How Big Is Your Brave?

July 13, 2020
In this didactic narrative, young bunny Zippy pursues her astronaut dreams with welcome familial support. When her brother Gus, a gardener who knows Zippy’s heart is in the stars, encourages enrollment in space camp, Zippy fears the “big, smart-looking critters signing up.” Remembering wisdom from her grandmother—“Your WHY must be bigger than your fear”—and subsequently guided by her parents and camp counselor, Zippy commits and makes strides at camp, learning that “action is the antidote to fear.” But when a garden-related accident interferes, Zippy must navigate moving beyond her frustrations. Friend’s illustrations are warmly colored, and a variety of critters abound. The lessons Zippy receives—“everyone needs accountability,” among others—are graphically imposed on their respective pages, but the dialogue is no less impactful (“Being brave doesn’t mean you’re never scared... courage means taking an action, even when you feel afraid”). Though the text-heavy pages make this a hefty readaloud, it’s an uplifting story for increasingly independent readers. Ages 4–8.