I Am So Brave!: A Board Book

by Stephen Krensky, Sara Gillingham (Illustrator)

Overview

Celebrate trying new things with I Am So Brave!, an encouraging board book from the Empowerment series!

With relevant and charming specifics, author Stephen Krensky and award-winning artist Sara Gillingham celebrate the achievements of overcoming fears and trying new things.
 
I was scared of big dogs.
Then I made a new friend.
I was scared of the water.
Now I love the deep end.
 
The Empowerment series addresses the small victories of growing up and starting to embrace the world on your own terms with encouraging text and retro-fresh illustrations. Celebrate the milestones of toddlerhood with the whole series.
 
The Empowerment series:
I Can Do It Myself!
Now I Am Big!
I Know a Lot!
I Am So Brave!
I Like to Share!
I Am Ready for School!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419709371
Publisher:	Abrams Appleseed
Publication date:	07/15/2014
Series:	Empowerment Series
Pages:	12
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.45(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

Stephen Krensky started writing stories for children while in college and has been happily doing it ever since. He has now written more than 130 fiction and nonfiction children’s books, including novels, picture books, easy readers, and biographies. Among his favorites are the five earlier books in the Empowerment series—Now I Am Big!, I Can Do It Myself!, I Know a Lot!, I Am So Brave!, and I Like to Share! Krensky and his wife, Joan, raised two sons in Lexington, Massachusetts, where they are still living happily ever after.
 
Sara Gillingham is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, art director, and designer who has helped publish many bestselling books. Gillingham has written and illustrated more than 25 titles for children, including Snuggle the Baby, All Better Baby!, Love Is a Truck, Love Is a Tutu, Love Is a Ball, and the Empowerment series. She lives in Vancouver with her family.
 

Editorial Reviews

Krensky's simple declarative text is made more interesting by Gillingham's eye-catchingly cute silk-screen illustrations…

The New York Times - Sarah Harrison Smith

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Gillingham's distinctive graphics, with their weathered retro aesthetic, and consistent positive reinforcement throughout make this outing another winner."

— Publishers Weekly, starred review

**STARRED REVIEW**
"A comforting celebration of everyday courage with lots of charm to boot."

— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Cheery and empowering, this simple story should resonate with tots everywhere."

— Booklist

From the Publisher

★ 2014-06-27
This upbeat ode to conquering fears will resonate with tots both timid and not. The sparse text of this sturdy board book is a series of three quatrains, presented one brief line per spread, describing the various fears a little boy has overcome: "I was scared of big dogs. / Then I made a new friend. // I was scared of the water. / Now I love the deep end." Having also conquered fears of the dark, loud horns and goodbyes, he proclaims on the final pages: "I'm not scared like before. / I am so brave!" The skillful verses read smoothly and depict situations that toddlers and preschoolers will relate to. The illustrations center around a wide-eyed African-American child as the main character, with Caucasian children also populating some of the scenes, including the final spread, which features the narrator leaping boldly into a pit of colored balls. The design and color scheme, mostly bright blues, yellows and reds, give the title a distinctly vintage feel, which will lend it appeal to both adults and children. A comforting celebration of everyday courage with lots of charm to boot. (Board book. 1-3)

Kirkus Reviews