What Can I Say?: A Kid's Guide to Super-Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself; Speak Up, Speak Out, Talk about Hard Things, and Be a Good Friend

Very thorough yet simple. Using with our 6 kids to strengthen their social skills. We're glad that it includes lessons on empathy, inclusion, community, and activism.

I got this book for my son who is in elementary. I love how it gives examples of situations and really tells kids what to say and do in a situation. We read a couple of pages of it every night.

Extremely political charged propaganda. Great concepts, but horrible execution. Stay far away. 90% of the concepts need to be taught, but this is the opposite of how it should be explained. The author, Catherine Newman, is taking advantage of these life lessons and trying to spin them into very obvious political agenda. Natzi levels of propaganda. Catherine says it’s bad to make fun of historically oppressed, but fine to make fun of white people or people “that play golf”. Really? In the first lesson on greeting people it says eye contact is good, but if it’s too hard or “makes your skin crawl” it’s optional. I’d rather have a lesson in doing hard things, and getting comfortable with discomfort. This teaches the opposite lesson in the most obvious way. This book isn’t even subtle with its agenda to brainwash kids and comes right out and says so with lessons in transgender, gay, activism, pronouns, white guilt and suppression, climate change, white privileged, social justice, BLM. The problem with the book is that it fails to recognize that people in both political parties can be good at executing these principles, and people in both parties can suck really bad at it. Leave the slant out. Absolutely horrible book.

This book has excellent lessons for kids of many ages. My kids are all teenagers and it's very applicable. Some of the scenarios in the book are geared for a younger audience, but as a parent, I can modify them to what will apply to my kids. We have been going over a topic or 2 each week for a few months now, and it is well received. Topics include introductions, making small talk, arguments, dating, how to be right, how to be wrong, being awkward, etc.

Great conversation starter for social situations. It gives kids who struggle with social situations the verbiage they need and action steps to take that make sense.

I bought this for my classroom and I wish this book would have left out some of the more controversial topics. Even though I’m very liberal, I believe teachers should be unbiased when it comes to hot topics. I still used the book during my morning meetings but skip those topics and I can’t leave it out on the bookshelf.

An easy to read book purchased for middle-schooler. I feel that reading this book together (or even just perusing it), and providing adult conversational wisdom and guidance achieves the greatest effect. She told me they had a copy of this book at her school in the counselors office. When I asked why she would know that, she described a litany of irritating but benign behavior that can send a kid to the office. Weird times right now at the middle school. 🤪

Very informative. Would probably be useful for kids (and adults) in (or from) non-traditional familes.

Good book

The book is useful and practical, which is written eloquently.

I use this for clients with medical conditions, mental health usually, easy and applicable read

Simple book with some important content inside. Good read for a child who lacks confidence or wants to be more empathetic. Great for middle school and beyond. Very light reading with tonnes of illustrations.

Nice book