The Confidence Code for Girls: Taking Risks, Messing Up, and Becoming Your Amazingly Imperfect, Totally Powerful Self

Drawing from their title for adults, The Confidence Code, TV news anchors and co-authors Kay and Shipman offer a handbook for confidence-building directed at girls. The authors discuss ways to override negative thought patterns through mindfulness techniques and urge readers to take risks, foster positive relationships, and to move forward after making mistakes. Quizzes, real-world challenges to grow confidence, and thought-provoking questions invite readers to apply the material to their own circumstances, while Lawson’s comic panels and cartoon spot art add humor and visual texture. Culled from their conversations with girls from different cultures and backgrounds nationwide, Kay and Shipman present real-life examples of individuals who have empowered themselves within their own schools and communities. Confidence, the authors suggest, comes not from being perfect, but from building a strong foundation of self-awareness, knowledge, and resilience—and it’s always a work in progress. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)