Description

CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019
SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER

“A very funny and inspiring read! Brilliantly practical with a wide variety of examples that make it relevant for both boys and girls (and adults)!” – online customer review

“A truly inspiring book for the younger generation!” – online customer review

“Genuinely funny and engaging. There are messages in this book for both adults and children. It’s a must read.” – online customer review

“An awesome book about becoming awesome. How inspiring it is to know that there’s a path to awesomeness and that anyone – absolutely anyone – can go down that path. This book shows you how.” – Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology, Stanford University

This positive and empowering guide, by bestselling mindset author Matthew Syed, will help boys and girls build resilience, fulfil their potential and become successful, happy, awesome adults.

I’m no good at sport … I can’t do maths … I really struggle with exams … Sound familiar?

If you believe you can’t do something, the chances are you won’t try. But what if you really could get better at maths, or sport or exams? In fact, what if you could excel at anything you put your mind to?

You Are Awesome can help you do just that, inspiring and empowering young readers to find the confidence to realise their potential. The first children’s book from Times journalist, two-time Olympian and best-selling mindset author Matthew Syed, it uses examples of successful people from Mozart to Serena Williams to demonstrate that success really is earned rather than given, and that talent can be acquired. With hard work and determination, practice and self-belief, and, most importantly, a Growth Mindset, there’s no reason why anyone can’t achieve anything.

Practical, insightful and positive, this is the book to help children build resilience, embrace their mistakes and grow into successful, happy adults.

Also available: The You Are Awesome Journal. Whether setting out your goals, planning the best practice ever, keeping calm with breathing exercises or making paper aeroplanes to understand marginal gains, you’ll love the brilliant activities in The You Are Awesome Journal – it’s the perfect companion to You Are Awesome!

Publisher Review

A great book for anyone who wants to learn about how they can realise their true potential. * The Week Junior * This positive and empowering guide, by bestselling mindset author Matthew Syed, will help children build resilience, fulfil their potential and become successful, happy, awesome adults - it is a must read. -- Julia * LoveReading4Kids * Great book for young children about determination resilience self confidence. -- Philip Neville @philipneville18 * Instagram * This motivational book is ideal for sharing with any youngster who might need a little bit of a confidence boost, especially if they are struggling with school work or sports. They will learn that by practising again and again, they can do anything their heart desires. * The Sun * A must for any parent, I'm learning loads from the Ping Pong Guys new boom. -- Andrew Flintoff @aflintoff11 * Instagram * Grab yourselves a copy folks, this is wonderful and insightful. #youareawesome #2daystogo #childrensbooks -- Giles Paley-Phillips @eliistender10 * Instagram * I think this book is awesome. It is easy to read and very gripping. The things it teaches you are great life skills that can be applied to almost everything. The fact that it is written in a fun jovial manner make it easy to read even for people who aren't big readers. -- William, age 12 * Lovereading4kids * I loved this book. Easy to read and easily relatable. Even my dyslexic son who isn't a fan of reading has read it. It is a page turner and so positive. It really encourages children to be the best at whatever it is they want to do in life. -- Lindsey (William's mum) * Lovereading4kids * I loved this book. 'You Are Awesome' really builds your confidence and shows you how the right mind-set can help you achieve your dreams. I learned so much from this book. It shows that you have to be brave, prepare for failure and have self-belief. A definite must read for anyone who wants to achieve more with their lives and build their confidence. -- Ella, age 13 * Lovereading4kids * The book made me feel more confident in everything I do, and I think it can help other children, too. It makes you think about making up new rules when old rules don't fit, and think about things from different angles to find solutions. The book explains that working hard helps you in achieving your goals, and is really inspiring. I loved it! -- Toby, age 10 * Lovereading4kids * I was a bit reluctant to read the book as I normally only read story books.My dad persuaded me and said it would help me with my football and it would help me to be braver at trying new things. I enjoyed the book and think I can use some of the ideas like challenging my elastic brain! I will use this book again and again and think I will now try new things when asked as a result. If you are a bit nervous or unsure of trying new things then I think you should read this book and it will help you to try and be awesome! -- Ethan, age 10 * Lovereading4kids * I read this book after my 10 year old son had finished it. The book is a great read and I think it is something that will really help him develop and progress as he grows. I have also taken on board some of the advice and think it will help me as well as my son. I would urge every parent to get this book and to learn that everyone can be awesome! -- Ian (Ethan's dad) * Lovereading4kids * I loved this! The book was so inspirational in many ways that I loved, it made me laugh - like digging that hole to Australia, that made me chuckle. I loved the bit about the block running track, and how Matthew smashed his brother's record! Definitely a 5 star rating! -- Libby, age 10 * Lovereading4kids * As a mum of four girls of quite varying ages I have seen over the year the pressures that have mounted on children to be perfect almost without even trying. They wanted to grow up to be on X factor or stars of Youtube like Dan TDM who got rich playing games with seemingly no work involved. This is why I loved this book so much, it shows you that no one is really an overnight success, it peels back the curtains on the efforts you have to make to succeed and most of all it promotes active confidence in the abilities you have instead of endlessly comparing yourselves to others who have it so much better (on the surface!). I loved seeing my daughter race through this book and become inspired to be the best version of her that she could be and work smarter, not harder. It is for any child who might be feeling that everyone is getting places except them, who doesn't feel good enough and challenges the thing that holds you back (mostly your own insecurities). I loved this book and Libby cannot wait to take it into school and share it with her classmates. -- Rachel (Libby's mum) * Lovereading4kids * This book is AWESOME! This book has boosted my confidence! The book also ties in with the National Curriculum. My school talks about having a Growth Mind-set a lot! I give this book 5/5 and recommend it to 8+ children. I also think that adults and teachers should read it too! This book will boost your confidence at home and at school. -- Daniel, age 10 * Lovereading4kids * 'You are Awesome' is a really good book, it teaches you to be really positive and look at life a bit differently. My mum and I read through this book together and we both really liked it. It's not like most other books I've read that are either stories or facts. Mum thinks my brothers should read it as well as they are in year 10 and 11 doing their exams soon. -- Bella, age 10 * Lovereading4kids * 'You are Awesome' is a fantastic self-help book for kids. My husband and I have constantly referred to having a positive mental attitude, whilst bringing up our children and strongly believe success comes through hard work. 'You are Awesome' backs this up completely. The main message that with hard work, dedication and the right mind-set children will achieve is such a positive message. The chapter on failure is fantastic also, reminding the reader that they will mess up but this is okay. This book is positive and empowering and there should be copies in all school libraries. -- Krissy (Bella's mum) * Lovereading4kids * I loved the book because it was written by someone who had worked hard to achieve his dreams, so he knew what he was writing about. I loved the way the book was written in a way kids understand, it was funny and spaced out with pictures. My best bits were the examples of great people who had failed. It's made a difference to the way I approach my school work and I am sure I will go back to it again' -- Oliver, age 10 * Lovereading4kids * I liked the book because it made me think about alternative positive changes I could make to my negative ways of thinking e.g.: I am not so good at sport, how could I do better rather than think I am rubbish all the time? I loved the famous people bit. I found the examples inspiring. The book was very easy to read and I liked it a lot. -- Emily, age 15 * Lovereading4kids * I think this book is really good. I have two different types of children one with a more positive mind-set than the other. For both it has been helpful but more so for my ten year old son who struggles with believing he can achieve things if they don't happen straight away. This book is written in such a way that he can relate to it and laugh at the same time. There is humour as well as knowledge and it's separated by amusing pictures. My son has got a lot out of the lessons learnt by those that have gone before him and failed and made him realise he can achieve things with hard work. I think this book will be one that the kids will dip into in those times when they are struggling with stuff at school and out of school and one I would certainly recommend to friends. -- Katie (Emily and Oliver's mum) * Lovereading4kids * This book was awesome - just like it says on the front cover. -- Jamila, age 9 * Lovereading4kids * Change your life this summer(or at least crank it up a bit) with this exhilarating self-help book by the Times writer Matthew Syed...to be read by children and their parents for an XL confidence boost. * The Times * It's funny and packed full of good tips on how to think differently about things. If you're in need for a little push in the right direction, this book is for you! * First News * With a title like that, you should at least be guaranteed a smile once the wrapping paper is peeled away. * The Evening Echo * You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed might sound a bit cheesy, but it's a brilliant book for anybody who wants to try out a new hobby. Starting a band takes guts, and You Are Awesome will give you the courage that you need to get stuck in. If you've ever wondered how people start new projects or learn to play new instruments, then this guide will surprise you with the secrets of success... it's really funny, easy to read and shows that the most important part of becoming awesome is never giving up * Scoop Magazine * Children's nonfiction has seldom looked better and sales are soaring, led by Matthew Syed's You Are Awesome * The Guardian * An inspiring, uplifting read. I wish I'd had it as a kid. * Dermot O'Leary * An awesome book about becoming awesome. How inspiring it is to know that there's a path to awesomeness and that anyone - absolutely anyone - can go down that path. This book shows you how. * Professor Carol Dweck * 'You Are Awesome' brings the enlightening writing of Matthew Syed to a younger audience. This is no flowery self help book. It is a carefully plotted narrative journeying through accessible evidence for the younger reader and inspirational examples of the benefits to the acquisition, for children, of a growth mindset. It is engaging, humorous and relevant for all young people. Destined to become a staple read for children at home and school. * Will Smith, Director, PiXL * I read 'YOU ARE AWESOME' in one go, and then read it again! It answered so many questions I had about how to get better at some of the things I struggle with. It has stories of how others have been successful and makes you feel that you can do it too. After reading 'YOU ARE AWESOME' I've changed how I approach difficult things. I've told all my friends to read it! * Freddie, age 10 *