick in the reader’s head. I discovered that throughout the book, I felt that I got to know myself better, what my goals are for the future, and what I can improve by reading and completing the exercises.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because it was an informative yet simple read. I’ll definitely read through this book again and maybe write inside the book. I would recommend this book for all teenagers who want to know how to deal with their lives, or even children who want to prepare themselves for the future. This book is beneficial to release one’s potential and focus on the future.
Reviewed by Vivian T.