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Under Pressure: The Science of Stress
Adolescents are no strangers to stress. Here's a book just for them that explores the science behind that sweaty, heart-racing, under-pressure feeling they sometimes get as they struggle to navigate their changing world. It covers the fight-or-flight reaction to sudden danger, how people cope with chronic stress, how trauma can affect the brain, the ways athletes put pressure to work and the surprising treatments scientists have found for stress in everyday life. By examining how pressure affects the human body and different ways to manage it, this book allows middle graders to get a handle on what normal stress is and isn't --- and how to deal with it either way. Because knowing the facts can make all the difference.
Tanya Lloyd Kyi has written a clear, well-organized, fact-packed book that is meant to empower adolescents with information about stress. With experts increasingly embracing mindfulness techniques and stress-reduction programs for children, this book is an ideal tool for parents, teachers and students to learn the science behind it all. And its unique focus means it supports science, social studies and health education curricula. The book is divided into chapters and sections that break the information into easily readable chunks, with sidebars and factoids throughout. And the text contains loads of stories and examples, along with simple and often humorous illustrations by Marie-Ève Tremblay, which make learning about stress an enjoyable and interesting experience.
Tanya Lloyd Kyi has written a clear, well-organized, fact-packed book that is meant to empower adolescents with information about stress. With experts increasingly embracing mindfulness techniques and stress-reduction programs for children, this book is an ideal tool for parents, teachers and students to learn the science behind it all. And its unique focus means it supports science, social studies and health education curricula. The book is divided into chapters and sections that break the information into easily readable chunks, with sidebars and factoids throughout. And the text contains loads of stories and examples, along with simple and often humorous illustrations by Marie-Ève Tremblay, which make learning about stress an enjoyable and interesting experience.
76 pages, Hardcover
Published September 3, 2019
2 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Lloyd Kyi
109 books84 followersTanya writes both fiction and non-fiction, often choosing topics related to science, pop culture, or social history—or a combination of the three. She enjoys combining factual research with intriguing narratives, or the life stories of interesting folks.
In her spare time, Tanya likes to run, bake, and read. Her favourite meal is breakfast, her favourite color is blue, and her favourite children’s book is A Wrinkle in Time.
Tanya grew up in Creston, B.C., and now lives in Vancouver with her husband, who claims to be the world's only Burmese occupational therapist. She balances writing time with parenthood, caring for her daughter Julia and her son Matthew.
In her spare time, Tanya likes to run, bake, and read. Her favourite meal is breakfast, her favourite color is blue, and her favourite children’s book is A Wrinkle in Time.
Tanya grew up in Creston, B.C., and now lives in Vancouver with her husband, who claims to be the world's only Burmese occupational therapist. She balances writing time with parenthood, caring for her daughter Julia and her son Matthew.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 23, 2019
The science behind stress and ways of coping with it.
The book is aimed at adolescents, and covers a variety of topics: fight, flight or freeze instinct (we all have experienced the three options), long-term stress (this is why we really need to take good care of our doctors), PTSD and bouncing back from it, the upsides of stress (eustress can improve our performance if you go with the flow) and tension tamers (what we can do to boost our resilience).
An interesting and entertaining read full of quirky facts and helpful advice.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
The book is aimed at adolescents, and covers a variety of topics: fight, flight or freeze instinct (we all have experienced the three options), long-term stress (this is why we really need to take good care of our doctors), PTSD and bouncing back from it, the upsides of stress (eustress can improve our performance if you go with the flow) and tension tamers (what we can do to boost our resilience).
An interesting and entertaining read full of quirky facts and helpful advice.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
June 29, 2019
A book about stress for younger reader (not so young, maybe teens) that explain what is stress, how it works and everything and I think that in our world were kids, and people in general, are more and more stress, it's important to help kids learn how to spot stress, understand how it works and help them get over it. Important subject and well enough done book!
May 8, 2020
Under Pressure: The Science of Stress by Tanya Lloyd Kyi and Marie-Eve Tremblay. NONFICTION. Kids Can Press, 2019. $17. 978152530073
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: ADVISABLE
With lots of examples and specific anecdotes about stress, this is a great book for getting a big picture understanding of the science behind stress. There are multiple chapters about different kinds of stress and the effects of stress. At the end of each chapter there is a blurb about ways to combat stress.
I was interested in almost every single example and explanation in this book. I will say that some of the anecdotes were stress inducing, but always made a good point. One of the first stories in the book is about a plane crash in which everyone died all due to the pilot’s response to stress. This book is probably not intended specifically for the anxiously inclined, but rather an interesting read for the population at large.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: ADVISABLE
With lots of examples and specific anecdotes about stress, this is a great book for getting a big picture understanding of the science behind stress. There are multiple chapters about different kinds of stress and the effects of stress. At the end of each chapter there is a blurb about ways to combat stress.
I was interested in almost every single example and explanation in this book. I will say that some of the anecdotes were stress inducing, but always made a good point. One of the first stories in the book is about a plane crash in which everyone died all due to the pilot’s response to stress. This book is probably not intended specifically for the anxiously inclined, but rather an interesting read for the population at large.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
August 18, 2019
We all know what fight or flight is, how our body reacts to stress or sudden surprises.
This book goes into that, but also goes into things such as panic attacks, and that many studies were only done on men, because they thought that the menstrual cycle would cause abnormalities with the research data. It wasn't until 2016 that America's National Institutes of Health told scientists to work with women as well.
This book goes over all things that can cause stress, such as surviving an earthquake or a war, and gives stress busters to help beat stress, for each chapter.
And there is a positive side to stress, that if we work with it, we can be more successful.
Throughly delightful, informative book, that should be fun for both middle-grades on up to adult.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This book goes into that, but also goes into things such as panic attacks, and that many studies were only done on men, because they thought that the menstrual cycle would cause abnormalities with the research data. It wasn't until 2016 that America's National Institutes of Health told scientists to work with women as well.
This book goes over all things that can cause stress, such as surviving an earthquake or a war, and gives stress busters to help beat stress, for each chapter.
And there is a positive side to stress, that if we work with it, we can be more successful.
Throughly delightful, informative book, that should be fun for both middle-grades on up to adult.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
October 31, 2019
*received from netgalley for honest review* This is a really great book, it gives detail in a way kids can understands and doesn't just explain stress and how it can effect us but what to do when youre stressed and so many useful things in general about stress, 5 stars!
April 24, 2020
| Reader Fox Blog |
Under Pressure by Tanya Lloyd Kyi and illustrated by Marie-Ève Tremblay is a children's book that teaches about stress and mental illness. In my opinion, it's one that should also be read with parents (either together or separately) depending on the age of the kid. I just feel as though there's a lot to unpack from this book and not all children will be able to do so on their own.
From regular stress to panic attacks to PTSD to the fight or flight response, there's so much useful knowledge in this book that even I learned from it. And I have a bachelors in Psychology. In a country where these sort of topics are not discussed nearly as often as they should be and some even stigmatized, books like this are immensely important for kids to have access to.
While this book is marketed as a children's book and I would have been so incredibly grateful if I'd had something to put a name to all those panic attacks I couldn't explain when I was nine-years-old, I do think the material is a little bit more geared to pre-teens. Anyone younger than eleven (and even then) would possibly need their parents to help them through learning about all of these things. But it's still incredibly important for them to learn it. For that, I absolutely love this book.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Under Pressure by Tanya Lloyd Kyi and illustrated by Marie-Ève Tremblay is a children's book that teaches about stress and mental illness. In my opinion, it's one that should also be read with parents (either together or separately) depending on the age of the kid. I just feel as though there's a lot to unpack from this book and not all children will be able to do so on their own.
From regular stress to panic attacks to PTSD to the fight or flight response, there's so much useful knowledge in this book that even I learned from it. And I have a bachelors in Psychology. In a country where these sort of topics are not discussed nearly as often as they should be and some even stigmatized, books like this are immensely important for kids to have access to.
While this book is marketed as a children's book and I would have been so incredibly grateful if I'd had something to put a name to all those panic attacks I couldn't explain when I was nine-years-old, I do think the material is a little bit more geared to pre-teens. Anyone younger than eleven (and even then) would possibly need their parents to help them through learning about all of these things. But it's still incredibly important for them to learn it. For that, I absolutely love this book.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
| Instagram | Twitter | Reader Fox Blog | Bloglovin’ | Facebook |
August 28, 2024
Fabulous, and not just for kids age 9-14 either. So much concisely explored science to explain *why* the advice we see online & elsewhere works. And which tips will work better for which people, and in which kinds of situations. A fascinating, clear, quick read. Includes further reading, sources, and index.
"Book Smarts: Though scientists didn't understand the fight-or-flight response until the early 1900s, novelists have been describing it for ages. The world's first-known adventure novel, Sinuhe, was written in Egypt almost 4000 years ago. In it the narrator says: 'Confused by fear was my heart, both my arms extended, a shaking was falling on all my limbs.'"
"New research suggests that when people endure trauma, certain genes are turned on, or expressed. When those people have children, the expressed genes can be passed to the next generation. That means if a woman survives a terrorist attack, her future kids might be at greater risk for PTSD."
"Book Smarts: Though scientists didn't understand the fight-or-flight response until the early 1900s, novelists have been describing it for ages. The world's first-known adventure novel, Sinuhe, was written in Egypt almost 4000 years ago. In it the narrator says: 'Confused by fear was my heart, both my arms extended, a shaking was falling on all my limbs.'"
"New research suggests that when people endure trauma, certain genes are turned on, or expressed. When those people have children, the expressed genes can be passed to the next generation. That means if a woman survives a terrorist attack, her future kids might be at greater risk for PTSD."
July 2, 2019
This is just an outstanding book, and one I would never have expected to cover such a mature subject matter so well for older primary schoolers. I'm quite sure there is information in here that would have made my psychology A-level easier, had I taken the relevant modules. We go back to the origins of the 'fight or flight' response mankind has to potential traumas, and learn that our knowledge of it all started when someone was watching cats digest. We see the reality behind 'what doesn't kill us makes us stronger', and we get right down to the nitty-gritty of mindfulness. And it's all thoroughly readable – box-outs give us examples of heroic activity under stress and yet-to-be-finalised research, but the main body of writing just flows so easily and legibly. The artwork breaks up the page and conveys the meaning well, too, without drawing too much attention to itself. I might be slightly biased towards this as I know of no rival books on the subject for this audience, but I think this must rank as a must-buy for school libraries everywhere.
November 9, 2019
This does several things well. It explains stress, the history of stress research, terminology and variations in type and length of stress in a very clear and easy to understand way. I found the history of how PTSD in wartime has been described and addressed one of the better examples of how carefully this book was written. Sharper young learners as well as those in the middle elementary grades will learn a great deal while reading this. It explains stuff so well! In addition, the results of studies through time are also clearly explained. Techniques for coping as well as how stress can be beneficial at times are also covered. I am also impressed by the extensive and chapter specific resources and further reading at the end of the book. In sum, this is a book well worth the price and should be considered for both school and public library collections.
September 12, 2019
Stress levels, across all age groups and throughout the world, seem to be rising. I was pleased to see a book geared toward children that discussed stress and its effects. Types of stress, stressful situations, and studies on stress were all touched on in a logical, but easily understood way. I learned several things myself. The only disappointment, and it is small, is that the author could have gone deeper on ways to cope with stress and how deal with it in a healthy way. Regardless, this is a great book to both read and to have on hand to start a discussion with students on how to de-stress and be a healthier person - emotionally and physically.
September 14, 2019
This is a middle grade nonfiction book about stress. It has interesting stories and facts for each section of the book. I love that Shakespeare wrote about PTSD and that there has been knowledge of it and words for it long before it entered the DSM in 1980 (Soldier's Heart, shell shock, battle fatigue, etc). The National Institute of Health did not require using male and female subjects for stress testing until 2016 and the responses by males and females are very different. There are many more interesting stress facts and stories throughout. This book is entertaining enough to read straight through and is good for research.
July 3, 2019
***Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
This comprehensive guide to stress is something I wish I had had when I was a teen (or younger). The idea of stress and its symptoms, reasons, and ways to help, are all laid out in this easy to read reference book. It also uses interesting anecdotes to highlight how and why someone may feel a certain way.
This comprehensive guide to stress is something I wish I had had when I was a teen (or younger). The idea of stress and its symptoms, reasons, and ways to help, are all laid out in this easy to read reference book. It also uses interesting anecdotes to highlight how and why someone may feel a certain way.
September 5, 2019
This non fiction book outlines the different kind of stresses we all feel in life, particularly kids. Filled with explanations, examples, facts and coping mechanisms this guide is a powerful, and helpful read. Children ages eleven and up may read only parts of it as it is a lot to take in, but can refer back to it and delve in deeper at their own pace.
July 4, 2019
I received an arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This is a really good book about stress for young readers! The illustrations are bright and funny, which keeps it engaging all the way through.
This is a really good book about stress for young readers! The illustrations are bright and funny, which keeps it engaging all the way through.
January 23, 2021
This book goes into the history of stress, the effects it can have on your health, and the different methods people have used over time to help relieve their stress. This would be a great resource for older children, especially for projects for school.
Read
May 6, 2021This is a quick read that explains the science behind stress. If offers tips and knowledge about what those feelings and emotions are. It is great for children who might be experiencing these emotions.
August 29, 2019
This is a stress book and not specifically an anxiety book, but it contains a lot of useful information for kids dealing with either.
December 2, 2019
Co-read this with my daughter. A great introduction on stress, and a lot of new facts for me too! A great book for children and adults alike!
March 20, 2020
Well written young people's guide to stress, and what can be done about it. More scientific than emotional,I've bought a copy for my library!
July 12, 2021
As an adult I found it interesting and they talked about some topics in a new way. I am thinking about how it would be best used with students.
May 28, 2025
It was pretty interesting and I liked the illustrations
Want to read
April 1, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews