Books That Build Courage

by Cornelia Funke Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer

Brave as a lion, strong as an elephant, Ben is a fearless young boy. When it comes to protecting his big sister, Anna, nothing can stand in his way! Gallantly he spends his day battling moldy green ghosts, slime-belching monsters, and all sorts of ferocious beasts.

Stuart's Cape

by Sara Pennypacker Illustrated by Martin Matje

Stuart's got problems. It's raining. He's bored. And worst of all, he's new in town, so he's got a lot to worry about. But what does a kid like Stuart need in order to have an adventure...and to stop worrying? A cape, of course!

The Story of Ruby Bridges

by Robert Coles Illustrated by George C Ford

This beautiful picture book, illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award-illustrator George Ford, and written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Coles, tells the true story of six-year-old Ruby Bridges. In 1960, Ruby, a young African-American girl, entered a whites-only school in New Orleans.

Sheila Rae, the Brave

by Kevin Henkes

Big sister Sheila Rae is not afraid of anything — not thunder, not lightning, not even the big black dog at the end of the block. She growls at stray dogs, and bares her teeth at stray cats. She's not even afraid of the most frightening things she can imagine, and she has quite an imagination!

The Recess Queen

by Alexis O'Neill Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith

In this sassy playground romp the irrepressible new kid dethrones the reigning recess bully by doing the unthinkable — she invites her to be her friend!

The Princess Knight

by Cornelia Funke Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer

Violet is a young princess who wishes she could show the world that she is just as brave and strong as her brothers. But her strict father insists that she get married, and her brothers only mock her when she wants to be included in their fun.

Pierre in Love

by Sara Pennypacker Illustrated by Petra Mathers

Poor Pierre wishes he could tell Catherine how he feels about her, but Catherine is a graceful ballet teacher, and Pierre is merely a poor fisherman.

By making a few silly mistakes and a few more brave decisions, Pierre soon learns that being a fisherman may not make him so hard to love after all.

Little Polar Bear and the Brave Little Hare

Series: Little Polar Bear

by Hans de Beer

When Lars rescues Hugo, a timid little hare, from a deep hole, the two become fast friends. They have a wonderful time together, racing, sharing a picnic, snuggling together for warmth when they are caught in a storm. And before their adventure is over, Hugo gets to show his own courage by getting Lars out of trouble.

The Little Engine That Could

by Watty Piper

When the other engines refuse, the Little Blue Engine tries to pull a stranded train full of toys and good food over the mountain. This classic story about the Little Blue Engine who says "I think I can, I think I can" continues to be a popular favorite.

Jack and the Beanstalk

by Matt Faulkner

The timeless story of Jack's visit to the giant's kingdom, beautifully illustrated and gracefully retold.

I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem

by Jamie Lee Curtis Illustrated by Laura Cornell

From actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis, this feel-great picture book will encourage your child to love his own best qualities. The bouncy text alternates between boys' and girls' points-of-view as they explore their physical attributes and personalities in charming rhymes.

Beware of the Storybook Wolves

by Lauren Child

Herbie loves being read his nightly wolf storybooks — provided his mother removes them from his room before turning off the lights. When mom forgets to take out the books and wolves appear in his room, Herbie must summon his favorite fairy tale characters to help.