Choosing the book
What age is Start Where You Are for?
Start Where You Are is written for teenagers from about Year 9 (around age 14) through to young people who have just finished school. The classroom curriculum is built for Years 9 to 12, and the book speaks to readers who are studying, working, playing sport, learning a trade or still figuring things out.
Older readers
The book is clear that there is no single timeline. Plenty of its ideas, like building small habits and bouncing back after failure, still apply well into the twenties.
Quick answers
Is the language suitable for teenagers?
Yes. It is written in a conversational style, and Iliana, a Year 11 student, wrote that it felt like it was speaking to her.
Do parents need to read it too?
No, but there is a free chapter-by-chapter guide for parents and caregivers.
Related questions
Why people trust Start Where You Are
- Written by Ash Manuel, a former PE teacher and founder of Growing With Gratitude, which has reached more than 1 million young people across 1,205 schools in 80 countries.
- Foreword by Dr Phil Cummins of the University of Sydney and the Sydney Character Initiative.
- Shaped by conversations with young people about what they actually wanted from a book like this.
- Published by Amba Press and featured on 9News Adelaide.