American Girl is one of the leaders in publishing self-help books and how-to books for the tween girl market. True to the series of American Girl's Smart Girl series, A Smart Girl's Guide to Liking Herself is spot on in addressing the issues tween girls face at school, home, with friends and with frenemies.

A Smart Girl's Guide to Liking Herself -- even on the bad days

The secrets to trusting yourself, being your best & never letting the bad days bring you down
By Dr.

Laurie Zelinger

Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis

American Girl

$9.95 U.S.

The middle school years can be difficult for just about any tween, but girls in particular can face challenging times while on their journey to high school and beyond. Self-esteem is often a problem girls struggle with as they stare down bullies, frenemies and their own critical self evaluations. Even girls who were optimistic and confident during their younger years may find the middle school years challenging and in the process, may loose sight of who they really are.

But Dr. Laurie Zelinger offers hope to all tween girls in her book, A Smart Girl's Guide to Liking Herself. The book walks girls through numerous everyday challenges, offering up practical advice, tips on making the most of both good and bad days, and a little cheerleading to get the reader just a little pumped up.

Zelinger first explains to girls what self-esteem is and how it can impact the way a girl feels about herself and takes on the challenges of the day.

She even helps educate the reader explaining where self-esteem comes from and even how to change low self-esteem. She begins the book with a self-esteem quiz, so that girls can figure out how confident they are and if they're on track to having healthy self-esteem. Later chapters help the reader move forward in their journey, encouraging them to give back as a way to boost self-esteem and encourage self-discovery. Zelinger also gently prods the reader to keep trying for more -- to put herself out there by trying out for a play or a sports team or joining a school club.

Remaining chapters focus on a variety of topics including how to make friends and beware of frenemies, how to overcome and deal with shyness, how to talk with parents and how to show off your strengths, talents and passions. One of the most helpful sections deals with bad days, and how girls can manage them and move on. Zelinger points out that bad days happen to everyone and sometimes they are just out of your control. But her advice on getting past them gives girls the empowerment to forge ahead and reach for the next goal.

Fun quizzes, tests, games and activities help girls evaluate where they stand and what they may need to work on in order to make a strong first impression or reach a particular goal they set for themselves. There's even a progress tracker in the back of the book that encourages girls to tackle new experiences, such as trying out for a play, running a mile or giving a speech.

The book's whimsical art and graphics makes it a breeze to get through, and easy for girls to chart progress as they go.

A Smart Girl's Guide to Liking Herself is a wonderful guide for any girl who has struggled with self-esteem or just needs a little encouragement during those middle school years.