First Look At: Being Brave: Why Do I Feel Scared?

by Pat Thomas

Children learn that there are many ways of being brave, but not all of them involve the kinds of action they often see in TV adventure stories. One way for kids to be brave is to keep trying at something that they find difficult--trying until they succeed. They learn that it is normal to be scared of some things, and that having courage is daring to do the right thing, even when it feels uncomfortable or scary. This new title in Barron's growing series of "A First Look at . . . " books is written especially for preschool and early-grades children. Books in this series feature sensitively written stories that encourage boys and girls to explore their feelings, face new challenges in their lives, and talk to trusted elders about how to deal with things that bother them. The books feature child-friendly color illustrations on every page. An advice to parents section appears at the end of each book.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

There is more than one Pat Thomas in the Goodreads catalog. This entry focuses on Pat^Thomas, children's author.

Pat is a trained psychotherapist, naturopath and journalist. After working as a journalist and broadcaster in the USA, she now works in the field of child development and writes for various publications including 'Practical Parenting'.

Reviews

[Kate Bretey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great little picture book that teaches what being brave is really about. The illustrations in the book are everyday settings; classrooms, playgrounds, and the home. They all depict certain aspects of being brave; standing up for someone who cannot stand up for themselves, telling the truth, that being different is okay and that you should embrace individuality, etc. What I thought was a really good teaching tool was that inserted every few pages are prompts for the reader. They ask questions such as, "What about you? Have you done anything brave? Can you think of a time when you kept trying even when it was hard?" The book teaches that being brave is not just about being strong, but that it is also about people having real fears and overcoming them. This is a great book for any student in the elementary setting who is having a hard time with other kids; those who are being bullied. It is also a great book for those who are doing the bullying because a lot of the time, they are scared and insecure, which is why they bully and push others around. It is an easy way of telling kids in a non-intimidating way that we are all different, that things seem scary just because they are new or different or difficult. The book can help kids build courage that they may not have or it could provide that extra little push a kid needs to feel secure about themselves.

Thomas, Pat, and Lesley Harker. Why Do I Feel Scared?: A First Look at Being Brave. Hauppauge, NY: Barrons, 2010. Print.