海角大神

The characters from four fantastic children鈥檚 books featured here are the unlikely heroes of their stories who, when confronted with challenges, discover their courage. But they鈥檙e not superheroes. They are a timid bear cub, a skeptical chicken, a young ninja with a secret, and a nonverbal boy who surprises everyone. They鈥檙e flawed and vulnerable, just like the rest of us. But with persistence, they push through their respective obstacles 鈥� a snowstorm, a marathon, an injury, a lack of speech 鈥� to claim their own bravery. Reading these heartwarming, hilarious, and uplifting stories, the little ones in your life may be inspired to claim theirs, too.聽

Slow and steady wins the race

鈥淐hicken Little and the Very Long Race,鈥� written and illustrated by Sam Wedelich, is a fun cross between 鈥淭he Tortoise and the Hare,鈥� and 鈥淐hicken Little.鈥� This entertaining read with a witty lesson delighted my kids and me 鈥� enough that we ordered the other books in this plucky little series.

When a marathon featuring local record holder Hare is announced, the entire chicken coop goes gaga. Except Chicken Little. She watches, mystified, as the flock ditches its workout routine and instead buys Hare鈥檚 book, drinks Hare-approved smoothies, and wears rabbit-ear sweatbands (for the grown-ups, an amusing commentary on influencer culture). When no one heeds Chicken Little鈥檚 warnings that there are no shortcuts to success, she hesitantly decides to enter the race herself.聽

With its expressive, cartoonlike illustrations;聽 hilarious thought and speech balloons (鈥淎re you chicken? Bok Bok!鈥� says one hen to Chicken Little before she enters the race.); and hand-lettered prose, this book reads like a giant comic strip and delivers equal delight. Wedelich鈥檚 genius is in giving a classic fable a witty, modern spin and presenting a quintessential lesson (鈥淪low and steady wins the race.鈥�) with humor.

I hope the takeaway for my kids from this little tale is the value of courage: The courage it took Chicken Little to speak up to her peers; the courage it took her to enter the race; and the courage it took her to finish the race the old-fashioned way, with hard work and perseverance.聽

As Chicken Little tells the flock at the end of the race, 鈥淎 very long race is about more than winning! It鈥檚 about daring to do hard things.鈥澛�

Bravery even when afraid

鈥淏rave Little Bear,鈥� written and illustrated by Steve Small, is a tender tale for the timid ones who find comfort curled up at home. Arlo has always been the cub who likes familiarity, comfort, and the cozy warmth of his den, while his sister Eva is the one who seeks adventure. When it鈥檚 time for the bear family to rouse from their winter hibernation and journey to Spring Valley, Arlo is reluctant to leave the only home he has ever known. But when a blinding snowstorm strikes, separating the family, he learns what it means to be brave.

From the soulful illustrations to the sweet, simple prose, everything about 鈥淏rave Little Bear鈥� will tug at your heartstrings. Small has worked in animation for more than 30 years and it shows. His soft, painterly illustrations are worthy of framing: the bear family staring at their ascent up a snowy mountain, a forest of tall, feathery pines behind; the bears plowing through a fierce storm, heads down against the swirling snow; the cubs curled up in their mother鈥檚 embrace.聽

It鈥檚 no surprise my brother ordered this book for his kids after he saw it in our home. The illustrations complement Arlo鈥檚 (literal and figurative) journey, one many readers will find familiar and instructive: the safety of home, the uncomfortable nudge of a challenge, the hard work of pushing through, and the sweet relief of emerging on the other side, a little older and wiser. As his mother tells Arlo when they are reunited after the storm, 鈥淏eing brave when you feel afraid is the very bravest brave of all.鈥澛�

Courage and kindness as superpowers

When we meet Ninja Nate, a 10-year-old ninja master, he rocks his ninja suit, sword, and moves all day 鈥� on the playground, at the dinner table, even in bed. In 鈥淣inja Nate,鈥� written by Markette Sheppard and illustrated by Robert Paul Jr., we follow Nate鈥檚 escapades with wonder. Until one night he falls out of bed with a thud. He 鈥� and we 鈥� wake up with a start: Ninja Nate is Nathaniel Brown. After an injury, he has a new robotic leg that he covers with his ninja suit. His sword? A walking cane. The truth is that Nathaniel is worried about returning to school with a robotic leg.聽

With simple candor, Sheppard shows readers Nathaniel in all his 鈥渃ostumes鈥�: playful, yes, but also vulnerable, sad, and scared. With the help of his mother and brother, Nathaniel faces his fears and finds out he鈥檚 still loved 鈥� as Ninja Nate with his cool moves, and also as Nathaniel Brown. It turns out his real superpowers are his courage and kindness.聽

My kids loved the experience of reading this book 鈥� from enjoying Nate鈥檚 ninja moves, to the realization of his injury and prosthesis, to seeing him steel his strength and kick on. Sheppard handles what could be a heavy subject with a light touch, teaching readers young and old how to approach life鈥檚 curveballs with resilience and grace. As his mom says, 鈥淥ne step at a time.鈥澛�

Music unlocks the power of speech

鈥淭he Boy Who Said Wow,鈥� written by Todd Boss and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh, is a simple story with a big heart. In a noisy world, Ronan is a quiet boy who doesn鈥檛 speak much. In fact, he hardly says a word. When his grandfather takes Ronan for a drive, he is quiet. When Grandfather talks and talks, Ronan is quiet. When they arrive in the loud city, Ronan is quiet. And when they enter the grand concert hall, Ronan is quiet. When the symphony begins, Ronan鈥檚 mind begins to dance with the music, lifting, flying, soaring. And when the music is done, and the entire auditorium is silent, Ronan finally speaks: 鈥淲ow!鈥澛�

It was the 鈥淲ow鈥� heard round the world. And it actually happened. On May 5, 2019, a nonverbal boy named Ronan Mattin traveled to Boston鈥檚 Symphony Hall to hear Mozart鈥檚 鈥淢asonic Funeral Music鈥� performed by the Handel and Haydn Society. Ronan鈥檚 鈥淲ow!鈥� broke the silence 鈥� his own and the audience鈥檚 鈥� and his enthusiasm so delighted concertgoers that Ronan鈥檚 story went viral.聽

The book鈥檚 author worked closely with Ronan鈥檚 family, and wisely keeps the story simple, which allows Kheiriyeh鈥檚 drawings to shine. Composed mostly in shades of gray and turquoise with pops of poppy red, her illustrations offer a nostalgic nod to a Boston past: Grandfather sports a dapper tux with tails and drives a classic car; Ronan wears suspenders, a beret, and a bow tie.

Kheiriyeh charts the change that comes over Ronan in her illustrations.聽

At first, he is depicted with his nose in a book, staring out the window, or down into his lap. After the concert and his big 鈥淲ow!鈥� he鈥檚 seen laughing, clapping, leaning on his grandfather. His body language tells a story of its own.聽

鈥淭he Boy Who Said Wow鈥� shows the聽quiet courage of a nonverbal boy 鈥� or anyone who doesn鈥檛 conform to the norm 鈥� going out into the world, engaging with others, and expressing himself clearly, honestly, and wholeheartedly.