Middle school is an essential time to learn and practice social skills, including how to get along with others, talk about hard things, be an ally, and a good friend. In What Can I Say?,Catherine Newman, author of the bestseller How to Be a Person, provides supportive guidance and instruction to help kids establish or and maintain meaningful relationships and effective communication with friends, teachers, family members, and others in their communities. Talking the talk can be tricky, and every page of this super-useful book provides easy, accessible scripts and guidance on the right thing to say in all kinds of situations, from how to be inclusive, listen, give advice, argue, stick up for yourself, and ask for help to how to turn down a date, express sympathy, deal with offensive comments, respond to bullying, and be trustworthy. Humorous, graphic-style illustrations that play our familiar scenarios reenforce Newman's friendly, non-judgmental tone and her commitment to helping kids develop the skills to express themselves clearly while showing empathy, care, and generosity towards others.
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This timely how-to book from Catherine Newman, author of the bestseller How to Be a Person, teaches kids essential communication and social skills including: how to get along with others, stand up for themselves, talk about hard things, be an ally, and a good friend. All of the 50+ scripts and tips are presented in an accessible, non-judgmental voice with graphic-novel style illustrations. Catherine Newman is the author of What Can I Say? and the award-winning bestseller How to Be a Person, as well as two parenting memoirs: Waiting for Birdy and Catastrophic Happiness, and a middle-grade novel, One Mixed-Up Night. She's also the co-author of Stitch Camp. Newman is the etiquette columnist for Real Simple magazine and the editor of the James Beard Award–winning kids' cooking magazine ChopChop. A regular contributor to publications including the New York Times, Romper, Cup of Jo, and Grown & Flown, Newman lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family. Visit her at catherinenewmanwriter.com. Contents
Chapter 1
How to Be Your Best Self: The Basics
Chapter 2
How to Meet, Greet, and Part
Chapter 3
How to Have a Conversation
Chapter 4
How to Get Along with People
Chapter 5
How to Deal with Hard Things
Chapter 6
How to Be in a Romantic Relationship (Or Not)
Chapter 7
How to Be Supportive
Chapter 8
How to Be an Ally
Chapter 9
How to Care for Your Community Make your voice heard!
Learn the skills and gain the confidence to express yourself well in any situation-no matter how unfamiliar, challenging, or scary. Real-life scenarios show how to:
• Introduce yourself
• Express empathy
• Be persuasive
• Apologize
• Compromise
• Ask for help
• Show curiosity
• Be grateful
• Ask someone out
• Comfort a friend
• And more! "A primer for tweens on healthy communication and boundaries, how to be an ally, how to care for your community - basically, as Newman spells out in her introduction, "how to talk to the other people in your life." Newman's writing is kind and inclusive. Fong's art is friendly and funny, depicting a diverse cast of young characters (of different races, genders, abilities) as they negotiate various social scenarios." - The New York Times Book Review
"One of the most important things adults can teach children is the skill of communication and self-advocacy. What Can I Say? can not only teach children to be more confident, eloquent, and clear, it can save them from harm and give them the tools and courage they need to ask for help. I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone engaged in raising competent, proactive kids with a strong sense of self-efficacy." - Jessica Lahey, author of The Gift of Failure and T
