Ask a five-year-old what courage looks like and you will get a sword. Ask the books and you get a crab at the edge of a wave, a boy who cannot look at the ocean that took his mother, and a girl standing under a tree she has never once climbed. Almost none of these characters stop being afraid. They just work out, somewhere in the middle of the story, that being afraid does not get the final vote.
Bookroo’s collection of 742 children’s books about courage runs the whole distance, from the first trip to the doctor to Newbery winners where a kid has to keep his nerve for three hundred pages. Our editors picked twelve favorites below, ordered roughly from the youngest listener up. Under the shortlist you’ll find board books for toddlers, picture books for the preschool and early-elementary years, and chapter books where courage has to last past the exciting part.
A running list of every kind of courage a small person already owns — the new food, the new school, the night without the hall light on.
Little Crab is extremely excited about the ocean, right up until Little Crab gets a good look at the ocean.
Lou’s friends are climbing a tree to play pirates. Lou has never climbed a tree and has suddenly remembered several urgent errands.
Scaredy Squirrel has never left his nut tree. He has, however, packed an emergency kit for the day he might.
The city is too loud, too fast and too big — until Nana sits down at her sewing machine and makes a bright red cape.
There is a black dog outside the Hope house. Every family member who peeks out sees it bigger than the last one did.
Nobody in the house will play with her, so the girl takes a red marker and draws a door on her bedroom wall.
Plague empties the house, illness takes the use of Robin’s legs, and the knight he was promised to is a long way off.
A tiger out of Halmoni’s old Korean stories is standing in the road, and it has a bargain to offer Lily.
Nine million dollars in gold is buried under the snow, and the only Norwegians the occupying soldiers never search are children on sleds.
Lucy comes back out of the wardrobe with a story none of her siblings believe, which turns out to be the bravest thing in the book.
Mafatu is the son of the Great Chief, and his whole island knows he is afraid of the sea. One night he pushes a canoe into it alone.
First-brave-thing stories built for small hands — the checkup, the dark hallway, the deep end, the morning that starts with something new — ages 0–4.
A toddler conquers fears, embracing new experiences with courage.
Tortoise faces school fears. Will he find courage or crumble under worries?
Leo faces his first doctor's visit, learning patience and bravery.
A lost puppy navigates the woods with help from friendly animals to find his way home.
A crocodile invades a bedtime story, causing chaos. Will you dare to peek?
A little bear learns bravery on a hot day adventure with his dad.
A brave warrior defies tradition to save her family and country.
Discover the many ways to be brave and find your inner courage.
Ignored fish seeks attention, discovers bravery and friendship.
Discover the everyday acts of bravery in a child's world.
A pterodactyl must conquer her fear of heights to take her first flight.
A timid shark must find courage to help a friend in need.
Read-alouds about the two seconds before the jump: something at the door, a tree nobody has climbed, a city that is much too loud — ages 3–8.
Jo must conquer her fear of the sea to deliver mail and discover new adventures.
A shy girl must brave the world to deliver a boy's heartfelt letter to the moon.
A child learns courage by seizing missed chances, discovering the magic of new experiences.
A young boy faces his fears and learns to jump off a diving board with the help of his dad.
A young artist battles a teacher's doubt to pursue her passion for art.
A boy and his grandpa journey through time to discover the essence of bravery.
A kitten seeks a mouse but faces unexpected challenges.
A young girl discovers bravery in trying new things for the first time.
A child's promise to be their best self tomorrow.
A girl and her stuffed owl embark on real-world adventures, testing her bravery.
Friendship tested by peer pressure and betrayal. Will true loyalty prevail?
A girl fears a pool shark until a new friend changes everything.
Longer stories where the nerve has to hold — an empty island, an occupied village, a tiger in the road, a castle under siege — ages 7–11.
Three children embark on a magical quest to find a legendary creature in a hidden land.
A boy risks everything to protect a runaway dog from its abusive owner.
A young girl helps hide her friend from Nazi forces in occupied Denmark.
Alone on a desolate island, a girl battles nature and wild dogs for survival.
A young boy's journey from a carefree childhood in rural Poland to surviving the Holocaust through resilience, family, and the unlikely protection of Oskar Schindler.
A girl confronts escalating cruelty in her town, risking everything to defend an innocent outcast.
Two brothers' quest for bravery unravels secrets and challenges their beliefs.
In 1970 Alabama, Lu's running talent challenges racial divides and tests her friendships.
A young girl must navigate a treacherous journey to deliver a secret message to a tavern owner in a small town.
A dragon and a boy seek a hidden sanctuary, pursued by a vengeful foe.
A girl braves a perilous sea quest to save her mother and her future.
Can Fox juggle babysitting and shopping while staying the fastest on wheels?
