Shining Through a Social Storm: Navigating Through Relational Aggression, Bullying, and Popularity

Shining Through a Social Storm is written and illustrated by kids and part of Reflections Publishing's "Kids Helping Kids Through Books" series. Shining Through a Social Storm specifically addresses the emotions that children experience from getting bullied, receiving peer abuse, or experiencing cyberbullying. The fiction stories in this series are written and illustrated from the fresh perspective of kids. With the stories written by child authors, child readers who are going through a difficult time can read these stories and have their feelings validated. By connecting with the children through a fiction story, it simply provides a start for the healing process. Because true healing requires a broad focus on emotional, educational, social, and even spiritual needs, this series also provides a non-fiction section for children (and parents) with the tools they need to navigate through these situations. Specifically, at the back of each book in this series, readers will find commentaries for dealing with difficult situations from experts in various fields (e.g., child psychologists, educators, therapists, and religious scholars). We believe this series will provide children with valuable tools to assist them in dealing with many real-life challenges. Description of Shining Through a Social Storm: 13-year-old, Jayden, embarks upon a journey of self-empowerment and self-discovery, while facing social pressures and unhealthy beliefs about what it means to be in the popular clique-"The Crew." When the opportunity presents itself, Jayden quickly abandons her true self and her best friends to join the "The Crew." She promptly learns the mean nature of the clique, which involves gossiping, back stabbing, spreading rumors and bullying-the complete opposite of what she thought being "in" was all about. Throughout the story, Jayden digs down deep to find her authenticity, and along the way discovers an unknown power within herself. From "the inside out," Jayden navigates her way back through the social challenges of relational aggression. Reviews: "A unique series for children, by children." -Booklist "This story pulled me right into the world of peer pressure and bullying among girls yet at the same time modeling positive, practical ideas to manage these situations. The guidelines that follow have something for everyone. I particularly liked Dr. O'Donnell's scripts depicting how our usual approaches, while well intended, might fall flat, and giving alternative ideas to try out. This kind of book is a must read for parents, kids, school counselors, and anyone helping to support the healthy development of our youth." - Josh Feder, M.D., Child and Family Psychiatrist Director of Research, Graduate School The Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders "This book is a must read for the many parents, teachers and professionals who struggle with finding ways to guide teenagers through the challenging social world of adolescence. The book is filled with practical tips and positive messages that are easy to understand and implement immediately for teenagers and parents trying to navigate through difficult social situations. A tool box filled with wisdom and hope." - Mara S Goverman, LCSW Parent and Child/Adolescent Psychotherapist in Private Practice