Jennie Cashman-Wilson Books

If you want to try new things, you have to be brave. But you can’t be brave without also being scared.

Becoming Brave traces the journey of Jennie. She longs to break free from self-doubt so she can follow her heart and explore the world, but she’s too scared. What if it goes wrong? What if other people don’t approve? For a while, a partnership with Abram gives her hope that she can find the courage to live boldly. When she loses him, that hope seems to evaporate – until at last she realises that accepting fear is the first step on the road to bravery. She can do something for herself and for Abram’s memory by sharing his love of music.

Based on a true story of love, loss and courage in the face of fear, Becoming Brave is one of those picture books that could work with a range of different ages. The story and the language is simple but the ideas behind it are profound and the illustrations by Tomekah George are sophisticated and intriguing. It would make a good story to share with upper Key Stage 2 children to open a discussion exploring the particular impact of fear of failure or the unknown – perhaps before the transition to secondary school. With younger children, it could be used more simply, as a way to address anxieties more generally. For children affected by bereavement, it holds a message of hope.

At a time when so much in the world can seem frightening, it can only be a good thing to share the message that we need to be brave both because of and despite our fears.