Don't Be Afraid, Amanda

by Lilian Moore

Adam the country mouse has already visited Amanda in the city for one day. Now, Amanda must overcome her own fears about the country and visit Adam. Little does she know that she will float across the pond on a leaf -- that is, until she is rescued by a friendly turtle. Or that she will climb all the way to the top of a scarecrow to watch the clouds. By the end of the day, she has eaten a pumpkin seed and even hidden from a frightening hawk. This is one visit Amanda will never forget!

Genres: Fiction, Chapter Books

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Lilian Moore grew up in New York, received a degree in teaching from Hunter College, and did graduate work at Columbia University. She attended college during the Depression, so job opportunities were few. She worked for the Bureau of Educational Research, helping children who could not read in their Reading Clinic. Ms. Moore was also a reading specialist for the New York Board of Education. She trained teachers and did extensive research into reading difficulties.

She was the editor of Scholastic's first paperback book club, the Arrow Book Club, beginning in 1957. As she said, "Imagine making it possible for these youngsters to choose and buy good books for the price of comics!" She was an editor at Wonder Books, Thomas Y. Crowell, and contributor to Humpty Dumpty magazine.

In addition, Ms. Moore was a founding member of the Council on Interracial Books for Children. Ms. Moore died on July 20, 2004, at the age of 95.

She is best known for her poetry and easy-to-read books.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

LFL find. Not quite as magical as the first. But I do love the poems that Adam makes up about each experience that he and Amanda share on her first trip to the country. Especially the poem of praise he makes to placate Young Skunk. And I like that Amanda is so brave, even while they both acknowledge how small creatures are always vulnerable.

[Ainsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book because Amanda is scared but Adam helps her and Adam is a poet.