Braver than Brave - Janet Sumner Johnson - ★★★★.¼

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AUTHOR: Janet Sumner Johnson
ILLUSTRATOR: Eunji Jung
GENRE: Children's Picture Book
PUBLICATION DATE: August 1, 2022
RATING: 4.25 stars

A nice and quick book with an absolutely important message: there’s more than one type of ‘brave’.

Wanda wants to be like her big brother and her friends who have no trouble going on the “Coaster of Doom”. She is determined to be brave and practices every day. But when she actually reaches the roller coaster, her knees start buckling again. Will Wanda find her ‘brave’?

I loved the concept of the book. Indeed, there are so many levels to bravery. It is not just doing supposedly daring or scary things. Children will understand how one person’s brave is another’s person’s routine. Even facing your fears takes courage and bravery. Also, one should do things for oneself and not because others want us to. You must use your own sense and gut instinct. The book thus delivers on two levels: it teaches kids to find their own ‘brave’, and to not laugh at others when they seem to chicken out of one thing.

There are some simple techniques the author has provided at the end of the book on how children can practice taking small steps towards big scary tasks. These are amazingly practical, exactly the kind of advice that will work for children.

The illustrations are cute and support the story well.

The language is very easy and suitable for beginner readers.

My thanks to Capstone and NetGalley for the DRC of “Braver than Brave”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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