Bravery beating Anxiety: One Choice at a time

I think the biggest takeaway readers will have from this book is that anxiety is beaten by making one choice at a time to be brave. Over time the bravery will grow and to focus one singular decisions rather than being overall brave at once.

This book is not a one time problem solver, but should be looked at as a conversation starter/daily behaviors to start, stop and continue for children who may struggle with anxious tendencies.

The illustrations of feeling more comfortable being extraverted at home vs. the progression of anxiety at the par and school really brings you into those moments.

I received a copy of this book from Dr Melissa Giglio, Daisy Geddes and Jessica Kingsley Publishers. I am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.

This book is about selective mutism with good resources at the end.

But, going through it with my very outgoing child and having just read with them The Verts, about parents more or less respecting their introverted and extroverted children’s respective wishes, it was a little confusing and mixed messaging to them.

The middle was very long winded and I wish it would explained more in the beginning that the child wanted to do these things her parents were pushing her to do. Although it did do a good job of describing the anxiety she felt while in social situations.

Illustrations were okay.


Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the advanced copy.

What is it like for a child to suddenly be afraid when confronting people or situations that are so much fun when alone or in friendly company? We used to call it "stage fright" or "being shy", now we call it Social Anxiety with Selective Mutism. There are ways to make this aspect of childhood less terrifying and this book is a start to help us help them.
There is a very useful Caregiver's Guide at the end.
The illustrations by Daisy Geddes are imaginative, and brilliantly colorful.
Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age, including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected eGalley on NetGalley Reader from Jessica Kingsley Publishers via NetGalley. Pub Date May 21, 2025
#BraveryGrows by @drmelissagiglio @daisy.geddes @braverygrows @jkpbooks
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This is about a girl that with people around, like school she
at first isn't brave enough to make friends or talk to people.
But slowly she get braver! Art and Story Cute!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7446834440

I was really drawn to this book because of the title and the illustration on the cover is beautiful! I'm so glad I gave this book a try because it has such a wonderful message. As a second grade teacher, I see (way too often) children struggling with anxiety. I did not know this book was about selective mutism until the very end, when I read the Caregiver's Guide. I think this book is very much about growth mindset and can really be a great text for most children. I see how anxiety has really grown and is a common issue among today's children. It's unfortunate, but definitely a topic that needs addressed. Over the years I have had multiple students who struggle to come to school because of anxiety. I think this book offers a great strategy for children who have these challenges! This is not a topic often addressed in children's books, so I love how this book has a positive character that children can identify with. I also like how the social emotional words are in bold so they really catch your attention. The illustrations are colorful, detailed, and go well with the text. Overall, I think this book is a great addition to any children's library, and can be a great lesson in overcoming anxiety!

Thank you Dr. Melissa Giglio, Daisy Geddes, and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book via NetGalley! This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Bravery Goes is the story of a young girl with selective mutism. We open with her being loud and brave at home, then transition to her being unable to speak in public situations. Throughout the story, her parents are very supportive and encouraging, offering her coping strategies and reassurance that she can grow her bravery muscles. I really enjoyed the art style of this book. The caregiver guide at the end was also very informative. The rhymes don't always flow the best and the simplicity of the writing doesn't match with the length of the book (my arc was about 50 pages, which is a lot for students I would read this level of writing to).

I think that the message of this book is very important and it is delivered in an easy to understand way for young kids.

Helpful back matter for care givers on selective mutism. Weak rhyming distracts from the story at times. Raises kind awareness and hope for treating selective mutism in young children.

Thanks to @NetGalley for sharing this DRC with me for an honest review.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I think this book would help kids who are shy or anxious in social situations gain confidence and also help caregivers know how to react to this problem. All kids have some anxiety and this book addresses ways to get that feeling under control.

This book is such a good tool for both kids and parents/caregivers to help battle selective mutism, but I feel like it could have been refined a little bit. I think that keeping only one instance of conflict is enough, rather than having two. I found that the two events were too similar, and only succeeded in lengthening the story and slightly boring the reader. Other than that thing, though, this book was great! Readers see the main character slowly come out of her shell, and that in turn inspires readers to do the same. Additionally, this book holds even more of an impact with the guide at the back of the book that provides tips and resources for parents/guardians. I give major kudos to the creators of this book for including this because it was such a smart idea! Lastly, the illustrations added a beautiful touch to the main character's journey, and I applaud the illustrator's use of light and vibrancy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

This is about a little girl with selective mutism - she is brave and outgoing...but only at home. It's a perfect illustration of how she feels each time she goes out into the world and starts to feel overwhelmed. Her parents are perfectly understanding, explaining that her "bravery muscles" just need to grow in. I feel like this would also be useful for kids who are just a bit more introverted - maybe not to the extreme of selective mutism, but just feeling less comfortable in large groups, and needed a recharge after a big day. It's a bit long for a storytime, but it would be perfect for parents to read with their kiddos!

I loved how informative this book is! I love the brave muscle concept and cant wait to use it with my 3.5 yo daughter who is very shy.
The illustrations are gorgeous!

This is a brilliantly informative and beautifully illustrated picture book. A wonderful story for caregivers and children to read together. I love the thought and research that Dr Melissa Giglio has put into creating this book. It relays the message to the child in a wonderful rhyming way that is easy to understand and follow along.
The resources provided for caregivers and examples of how they can help their child "show their brave" is truly wonderful.
The illustrations match the prose perfectly and the style works really well for the storytelling.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I would highly recommend this to all adults who interact with young children. This is not just for parents who have children with selective muteness.

This will be helpful for young children who are shy, as well as those with anxiety and selective mutism. I would love to see a version written for school age children, as my nephew still struggles with extreme anxiety and would benefit from a book. I think readers will appreciate the informational section at the end as well as the expertise shared by the author.

I recommend this for therapists and schools.

It was great to see a kids book talking about selective mutism, and I also feel is more widely relatable for kids with anxiety due to the anxiety discussed by the main character. Love to see this representation!

It was such a beautiful story to read and very relatable for my daughter who read it with me.
I think this book would help a lot of children to build the confidence to be able to feel brave enough to use their voice.
We highly recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing us a copy to be able to read and review.

This a beautiful window into how someone with Selective Mutism or Social Anxiety might feel in different situations. What may feel easy in one location becomes much harder in another. Helping a child recognize their brave moments and build their social muscles is vital for growth. Loved this book. The pictures are engaging, the rhymes solid, and the sentiment feels just right. Would love to add this to my school's library.
Special thanks to Brave Mighty Minds for providing me with a digital ARC. I loved it.

I have a student this year with selective mutism. I really think this book will be helpful in helping his classmates understand his situation. It’s important that are sensitive to it, but supportive.

This is a useful resource for supporting children who are selectively mute, as well as educating those who aren't. The overall narrative is sweet, but I felt it to be too long for the age it was pitched at, and the rhyme scheme was not always consistent. While I appreciate that the parents' support came from a loving place, I'm not sure if it sets the right precedent that the young girl needs a shiny necklace in order to remind her to be brave... Would've been nice to refer to intrinsic motivators, as not all children/families have the means to access fancy motivators. That being said, the back matter is useful and well written. Overall, a solid effort.

This was a very sweet and beautifully illustrated picture book. I love how selective mutism and anxiety is treated with understanding and compassion. The main character, works through her anxieties along with her parents and gains skills and bravery to use her voice. The authors also provide information for parents. I would recommend this book for kids 4-10. Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for this ARC, all opinions are my own.