Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Karen Henrich to bring you this post.
Facing different things can be very scary especially for young children. It could be simple as facing a new place, having to do something for the first time or as difficult as going through treatment for a serious disease like cancer. One of the best ways for kids to be brave is to be with someone else they trust--family or friend. Let's face it all of us face tough times better with someone else to help. Today we are sharing a beautiful picture book that shares this message. The book is Brave Like Me by Karen Henrich and illustrated by Jordan Foster. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 and there is a giveaway after my review!
About the Book:
Brave Like Me Written by Karen Henrich and Illustrated by Jordan FosterAges: 4-8 | 38 Pages |Publisher: Mascot Kids (2026) | ISBN-13: 979-8891388895
Publisher's Book Summary: When a mysterious figure appears, Benny Bear, Remy Raccoon, Ruby Rabbit, and Mabel Mouse are filled with questions—and a little fear. One by one, they venture into the cold to investigate. But the more they look, the more the mystery seems to change . . .
With courage, curiosity, and a lot of heart, these four friends discover that sometimes the unknown isn't so scary after all—especially when you face it together.
This delightful rhyming tale celebrates friendship, bravery, and the magic of seeing things clearly—with just a little help from the morning sun.
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
About the Author:
When Karen Henrich isn't wandering through the woods with Benny, Remy, Ruby, and Mabel—at least in her imagination—you'll often find her behind a camera, photographing some incredibly brave children and their families in California children's hospitals.
Karen lives in Northern California's San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Scott. When they're not working, they love packing up their bulldog Mabel (and now you know where one of the character names came from!) and heading out on road-trip adventures in their Airstream, which they named Fiddlesticks. Along the way, they cook (well, Scott cooks—Karen is much better at watching), hike, explore, and spend lots of nights laughing around the campfire.
Karen is also the very proud mom of two grown sons, who somehow managed to find two pretty wonderful wives. She loves stories, photographs, adventures, family, and finding a little magic in unexpected places—which may explain how four woodland friends ended up taking her on an adventure of their own. And she's so happy they did.
Website | Instagram
About the Illustrator:
When Jordan Foster isn't bringing Benny, Remy, Ruby, and Mabel to life on the page, she's usually creating something else. By day, Jordan is a graphic designer at Warner Bros. Discovery. Brave Like Me is her first children's book.
From Me:
The animals were asleep one night when Benny Bear heard something that wakes him up. He investigates and sees a large black monster ready to fight him. He ran towards his friends' homes. Each friend wakes up and goes to check out the monster, but the monster changes each time. Each runs back to the group and then they decide they will face the monster together. When they see the "monster" as a group they realize what it is and it is nothing to be scared of. They also realize it is much easier to face scary things together.
There is so much to love about this book. The characters are cute animals--a bear, a racoon, a rabbit, and a mouse. They are illustrated as adorable animals! They each care about the others and quickly learn it is better to be together when there is something that may seem scary or stressful. The next thing to read is the Author's Note which is in the beginning of the book. She mentions how it is dedicated to all the children her nonprofit, Moment by Moment, meet that are facing serious medical diagnoses. Ok, WOW!! She wrote this book to help these kids face some very scary times!! She creates the characters each with their own personalities. The reader may identify with one of the characters more than the others as a result. The message is so important. It is to remind everyone to stop and breathe and find someone to help face a scary moment and perhaps it won't be as scary.
The next thing I love about this book is the first page/inside cover. There is a page asking the gifter to write why the child receiving the book is brave. It is truly a book meant to be given to someone going through a hard time. Now, you may know, I usually donate the books I review to the school I worked at or the public library (and a few end up at my favorite coffee shop for the kids to read there). This one however is different. One of the administrators at the school has a young daughter who has faced cancer twice now. I am thinking I will bring the book to the administrator because I am sure she will know a child or a parent of a child who needs this book.
But I want to say that this book is not just for a child facing a serious diagnosis. This book is a reminder to children and adults that when facing something scary it is easier to be with someone else. It is easier to have a hand to hold or someone to talk about it with. This book is perfect for that first day of school or for a new move. It is also perfect to be read in the classroom to remind kids to support one another and to depend on one another. There are so many amazing messages built into this story, and it can work in so many wonderful places. I hope everyone gets to read it and learn from it!
Giveaway:
Readers who follow along on this virtual book tour will have the chance to win a hardcover copy of Brave Like Me by Karen Henrich, perfect for little readers who love a not-so-scary surprise! Good luck!!
