So, I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Among other things. But anxiety is a big one. As a kid in the 80s and a teen in the 90s, I didn't get quite as much access to material on mental health as kids and teens do now. My childhood was filled with after-school specials about how bullies are misunderstood and the onus is on the bullied to defuse the bullying. The 90s were marginally, if not functionally, better. There was mild comprehension that something really ought to be done, but nothing particularly structured.

Growing up, I always thought—and was told by many of the adults in my life (who probably didn't know any better)—that my anxiety was my temper, or my personality, or some other indivisible aspect of me. Facing the Beast Within: The Anxiety of Cameron Poole gets a jump on this in the title of the book. The "Beast" of the title is the name Cameron, our young protagonist, has given his anxiety: a separate entity that can be damaging and frightening when summoned, but that can also be tamed and put back to sleep. That said, there are plenty of very tangible Beasts outside of Cameron's anxiety, and coping with them is going to challenge every coping mechanism he has.

The story is a very straightforward kids' coming-of-age adventure. While coping with bullying and feelings of inadequacy at a cliquish summer camp, Cameron discovers that he and a handful of his fellow campers are the first line of defense against an invading demon army. This group of campers is made up of friends, foes, and otherwise: people who may have had no reason to associate with each other, and in many cases deliberately avoided doing so.

Scattered throughout the otherworldly battles, unexpected friendships with candy-loving imps, and treacherous quests are real-world coping mechanisms that readers can employ in their daily, less demon-infused life. They aren't just mentioned, but described—meaning young readers can make actual use of these (although explanation from a therapist would always be helpful). I immediately recognized several I had already been taught, specifically calming and grounding practices that I've used either at the end of a difficult EMDR session or when I can't sleep because my thoughts are racing. Importantly, characters remind each other to use them during tense times. Because this can be difficult to remember.

With all that being said, Facing the Beast Within: The Anxiety of Cameron Poole actually is a fun read from a purely fictional standpoint. All the real-world usefulness aside, it's got a touch of that classic Amblin vibe that draws even grown readers like me back to kid lit. Seeing kids from different backgrounds, experiences, and areas of interest combine their talents to drive back a demonic horde is both exciting and gratifying. And the understanding between bully and bullied is as realistic and hard-won as it is in the real world... and it's not, as my childhood would have had me believe, the responsibility of the bullied to defuse.

Facing the Beast Within: The Anxiety of Cameron Poole is a book at least one kid in your life needs. You probably know which one.