Why am I passionate about this?

The best parts of my life have come when I was brave: getting married, having children, embarking on a career. The worst parts of my life have been mitigated by being brave: losing friends and relatives, dealing with illness and disability among family members. A huge part of raising my son who has autism was helping him to be brave. I've always admired brave people. Not daring or reckless, but truly brave. I've found that all the great stories include an element of bravery! I wrote my picture book as a way to help young children navigate the path to courage and resilience. I’m also the co-founder of National Be Brave Day.


I wrote

Book cover of Three Ways to Be Brave: A Trio of Stories

What is my book about?

Three stories of triumph combine to empower young readers to look inward for strength and create their own definition of…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Fear Not! How to Face Your Fear and Anxiety Head-On

Karla Clark Why did I love this book?

All kids deal with fears and all parents and caregivers want to shield them from them. But I learned as a mom that I couldn’t shield my kids from hurts. But I could help them develop their own shield—by teaching them how to confront their fears and equipping them with the tools they needed to deal with the inevitable stressors they would encounter in life. My older son, practical and scientific, would have loved this book! In this uplifting, rhyming story, Christina Furnival, a licensed mental health therapist and mom, presents a practical three-step lesson to help kids manage their worries, regain their cool, and strip fear of its power once and for all. I sure wish I had this book 30 years ago!

By Christina Furnival, Katie Dwyer (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fear Not! How to Face Your Fear and Anxiety Head-On as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Fear Not! helps kids understand their anxiety and provides tools kids can try right away.” ―Tina Payne Bryson, PhD, coauthor of The Whole-Brain Child

How can I help my child overcome their fear and anxiety?

What skills can I teach my child to cope with scary “what if” thoughts?

How can I help them grow more confident when their worries seem so big?

Christina Furnival, a licensed mental health therapist and mom, answers these questions in this empowering and uplifting rhyming story about a young boy who successfully faces his anxiety and fear head-on. In Fear Not!, children will learn…


Book cover of A Little Bit Brave

Karla Clark Why did I love this book?

I love this book because although it was written before the pandemic, it hits home about being stuck inside—in this case, by choice! The first line is, “Logan was a stay-at-home bunny.” I’m a sucker for bunnies and the friends in this book—Logan and Luna—actually display personalities similar to that of my sons! One of my sons is daring and brave; the other, shy and unadventurous. This story shows that we may think that we are not brave at all, but when we dig deep down, we can all find our brave. Sometimes just a little bit of bravery is enough. The good news is we are all braver than we think!

By Nicola Kinnear,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Little Bit Brave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Logan is a stay-at-home bunny - but he's about to discover
how brave he really is.
It's time for his first adventure, and he doesn't want to go.

But there's an amazing world outside, if he can just pluck up
courage to look . . .

Children will fall in love with Logan, the scaredy-rabbit
hero who fights off a wolf with a tin of home-baked biscuits.



Warm and reassuring - ideal for every child who is anxious about
new experiences

Stylish illustrations and hilarious characterisation - a future
classic

Bold, striking cover with gold foil for gift appeal

With…


Book cover of When The Sky Roars

Karla Clark Why did I love this book?

Sometimes when my kids were anxious or scared I would try to use humor to help and distract them. (Sometimes it worked and sometimes they thought I was “lame.”) I’m glad author Katie Weaver took a humorous approach in this fun book! What better way to quell fears than to imagine something not-so-scary? She thought up this story as she and her kids snuggled through a thunderstorm. The gentle and subtle message within the story is: when you face your fear, you often realize it wasn't as scary as you imagined, perhaps, even fun! And, sometimes, there can even be a rewarding outcome. In this case, pie! The author includes a berry pie recipe in the back that looks delicious. I’d try it, but I’m a terrible pie-maker!

By Katie Weaver,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked When The Sky Roars as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

BOOM! CRASH! ROAAAR! What in the WORLD is going on up there?! Those loud, booming roars coming from the sky are so scary!

Little Liam is tired of being afraid when the sky roars - thunderstorms are NOT his favorite. So, he’s off on the ultimate quest to find out what’s roaring and get it to quit!

This silly, light-hearted (completely fictional) story will certainly bring smiles on any rainy day! When The Sky Roars is also a great reminder that there are often sweet things awaiting for you on the other side of a fear faced.

With eye-catching, brightly…


Book cover of Jabari Jumps

Karla Clark Why did I love this book?

This book speaks to me because I remember my own boys doing their first jumps from the high dive! I love that Jabari starts out with bravado, but we learn it’s just a false sense of confidence about making his first jump. Like many of us, he’s trying to convince himself he’s ready! In the gentlest way, this story says so much—that sometimes you think you’re ready for something, but maybe you need a minute. That preparing can help. That a cheerleader really helps! And that we all have to be brave in our own way, and in our own time! But oh, the wondrous feeling we humans get when we conquer fear. There’s nothing quite like it!

By Gaia Cornwall,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Jabari Jumps as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash.

In a sweet tale of overcoming your fears, debut author-illustrator Gaia Cornwall captures a moment at the swimming pool between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can't help but root for. Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swimming test, and he's a great jumper, so he's not scared at all. "Looks easy," says Jabari, watching the other kids take their…


Book cover of I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids

Karla Clark Why did I love this book?

Some books are pretty straightforward: this is one of them. I like it because it covers a lot of ground and includes lots of diverse kids. Sometimes you want a sweet story, and sometimes you want something more practical. I love that this book gives concrete examples about being brave, strong, and resilient. My son has autism, and when he was small he preferred concept books to stories. This would have been perfect for him—as he took things very literally. It’s a best-seller and comes in a Spanish version.

By Gabi Garcia, Charity Russell (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked I Can Do Hard Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

What kids tell themselves matters!  It becomes their inner voice. It can help them connect with their power within.

Mindful affirmations can help children tune out the streams of messages they get about how they should be in the world so they can listen to their own inner voice. Children can learn to tap into their inner strength and find the encouragement they need.

I Can Do Hard Things reflects the beautiful diversity and connection in our world. A wonderful addition to your home or school library.


Explore my book 😀

Book cover of Three Ways to Be Brave: A Trio of Stories

What is my book about?

Three stories of triumph combine to empower young readers to look inward for strength and create their own definition of bravery.

Told in gentle, rhyming couplets, this collection of stories presents relatable moments of unease and the strength found in conquering fears. A roaring nighttime thunderstorm, the first day of preschool, and a doctor's visit, in turn, encourage young readers to forge their own paths of strength in times of distress. Illustrated in rich, emotional scenes that depict vignettes of daily life, this book provides comfort and empowerment for resilience and resolution.

Book cover of Fear Not! How to Face Your Fear and Anxiety Head-On
Book cover of A Little Bit Brave
Book cover of When The Sky Roars

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