When Someone Is Afraid

by Valeri Gorbachev

When an ostrich is afraid, it sticks its head in the sand. When a turtle is afraid, it shrinks into its shell. This book shows young children that everyone is afraid sometimes.

ABC Best Books for Children 2005

Genres: Animals, Picture Books, Emotion, Childrens, Science Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2005

About the author

Valeri Gorbachev is the author and illustrator of a number of children's books, both in the United States and Europe, including Nicky And The Big Bad Wolves and Where is the Apple Pie? Mr. Gorbachev immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine in 1991 and now lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.

(from harpercollins.com)

Reviews

[Mary Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it teaches kids that humans can't just run away when afraid, we have to face our problems. But this is okay, because we learn how to deal with something when we're afraid, and there is always going to be someone there to help us. Whether this is a friend, a parent, a sibling, etc.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn't care for this book.

[Steph]

Turn/Level: B/2

Fear, Animals

A factual telling of how different animals show they're afraid.

[Oak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for vocabulary and understanding possible fright responses in animals/people, but not a direct translation.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to introduce emotions and what different emotions can trigger in animals and people. Would have liked to see a few more pages on people and what they can do.....

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literacy skills:

Narrative skills-The rhythm and repetition of the story helps children to be able to understand what will happen next and how the story is progressing. This helps build narrative skills.

[Andrea Retana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a narrative book that contains rhymes and colorful illustrations, which help students to have a better understanding of the book. It gives children insight to children that everyone feel afraid of something.

[Emily Molina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grades K-1
Topic: animal, animal movement/ habitat

I would use this book to teach students that everyone gets scared. Children may be able to relate to some of the animals in this book and feel better about their own feelings of getting scared.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Readers are introduced to the many varied ways that different animals react to fear. Not very imaginative and unnecessarily repetitive.

[Leslie Zinsmeister · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grade: K-3rd
Topic: Animals and their mothers

[Su No-kwon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade: K-1
Topic: animal

[Shannon Sevcik · Rating 3 out of 5]

K-3

Animals/families

[Concetta Kellough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like all the examples of what animals do when they're afraid. The book can create good discussion with children on what they do when they are afraid.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade: K-3
Topic: Animals, emotions/feelings