In
Getting There: A Workbook for Growing Up, author-illustrator Mari Andrew follows up her New York Times best-seller
Am I There Yet?: The Loop-de-loop, Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood (Andrew
2018), with a self-discovery program, to assist the reader on their journey to adulthood. Through Andrew’s prompts and templates—some drawn from
Am I There Yet?—the reader can explore their feelings, thoughts, and insecurities through the medium of journaling and art. The program is premised on the value of journaling as a self-awareness-building tool. This premise is not new by any means. Studies show that journaling bolsters critical thinking skills (Bahmani
2016; Estrada and Rahman,
2014; Fakude and Bruce
2003; Naber and Markley
2017), increases cultural sensitivity and caring (Kuo et al.
2011; Ross et al.
2014), and encourages self-reflection (Epp
2008; Hwang et al.
2018; Shepherd
2006; Wedgeworth et al.
2017). …