Homeschool Friday - Have Courage

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review/review for each.

Have Courage!

By: Cheri J. Meiners

Illustrated By: Elizabeth Allen

Publication: May 21, 2014 by Free Spirit Publishing

40 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Manners, Parenting

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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Description--Counsels children how to develop the assertiveness skills that will help them do what they believe is right, sharing advice for distinguishing between helpful and harmful things that others say while taking reasonable risks and speaking out.

Have Courage starts by telling children that even though they are small they can still stand tall. And then there's a short definition of courage: doing what's right even when it's hard or the child feels afraid. A contrast is shown between needing courage to say yes to something (like a vaccination) or needing courage to say no to something (like climbing up a slide). The author uses the term "dare" in a positive way. Children often want to follow through on dares. So I think this is a smart way to show courage. Speaking up for oneself to show what one likes and daring to be oneself. Sometimes courage is being brave to stand up in front of the classroom to share something. When a child speaks up to talk to a child they don't know, the end result could be making a new friend. And bravery can rub off on others. Focusing on what we want instead of what we're afraid of helps us not be held back by fear and miss out on experiences and adventures. Another definition of courage is given: doing important things that one didn't know they could do. And then a couple more reasons for why having courage is helpful.

Have Courage has a section for parents to reinforce the ideas found in the book, some questions to ask to provoke thinking, and even some activities and games to do with kids to help them build courage.

The illustrations perfectly matched the words so that the ideas are presented in a visual form as great examples that kids can relate to.

Have Courage is a great option for building up your child's character. These are the types of books that I really seek out. The book is written for children probably younger than 4, but all children can benefit from the same ideas. Have Courage gets 4.5 Stars. Have you or your child read Have Courage? What did you think? Let me know!