Children and teens of “the anxious generation” spill their secrets in a moving, frank, and playful graphic novel for readers ages 8-12, based on interviews with storytellers from all regions of the United States and many races, abilities, and incomes. A companion through one of life’s loneliest experiences and a blueprint for solving the youth anxiety epidemic, Don’t Just Tell Me to Breathe takes young people seriously as thinkers and experts on their own lives.

An 11-year-old told us he considered suicide because of the economy. “Being kind of stressed about how the world is and the economy and stuff like that, [and] if I don’t get good grades, then I won’t get a scholarship, which means that my parents will have to spend a bunch of money for me to go to college. And if I don’t do well in college, then I won’t get a good job.” (Darby, 11) 

Why do so many kids and teens wrestle with anxiety? The authors of Don’t Just Tell Me to Breathe looked for answers from young people themselves. Harper Bryant Shin is a 24-year-old comics creator. Dr. Elizabeth A. Wheeler (Betsy), age 67, is a disability studies and comics author/professor and Harper’s mom. Anxious since childhood ourselves, we wanted to know: what’s bothering kids now? So, we asked them! 

We went around the United States, to cities, small towns, and suburbs. We interviewed brave and insightful storytellers ages 11-18 from many races and incomes. We turned their anxiety stories into a graphic novel, to spread understanding, make anxious kids feel less alone, and share the discoveries and adventures of relatable characters. Don’t Just Tell Me to Breathe reflects what kids already know: that they are experts on their own lives and mental health, not the lost phone zombies depicted in scare-mongering media. 

Don’t Just Tell Me to Breathe basically invents a new genre. First and foremost, it’s a fun and gripping graphic novel. But it’s three other things as well: a guide to recovering from anxiety, a forum on solving the youth mental health crisis in the United States, and, unlike any other book, a time capsule on anxiety now from stories of children and teens who experience it. 

Do you have a story about anxiety to share with the world? Are you age 18 or younger? We seek more storytellers and pay $50 per interview. Storytellers: contact Harper and Betsy!