About the Book
Will Anika ever feel happy again? She has her doubts. Sadness is a feeling Anika cannot shake. She feels as if her life has no purpose or passion. Her unhappiness has been with her for so long, she's forgotten what joy feels like. Still, she tries to put on a happy face. She fakes being happy for the sake of her friends and family. But they're starting to see cracks in her cheerful façade, and Anika doesn't have the energy to keep on pretending.
With support and encouragement from her two best friends, Anika agrees to talk with a school counselor. She hopes for a quick fix, a speedy remedy, a permanent cure. But she soon learnsthat the path to feeling better is a process that may require patience, practice, and effort.
Faking Happiness, Feeling Sadness is a dramatic, empowering chapter book that gives young readers, especially girls, the hope and guidance they need to work through uncomfortable feelings and find emotional relief.
Educators and group leaders can supplement the story with a Teacher and Counselor Activity Guide. The guide provides self-reflection questions and group activities to thoughtfully engage readers with the content, which includes strategies for coping with sadness, such as meditation, exercise, healthy eating, vision boards, journaling, and joy seeking.
Award-winning author and school counselor Jennifer Licate's celebrated series, Navigating Friendships, also includes these popular titles: Why Is Drama Always Following Me?, My Anxiety Is Messing Things Up, He's Not Just Teasing!, I Lost My BFF, and Am I Weird?
About the Author :
Jennifer is an award-winning children's book author who has worked as a school counselor for over a decade. She loves writing social and emotional books to help children and preteens through challenging times. Jennifer's books teach children strategies to work through their issue, and the stories give children the comfort of knowing they're not alone in their struggles. Her books focus on topics such as anxiety, depression, and friendship struggles. Jennifer's books use a quick-read chapter format and are geared toward children ages 9 to 13. Through working with children of all ages, Jennifer has seen the benefits of social-emotional learning books firsthand. Children lose themselves as they're immersed within the stories. They're able to understand complex issues from so many different perspectives by seeing the story through the eyes of the characters.
Counseling children, as well as raising two children of her own, has taught her a universal truth: all children want to be loved, valued, and respected for the unique individuals they are. She channels this truth, the importance of providing support to children as they navigate social and emotional issues, and her love for creativity into all her children's books. Her goal is that all children who read one of her books will feel like the stories are speaking directly to them.
Review :
I absolutely love love LOVED this book. Not only is good for children, but I feel like as an adult reading this, I related to it so incredibly much.
Anika is sad, but she isn't sure why she is. With the help of her friends & school counselor, she talks with her parents about what's going on & gets referred to a therapist. Ms. Allison helps Anika sort out her feelings & navigates her through healthy coping mechanisms with depression. Will definitely be reading this to my daughter as well.
-Alex Hamilton, NetGalley Review
"Faking Happiness, Feeling Sadness perfectly describes how some of my students (Grades 5 to 8) are feeling. As a school counselor, I am always in search of books that describe, and offer guidance on, how students can be their own advocates when they are unsure of why they have feelings of sadness, even when nothing has 'happened or changed' in their lives. Asking for help can be challenging for many students. After reading this book, I know they will have the courage to voice their feelings and needs in healthy and positive ways, in addition to learning grounding skills. This book should be in every library and classroom, so students have access to this relatable, easy read!"
Melissa A. Timm, MA
Chester County Intermediate Unit School Counselor
"Sharing difficult feelings is never easy, even with the people you trust the most. In Faking Happiness, Feeling Sadness, author Jennifer Licate shares a relatable story of a teen struggling with the beginning symptoms of depression. The main character hasn't been feeling herself for months. After making the first step of sharing with her best friends, and with their encouragement, Anika continues to seek help from her school counselor, parents and, eventually, a therapist. Motivating her to try new strategies and continuing to share, Anika starts to find authentic joy instead of pretending. If you're wondering how to start a conversation about possible depression with someone, this book helps you do just that. Highly recommend it as a parent and school counselor."
Amy Musumeci
Certified K-12 School Counselor
