When You're Scared

By Andrée Poulin, Joffre Véronique (Illustrator)

A boy and a bear cub face fears, leading to an unexpected rescue.

3.5/5 Goodreads · 221 ratings

32 pages

$17.95Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

At a lakeside campsite, a boy hesitates to jump into the water, while a bear cub fears diving into a dumpster. When the boy encounters the cub's worried mother, both must confront their fears. Can courage and compassion unite them to save the trapped cub? This mostly-wordless tale, rich with expressive illustrations, explores the power of bravery and empathy in unexpected encounters.

From the publisher

It’s a bright and beautiful day at the lake where a boy and his mother are camping. The boy is just a little scared of jumping into the water. At the same time, not too far away, a hungry bear cub is a little scared of diving deep into a dumpster, where tasty snacks await. Later, when the boy encounters a distraught mama bear sniffing around the dumpster, he’s very scared. But so is her bear cub, who is trapped inside! Bold, graphic artwork moves the narrative along in this mostly-wordless book full of sound effects and simple variations on a single phrase full of so many meanings (“He was scared”). Parallel stories of the mother and son, and mama and cub, come together when the campers, despite being scared, help rescue the cub from the dumpster. This simple, moving story invites readers to observe expressions, body language, and details hidden in the illustrations to follow the narrative. It’s a sweet summer read that normalizes fear and encourages acting with courage and compassion–even when you’re scared.

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