Conquering the big wave, making friends with a monster, and shining your bright light. Here are 15 books about courage for kids to help your little one stand tall

The world can be a scary place.

Especially for little ones.

But it doesn't have to be.

Behind every situation that could seem scary and overwhelming, is a chance for us to be courageous. And when we learn how to be brave and courageous, those things that used to intimidate us, don't seem to be so scary after all.    

Dive into the characters, their stories and the journeys of adventure they undertake to find their voice, overcome their fears, and stand tall from our cherry-picked collection of books about being brave.

15 Books About Courage for Kids

The Map of Good Memories

By:
Fran Nuño, Jon Brokenbrow, Zuzanna Celej

There are places that remind us of happy moments. Zoe, a little girl who has to flee from her city with her family because of a war, remembers them before she leaves. She uses them to draw a “map of good memories,” knowing that they will always be with her.

Madam Hortensia

By:
Carmen Gil, Jon Brokenbrow, Miguel Cerro

Madam Hortensia followed her routine to a tee, until one day everything went wrong… what a disaster! A wonderful story, full of humor, about the importance of tackling new challenges. Do you dare to change?Madam Hortensia lives life in a straight line, never straying a step out of her daily routine. Was she finicky? Not quite, she just liked everything to be perfectly to her liking. Her alarm clock rang every day at 07:18 sharp. Not one minute before, or one minute after. Then her planned routine would begin in extreme detail, and nothing could possibly go wrong. But one morning, her alarm does not go off on time and her life spins into a whirlwind. Suddenly, she finds herself doing entirely new things she has never tried before.

Read 
Madam Hortensia
 now

We Walk Through the Forest

By:
Lisa Ferland, Yana Popova

The magic of the forest is calling and it sounds like birds singing and twigs snapping underfoot. What is that up ahead? Is it a butterfly or another animal behind that tree? We Walk Through the Forest follows a spirited young girl and her playful pup as they create wondrous adventures together in the great outdoors.Imaginations run wild as they walk, hop, and sing through the forest. Just how many woodland creatures will they encounter?

Ayobami and the Names of the Animals

By:
Mar Azabal, Pilar López Ávila

Ayobami dreams of going to school. But to reach the schoolhouse, she has to take a dangerous path: the one that leads through the jungle.This is a tale about the importance of education, the difficulties that many children have to overcome to go to school, and the perseverance and enthusiasm of those who want to learn.

The Squiggle Wiggles

By:
Erna van der Merwe, Danelle Kritzinger

Little Ant's Big Plan

By:
Candice Dingwall, Steven McKimmie, Telri Stoop

This is a story about a little ant with a big plan, and how his love for reading saved the day.

Pink

By:
Lynne Rickards, Margaret Chamberlain

"What's a penguin to think when he wakes up PINK?" Patrick wakes up one day to find he's turned pink overnight. But boys can't be pink! Feeling teased and left out, poor Patrick runs away in search of pink playmates. He crosses the ocean where he finds some pink flamingos - but will he fit in with them any better? Patrick soon learns that friendship is never black and white, but that real friends will accept you just as you are.

Read 
Pink
 now

Tobey the Business Mouse

By:
C.S Fritz, Elinor Shklaz

Join Tobey the Business Mouse on a journey of discovery and glimpse into the infinite realm of possibilities that lie ahead.Tobey, with his little suit and tie, proves that no matter how small you are, there is no limit to what you can achieve.

Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee

By:
Jessica Bosworth Smith, Lauren Nel, Matthew Griffiths

Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee is stuck on her rock all alone. She’s looking for adventure and wants to see the world! But how?

Read 
Ann-Nem-Oh-Nee
 now

Grobblechops

By:
Elizabeth Laird, Jenny Lucander

Amir is worried about the little monster lurking under the bed. What if it tries to eat him up?! And what if that monster has a dad and a mum too? As Amir’s father tucks him in, he wonders if the monster might become a friend instead...

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Grobblechops
 now

Facing the Wave

By:
Vaughan Duck, Rebecca Marshallsay

Trying new things can be scary.But, with a little push and a lot of paddling, even the biggest waves can be conquered.A story about facing fears and how a few words of encouragement can change someone’s day.

Read 
Facing the Wave
 now

Mariama Different But Just the Same

By:
Nívola Uyá, Jerónimo Cornelles, Jon Brokenbrow

Everything is new for Mariama after a long journey by car, train, boat, and plane from Africa. She is going to discover a world where the streets, her school, and the food are all different. However, what about the people? A beautiful tale about identity, the process of integration, and solidarity. Are you ready to meet Mariama and play with her?

Mister Yes

By:
Carmen Gil, Miguel Cerro

Mr. Yes could do a lot of different, funny things…but he’d never learned how to say no. Even though it made him unhappy, he would reluctantly agree to do things because he would say yes even though he really wanted to say no One day, the unexpected happened and Mr. Yes found a powerful, new voice.So what about you? Have you ever smiled and said yes when what you really wanted to say was no?This is a fun story for readers of all ages about the importance of communication and being assertive.

Read 
Mister Yes
 now

Lucy's Light

By:
Silvia Álvarez, Margarita del Mazo

Lucy is the youngest member of a family of fireflies. She wants to shine like all the others, but she’s too little. Finally, one night, it’s Lucy’s turn. She can head off to light up the forest, but something is stopping her.This is a tale all about how important it is to shine as brightly as you can, with the light that we all carry within us and makes us unique.

Read 
Lucy's Light
 now

Roary the Lion

By:
Rory H. Mather, Patrick Corrigan

All Lions roar, right?Not Roary and he’s supposed to be the King of the Jungle!Try as he might, poor Roary has trouble finding his voice. Can his friends help him find his bellow or will he be left with a tiny squeak?

Read 
Roary the Lion
 now

So gather your little warriors. It’s time to go to battle. Let’s get ready to learn how to be courageous with these 15 Books About Courage for Kids.

Want to know what to pick for your next read? Read our guide about How to Select Books for Your Child.

Have you seen our collection of books about overcoming challenges for kids?

PLUS: Read Nooksy’s selection of books about overcoming fears for kids.

Short on time? Check out reading on the run with kids ebooks.

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