I bought book this for my kids at the weekend but of course I had to read it first!

It’s a sequel of sorts to Syed’s previous children’s bestseller You Are Awesome, which also resides on my children’s bookcase alongside Marcus Rashford’s You Are A Champion. Yes, we’re all for boosting self-esteem and self-confidence in this house. I wish I’d had books like these when I was young.

So, is Dare To Be You any good?

The short answer: Oh yes.

The longer answer: Oh yes indeed! The book offers top advice for tweens & teens, based mostly on these mindset ideals:

be yourself; celebrate what makes you different; be curious; be your own hero; be kind, be resilient, & follow your own path.

Each chapter is peppered with tales from Syed’s childhood, mentions of famous people who overcame their self-doubt, as well as engaging illustrations and big dollops of humour.

My children (11 and 8) are probably a bit below the target audience age but I’m happy that this book is on their bookshelf ready for when they need it.

Here’s what Matthew Syed says about his two children’s books:

Dare To Be You and You Are Awesome are such important books for me. I want children to believe in themselves and have the confidence to follow their own path to success, whatever that might look like for them. Irrespective of background, every child has potential but sometimes I think that they can struggle to know what is possible. I wanted to write something, grounded in science and research, and (hopefully) humour, that children (and adults) could read, enjoy and use to grow in confidence.

http://www.matthewsyed.co.uk