Title: Everything Will Be OK
Author: Anna Dewdney
Illustrator: Judy Schachner
Published By: Viking, 2022

When I was a kid, I was what you’d call a ‘worrier.’ I worried about my family, my friends, the neighbours, my teachers, our pets, and basically anyone else I cared about.

I’m glad to say that I’m 100% cured of that bad habit and am now known among my friends as ‘Totally Easygoing Jess.’ Yeah, it’s not a great nickname, but it completely encapsulates the free and breezy person I totally am for reals.

Okay, fine. I’m still a worrier. After all these years, I’m basically a professional. I’m the person who asks you to text when you get home safely. I’m the one who checks in with you and makes sure you’re okay if I haven’t heard from you in a few days. I’m the one who picks up on the subtle look on your face and asks what’s REALLY going on. I’m that person. And, to my very patient family and friends, I’m sorry-not-sorry.

I’m never going to change. I’ve learned to worry LESS as I’ve gotten older, but it’s basically a character flaw we’re all going to have to live with. And scene.

So…what does that have to do with today’s book? Glad you asked! It’s basically a book tailor-made for a nervous kid like young Jess. It’s a sweet, gentle story that reassures readers that no matter what befalls them, everything will ultimately turn out alright.*

For example: if your brother steals your flute? Not to worry. You still love him (sort of, give me my flute back), and it’s going to work out okay (he’ll get sick of your flute in a hot minute and you can steal it back).

Or if you stub your toe! Man, does that ever hurt. But not for long. You’re going to be alright there, kiddo.

Or if life is generally kicking you in the teeth — like, say, if squirrels are messing up your garden, if you’ve caught a cold, or if your mom gave you nothing but a plate of gross broccoli for dinner, it’s just a temporary problem. It’s going to get better.

Even if your mom and dad are late and your worried little brain is imagining the worst possible outcome, stop freaking out, little bunny — everything will be fine.

This book would’ve been very useful for young Jess. Something to just kind of say ‘relax!’ without actually saying ‘relax!’ because that’s probably the least helpful thing you can say to a worrier.

The art in this book is fantastic. It’s gentle and pastel-coloured and friendly looking. The expression on the little bunny’s face is priceless. (And the kitty sidekick is also adorable.)

So, if you have a little worrier in your life, pick up this book. Read it to them a few times, talk to them about their feelings and try to work through them as much as you can. Then, when your worrier is all grown up, maybe they really WILL be called “Totally Easygoing [Their Name Here].”

Or, you know, maybe not. Because that is truly a terrible nickname.

* Just as a small caveat: this book is not about the big things that go wrong. Sometimes things go completely sideways and they aren’t ever going to be the same, and you might never feel totally okay again. There are some wonderful books out there about dealing with huge loss/change — I will try to review them in the near future. This book is about those small things, those day-to-day things that can throw a kid off balance.