You can live on the bright side : The kid's guide to optimism by Lucy Bell

You Can Live on the Bright Side: The Kid’s Guide to Optimism is a bright and engaging wellbeing/self-help resource that will appeal to a range of age groups including teachers, parents and carers. The book begins with a contents page and a detailed introduction. This introduction discusses optimism and shares ideas about how to accept that some days things may not be so great but there is always hope, and ways to find something we may enjoy doing to help with our feelings.

The book is divided into eight chapters covering a variety of topics: Mind, Body, The Great Outdoors, Create, Learn New Things, Home and Lifestyle, Help People and Help the Planet. Each chapter is colour coded and contains information about topics related to the theme. For example, The Great Outdoors chapter talks about cloud-watching, hugging trees, walking in the rain, and even making a daisy chain. Also contained within each chapter are tips, Did You Know? segments, and personal profiles of children from all over the world who have achieved wonderful things from simple ideas.

In the Help People chapter, ten-year-old Mabel Peisley from Kaurna Country (Adelaide) started the Undercover Kindness online campaign. With her mum Tabitha, they do random acts of kindness. Her story is wonderful to read and share with others. She also gives tips to help other kids live on the bright side. The Create chapter shares the information that 72% of people have creative ideas while in the shower! This chapter is sub-divided into Draw, Cook (with lots of recipes), Write and Art & Craft.

The activities for each chapter are endless and all readers will be able to find something that may appeal to them. For those children experiencing periods of Covid isolation, this would be a great book to have on hand to help fill long hours of staying at home. This book is a surprise package – so many great stories, ideas, thoughts, activities in one brightly coloured easy to read publication. In the final pages are a list of resources, useful apps and websites, as well acknowledgements and information about the author, who also wrote You can change the world.

Themes: Hobbies, Optimism, Positive thoughts, Wellbeing, Activities, Creativity.

Kathryn Beilby