Jamberoo local Alice Peel’s new book aims to tackle mental health early

Alice Peel, a Jamberoo local and co-founder of the ground-breaking wellbeing program Grow Your Mind, hopes her new book can help children confront mental health challenges at an early age and promote resilience, emotional regulation and friendship skills.

Her new book, How to Be a Fantastic, Sensational, Good-Enough Kid, was released on Tuesday.

Grow Your Mind is already making waves in over 500 Australian schools, including Ss Peter and Paul Catholic School and Jamberoo Public School.

The program evolved from her time as a primary school teacher, where she noticed students who could emotionally regulate and form lasting friendships tended to perform better academically.

“I was working as a teacher, and it was clear that the kids who could manage their emotions and build friendships were also the ones feeling more connected and excelling in their schoolwork,” Peel said.

With a background in public health, she became increasingly interested in understanding why some students performed better than others. This curiosity led her to study psychology and neuroscience.

“I was really excited about teaching wellbeing to kids, but I was the only one who seemed to share my enthusiasm.

“So I started thinking of ways to make it engaging. I introduced stories and animals that represented key parts of the brain, and the kids really got into it.”

The success of the program, which she co-founded with Christina Freeman, alongside the Grow Your Mind podcast, caught the attention of a publisher who encouraged her to write a book.

It is structured into 10 chapters, each beginning with a mini comic strip that sets the tone for the chapter’s lesson. “I thought, if that’s the only thing a kid reads, they’ll still get the moral of the whole chapter,” Peel added.

Every chapter starts with a question, which she answers in a way that’s like having a teacher right there with the reader. Each chapter ends with a true story from a child, a “practice makes progress” section, and space for kids to write down their thoughts.

“One of the fun parts is that each chapter has an animal helper who represents a key part of the brain. For example, the guard dog represents the amygdala, and we explore how the brain reacts to threat responses. It’s all about combining brain facts with real-life stories and lessons,” she said.

Each chapter also includes a “Shine a Spotlight” page, encouraging kids to learn about important figures in Australian history, such as Adam Goodes or Gina Chick.

“We want the book to feel interactive - like a living, breathing resource for kids,” Peel said.

One of the chapters specifically addresses the challenges children face with their devices. It encourages kids to “be the boss of your device” and to replace screen time with “green time,” helping them to disconnect and reconnect with the world around them.

“Technology is here to stay, but we don’t want kids to miss out on the present moment. This chapter encourages them to think about their digital health and balance it with real-world experiences,” Peel added.

She believes mental health education must begin early, and that the concepts in her book should become normalised for children. “Prevention is much easier than cure. It's important for kids to understand that taking care of their mental health is as normal as brushing their teeth.

“My goal is for kids to ask themselves, ‘What have I done for joy today?’ or ‘Who have I spent time with that makes me feel great?’ I want them to understand that mental health is just as important as physical health.”

Peel hopes the book will be a valuable resource in both classrooms and homes, helping kids and teachers to engage with mental health in a fun and meaningful way.