When You Are Brave

December 1, 2018
In this new book from the creative duo behind Wherever You Go (2015), a child warily bids adieu to a beloved former home and summons the courage to embrace the new one.A family says farewell to neighbors as they pack the last of their belongings into a car and trailer. In a mostly empty room, a pigtailed child holds a photo album. The family drives away from what was their home, and, visibly nostalgic, the child opens the photo album. Miller's text, replete with musical pulses, evokes the emotional and trying journey: "Because some days are full of things you'd rather not do. // Like plunging into a pool all by yourself, hoping you'll swim and not sink. / Or standing alone, in front of a crowd, searching for one friendly face." The drive is a journey through busy city traffic then a somber, rainy forested range that culminates in hilly, coastal views. With mixed traditional media, Wheeler revels in color--dramatic, muted hues and warm glowing pages mirror the protagonist's feelings. Graceful, sinuous artwork depicting various panoramas adorns mostly double-page spreads, encouraging readers to observe how the illustrations echo the verses. One dazzling spread cleverly uses stars, moon, and twilight to convey the protagonist's brightness, bravery, and courage. Both child and family are racially ambiguous, with light skin and straight, dark hair.For lovers of Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López's The Day You Begin (2018), a sweet lesson on how to glow from the inside out. (Picture book. 3-8)

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March 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-This gently purposeful book is brought to life with luminous mixed-media illustrations that uplift and extend the writing. The text is less a story than a motivational piece about the courage to overcome obstacles. It talks about how "you" might feel, and ways to conquer fear and find "your" bravery. The illustrations, a mix of India ink, watercolors, colored pastel pencils, and acrylic paint, begin the story on the title page, as a family packs up their car to move. The story takes place over the course of the overnight drive to the new home. Wheeler captures the dichotomy of fear and hope through the contrast of dark, shadowy sections and glowing greenish-yellow light. The full-bleed images alternate between close-ups of the unnamed female protagonist as she sits in the car, and single pages and spreads from outside the car, showing the scenery as the family drives. The text has a motivational feel, suggesting readers mentally picture courage as a light, and the illustrations depict it as a flame that becomes imagined butterfly wings that appear in firefly-like lights. As morning arrives, the sun rises and the protagonist accepts her challenges and discovers her bravery. VERDICT The quiet text will likely find an audience in parents and teachers looking to introduce bravery, but the real impact here lies in the gorgeously detailed, textured, and glowing illustrations, which make it rise above average. Most libraries will appreciate this lovely addition.-Amy Lilien-Harper, Wilton Library, CT

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