You Are Not Alone: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxious Thoughts and Believing What's True

by Jennie Allen

New York Times bestselling author, visionary, and mom of four Jennie Allen offers a practical guide to help kids form positive habits and connections that are crucial to their mental and spiritual health.

Spinning, anxious thoughts can sometimes take over our minds and not let go, but we have the power to choose what to think and believe—and so do our children. In this edition for young readers, bestselling author Jennie Allen draws on the insights, truth, and experiences from her New York Times bestsellers Get Out of Your Head and Find Your People to help younger kids and tweens:

• trade fear, anxiety, loneliness, and shame for God’s love and peace
• learn how to notice lies and believe what’s true
• hit pause on negative thoughts and retrain their brains to think life-giving thoughts
• gain tools to rely on God’s power and truth every day

Kids don’t have to be at the mercy of toxic input and negative thoughts. In these pages, they’ll discover exactly how to interrupt swirling thought patterns, develop better friendships, and create new day-to-day habits that will lead them closer to God and to a life of peace, joy, and love. You Are Not Alone includes questions, action steps, Bible verses, and real-life stories to help them be who God has called them to be.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian

192 pages, Paperback

Published June 11, 2024

About the author

Jennie Allen, Bible teacher, author, and the visionary behind IF:Gathering and Gather25, a 25-hour global prayer gathering. Driven by a deep love for God and an unyielding belief in the potential of this generation, Jennie's mission is to disciple a generation of Jesus followers to live what they believe.

Through her writing and teaching, Jennie seeks to convey a simple yet profound truth: God sees you, loves you, and invites you to play your part in His unfolding story. She has witnessed firsthand the miraculous work of Jesus when people fully surrender to Him.

Jennie is a passionate leader following God's call on her life to catalyze a generation to live what they believe. Jennie is the New York Times' best-selling author of Untangle Your Emotions, Find Your People and Get Out of Your Head. Jennie has a masters in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary and lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband, Zac, and their four children.

Reviews

[Amy Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Are Not Alone by Jennie Allen is for kids who struggle with anxiety but this book is really for everyone because everyone struggles with insecurity and shame at some point in their lives. Jennie breaks down the information into easy to understand sections that deal with the majority of issues that kids deal with and points them to God, the Maker of their soul, who understands them most. She provides several helpful resources including verses for specific issues. I can’t wait to give this to my 11 and 8 year old daughters.


Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

[Courtney Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just for kids. Refreshing for me, too. 😊 I read it with my 11 year old son but could see this being increasingly meaningful down the road for both my kids.

[Lily]

DNF-ed for now! I'm just not very interested at the moment.

[LeighAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You Are Not Alone" is a heartfelt guide designed to help kids understand and cope with anxiety through a biblical lens. Authored by Jennie Allen, a respected Christian writer and speaker, this book offers insights and encouragement rooted in faith, making it particularly relevant for young readers.

The book is structured in a way that makes it easy for middle school students to understand and relate to the subject of anxiety. Here are some key themes:

Allen explains anxiety simply, using language that resonates with kids. She reassures readers that feeling anxious is normal and shares how even biblical figures faced fear and uncertainty, reminding them that they are not alone.

The author includes stories from the Bible, such as David facing Goliath or Jesus calming the storm. These examples illustrate that even strong figures in faith experienced fear, reinforcing the idea that it’s okay to feel anxious.

The book offers practical tips for managing anxiety, such as prayer, deep breathing, and journaling. Allen encourages kids to turn to God in prayer when they feel anxious, reminding them of Philippians 4:6-7, which tells us to bring our worries to God.

Emphasizing the importance of community, Allen encourages kids to talk to trusted adults and friends. She highlights the biblical principle of bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), reminding readers that they can find strength in companionship.

Throughout the book, Allen instills a sense of hope by reminding kids that God is always with them. She emphasizes verses like Isaiah 41:10, which reassures us that God will strengthen and help us in times of fear.

The writing is clear and relatable, making it suitable for a 7th-grade reading level. Allen’s conversational tone and the inclusion of illustrations engage young readers, making the material approachable.

Strengths
Relatable and Biblical: The integration of personal stories and biblical references makes the content both relatable and spiritually enriching.
Practical Guidance: Readers receive actionable strategies that they can implement in their daily lives.
Encouraging Tone: Allen’s supportive voice reassures kids that they are not alone in their struggles.

While the book is Christian-focused, its core messages about anxiety and coping are universally applicable. Readers from other backgrounds may still find value in the practical advice offered, even if the biblical references are less familiar.


"You Are Not Alone" is an invaluable resource for middle school students grappling with anxiety. By weaving together understanding, practical advice, and biblical encouragement, Jennie Allen helps young readers navigate their feelings with faith and hope. This guide not only addresses the challenges of anxiety but also reinforces the promise that God is always by their side, making it a must-read for those seeking comfort and strength in their journey.

[Dawn De Wulf · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mother of five adult daughters and Grammy to six grandchildren, I've walked alongside my girls through anxiety, depression, and the overwhelming thoughts that can plague young minds. "You Are Not Alone" by Jennie Allen is a resource I wish I'd had when my daughters were growing up.

This faith-based, kid-friendly guide speaks directly to children struggling with anxiety, fear, and self-doubt in language they can understand and relate to. Allen has a gift for making big, scary emotions feel manageable and normal - something every anxious child desperately needs to hear.

What sets this book apart is how beautifully it combines emotional support with biblical truth. Allen teaches children to recognize the lies they might believe about themselves and replace those lies with God's truth. It's deeply grounded in Scripture, yet wonderfully practical, offering reflection questions, action steps, and real encouragements kids can actually use in their daily lives.

This isn't just a book to read - it's a conversation starter. It creates space for meaningful dialogue between parents and children about feelings that are often hard to put into words. Most importantly, it reassures kids that they're not alone in their struggles and that their faith can be a powerful tool in navigating difficult emotions.

My grandchildren are still young, but I'm keeping this book on hand for when they need it. Every child deserves to know they're seen, understood, and deeply loved by God.

Thanks #PRHChristian @waterbrookmultomahkids @prhchristian for the complimentary review copy of this book!

[Luminous Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful mental health resource for tweens.

Sometimes our thoughts can seem to spiral out of control. Anxious thoughts can feel like they take over our minds, but the good news is that we don’t have to give in to these thoughts!

You Are Not Alone is a fantastic guide for helping kids overcome anxious thoughts and retrain their minds to focus on what is true—truths about who God is that will fill their minds with life-giving thoughts.

There is so much I loved about this book! What we think about influences how we live our lives, and Jennie provides wonderful tools and practices that kids can incorporate into their daily routines, even amid feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and shame. These tools help them recognize lies and believe what is true.

The book is designed in such an engaging way, with spaces for kids to write down mind maps, draw pictures, and actively engage with the tools and wisdom they learn.

I know this book has already been a blessing to many kids and tweens. It truly helps children realize they are not alone in their struggles and gives them hope that they have the power to control their thoughts and choose what to believe. I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was as much for me as for my kids. I read it with my boys, (ages 11 and 12), and they while they listened, it did create some good conversations. What a great and godly resource for kids with anxiety. I can't really imagine a kid of middle grade age picking the book up themselves without being asked to read it. But as a parent reading it, I see all the value. More teachers, parents, and counselors should have required reading in this area. This would make a great required reading book for kids struggling to know how to deal with their big emotions. Really great. Like I said, it was as much for me as for them. I know the author has books for adults, so I will definitely check those out, but it hit deep with me too.

[Leanne Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a subject that I am very interested in personally, as anxiety disorders run in my family and I have twin girls. I had been looking for information on anxiety in children. This book is informative, gives information and coping skills, but it is limited as that it cannot help all children as it is specifically geared towards using Christianity and turning to God to help with the anxiety. For children that are of the faith and understand, this can be very helpful. For others, there is some insightful information to be found on children's anxiety, but I do wish it covered the subject from a broader angle and perhaps from an approach that is applicable to ALL children in need of help from anxiety.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get Out of Your Head is my absolute favorite book. I read it once a year as a reminder to set my mind straight. This new spin-off is equally incredible. Jennie meant these words to speak to the hearts of 8-12 year olds, but it spoke to me at age 34. I loved how Jennie took massive negative thoughts and explained them in easily digested materials and chapter lengths. This book is destined to alter the course of the lives of those who have the privilege of reading it. I cannot wait to see the impact it has on society!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Sarah Poling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is worthy of reading to support your thoughts that spiral out of control. It’s worth reading with your 8-12-year-old daughter. I would discuss as you go otherwise the first few chapters explaining what spiraling thoughts are could give ideas to an anxious kid beyond their own. So Start Together, by part 2, is a manual explaining and defining feelings and then biblically informed concepts to battle the spiral.

I would have preferred more brain research like in the adult version of You Are Out of Control. And stronger connections from the start to the gospel, believing in and knowing who God is. But it’s there, I just wanted a different order.

I loved Out of Your Head but did not find Untangle Your Emotions to be nearly the quality as I wanted. So I was not sure I wanted to review this book officially. But I am glad I did. This is geared for an 8-12 year-old. It is short, it skips biblical and brain research connections that I wish had been more integrated, but the toolkit and the how to do this, are very practical and simple to follow. I believe adults will benefit from this as well.

Thanks net-galley for a pre-release! It is worth owning! The reader is interacted with and assigned appropriate tasks to process personally!

[Judy McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeanie Allen is a good author. I have participated in her Bible studies. This is intended for children but adults would enjoy it too. I’m trying to figure out how to get my pre-teen granddaughters to read or listen to it.

[Danielle Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book gave wonderful, practical advice to kids on how to deal with anxiety. I thought it had great practical advice for adults too. I’ll be sharing it with my kids!

[Mikayla Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one. Even though it was written with kids in mind, the points made are applicable no matter what stage of life you’re in. It made it approachable and also gives an opportunity to talk to kids in a way that redirects them to God instead of their anxious thoughts.

[maddie murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

a resource i wish i had in middle school! can’t wait to share this with the gals

[Corrine Poulin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book on refocusing thoughts towards God. Written towards teens but still found some golden nuggets and reminders.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the things I wish I had when I was younger. Can't wait to share with my daughter and her friends.

[Hannah Spragins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely think the book is written at a more teen level than for young kids. Looking forward to walking through this book with students.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is amazing

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gave me bible verses to use for my anxiety, but this book doesn’t significantly help or change my anxiety.

[Margaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, a huge thank you to the publisher, WaterBrook, the author, Jennie Allen, and Goodreads for the privilege of winning a physical ARC copy of You Are Not Alone: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxious Thoughts and Believing What's True.

You Are Not Alone by Jennie Allen is an insightful and practical resource tailored for children and tweens, particularly those in the 8-12 age range. This guide gives a compassionate approach to helping children navigate the challenges of anxiety and negative thought patterns. Jennie Allen opens with a relatable "Letter to the Reader," sharing her personal experience with anxiety, which she compares to a Sit 'n Spin toy. This does make sense for this age, as anxious thoughts whirl around uncontrollably. She reassures young readers that they are not alone in their struggles, and encourages kids by sharing the idea that our thoughts can sometimes feel overwhelming, but they don't have to control us. Throughout the book, Allen provides tools to help kids recognize and combat these "spinny" thoughts, replacing them with positive, life-affirming beliefs, often rooted in Christian faith.

While the book’s religious perspective can be a powerful starting point for those already comfortable viewing the world through that lens, it's important to recognize that religion isn't the only solution for managing anxiety. Being self-aware, conscious of your actions and behavior, and treating others and yourself with kindness are values that can exist independently of religious belief. These principles can be nurtured in many positive ways outside of religion, making them accessible to everyone.

For children who resonate with religious Christian teachings, You Are Not Alone offers a supportive framework. However, it’s also valuable to pair this book with secular mental health resources to address anxiety comprehensively. Combining spiritual guidance with broader mental health practices can be an approach that helps children develop into confident, competent, and empathetic adults.

The inclusion of real-life stories, Bible verses, and actionable steps makes this book a valuable resource not only for children but also for parents, educators, and anyone involved in a child's spiritual and emotional development. This book empowers young readers (grades 3-7) to take control of their thoughts, develop meaningful connections with others who exemplify both strength and vulnerability, and build habits that lead to a more peaceful and joyful life. You Are Not Alone is especially beneficial for kids struggling with anxiety, loneliness, or feelings of shame, and offers a path toward gaining skills they can take with them into adulthood.

**Read via physical copy thanks to Goodreads giveaway**

[Serenity · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars