What Can I Say? by Catherine Newman - ADVISABLE

What Can I Say? by Catherine Newman, 160 pages. NONFICTION. Storey Publishing, 2020. $17.

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Words are hard, especially when you’re having a new kind of conversation. It’s okay to be nervous about talking with others, and Newman helps make it easier by giving suggestions of what to do in situations like meeting someone new, apologizing, asking someone out, talking about pronouns, and more.

Newman encourages readers to improve their communication starting from where they are. Not everything suggested here needs to be applied right now; the tips are here for when readers are ready to use them and work to improve their skills. While targeted to a younger audience, adults can even learn from this book. I loved being reminded how simple communication really is.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen