In life, everyone makes choices, from simply deciding what breakfast item they should have in the morning to deciding which college to attend. These choices could impact our lives greatly and decide if one would truly be happy.

Ikigai For Teens: Finding Your Reason for Being acts as a guidebook for young individuals who do not know what they are going to do in the future. The term “ikigai” is roughly translated as a “life goal” or literally “worthwhile life.” García and Miralles assist readers in how discovering what gets them out of bed every morning. They encourage their audience to make mistakes, actively seek out hobbies and things that interest them, and enjoy whatever life gives us.

Personally, I have mixed feelings towards this book. While García and Miralles help adolescents by motivating them to pursue the passion that would be of aid to both themselves and the world around them, García and Miralles do not address unprivileged children. Readers are urged to try out new hobbies, but the authors do not consider the fact that most hobbies require money, and not all adolescents have the luxury of disposable income. It could be said that if one is truly passionate about something, one will find any method to act upon that passion. But to get the most out of these passions, one needs money, tutelage, and additional resources. Take archery or music, for example, one cannot practice archery without an expensive bow accompanied by arrows, targets, protective gloves, and an appropriate location suitable for practice. The same goes for music: a child cannot play their favorite instrument without guidance from a teacher or the instrument itself, and less than well-to-do families cannot think about spending money on a pricey instrument and costly lessons rather than basic necessities.

The book was an overall slow read, and I enjoyed only some snippets. I liked how some portions of the book are written in second-person perspective, making the reader feel like they are in the scenario. This book truly is not for everyone because some perspectives García and Miralles provide are from a very extroverted point of view, which could be limiting to those who are more introverted, like me. I would really only recommend this book to a young adolescent who has sufficient time and resources to put into practice the ideas the authors had written.

Review by: Mikayla Lorenzo

Mikayla is a teen volunteer at the Mid-Valley Regional Branch. Aside from reading novels of all genres, she has a passion for swimming, archery, and gaming.

—Michael Baradi, Mid-Valley Regional Branch Library