Bravery Goes is the story of a young girl with selective mutism. We open with her being loud and brave at home, then transition to her being unable to speak in public situations. Throughout the story, her parents are very supportive and encouraging, offering her coping strategies and reassurance that she can grow her bravery muscles. I really enjoyed the art style of this book. The caregiver guide at the end was also very informative. The rhymes don't always flow the best and the simplicity of the writing doesn't match with the length of the book (my arc was about 50 pages, which is a lot for students I would read this level of writing to).

I think that the message of this book is very important and it is delivered in an easy to understand way for young kids.

Helpful back matter for care givers on selective mutism. Weak rhyming distracts from the story at times. Raises kind awareness and hope for treating selective mutism in young children.

Thanks to @NetGalley for sharing this DRC with me for an honest review.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I think this book would help kids who are shy or anxious in social situations gain confidence and also help caregivers know how to react to this problem. All kids have some anxiety and this book addresses ways to get that feeling under control.

This book is such a good tool for both kids and parents/caregivers to help battle selective mutism, but I feel like it could have been refined a little bit. I think that keeping only one instance of conflict is enough, rather than having two. I found that the two events were too similar, and only succeeded in lengthening the story and slightly boring the reader. Other than that thing, though, this book was great! Readers see the main character slowly come out of her shell, and that in turn inspires readers to do the same. Additionally, this book holds even more of an impact with the guide at the back of the book that provides tips and resources for parents/guardians. I give major kudos to the creators of this book for including this because it was such a smart idea! Lastly, the illustrations added a beautiful touch to the main character's journey, and I applaud the illustrator's use of light and vibrancy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

This is about a little girl with selective mutism - she is brave and outgoing...but only at home. It's a perfect illustration of how she feels each time she goes out into the world and starts to feel overwhelmed. Her parents are perfectly understanding, explaining that her "bravery muscles" just need to grow in. I feel like this would also be useful for kids who are just a bit more introverted - maybe not to the extreme of selective mutism, but just feeling less comfortable in large groups, and needed a recharge after a big day. It's a bit long for a storytime, but it would be perfect for parents to read with their kiddos!

I loved how informative this book is! I love the brave muscle concept and cant wait to use it with my 3.5 yo daughter who is very shy.
The illustrations are gorgeous!

This is a brilliantly informative and beautifully illustrated picture book. A wonderful story for caregivers and children to read together. I love the thought and research that Dr Melissa Giglio has put into creating this book. It relays the message to the child in a wonderful rhyming way that is easy to understand and follow along.
The resources provided for caregivers and examples of how they can help their child "show their brave" is truly wonderful.
The illustrations match the prose perfectly and the style works really well for the storytelling.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I would highly recommend this to all adults who interact with young children. This is not just for parents who have children with selective muteness.

This will be helpful for young children who are shy, as well as those with anxiety and selective mutism. I would love to see a version written for school age children, as my nephew still struggles with extreme anxiety and would benefit from a book. I think readers will appreciate the informational section at the end as well as the expertise shared by the author.

I recommend this for therapists and schools.

It was great to see a kids book talking about selective mutism, and I also feel is more widely relatable for kids with anxiety due to the anxiety discussed by the main character. Love to see this representation!

It was such a beautiful story to read and very relatable for my daughter who read it with me.
I think this book would help a lot of children to build the confidence to be able to feel brave enough to use their voice.
We highly recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing us a copy to be able to read and review.

This a beautiful window into how someone with Selective Mutism or Social Anxiety might feel in different situations. What may feel easy in one location becomes much harder in another. Helping a child recognize their brave moments and build their social muscles is vital for growth. Loved this book. The pictures are engaging, the rhymes solid, and the sentiment feels just right. Would love to add this to my school's library.
Special thanks to Brave Mighty Minds for providing me with a digital ARC. I loved it.

I have a student this year with selective mutism. I really think this book will be helpful in helping his classmates understand his situation. It’s important that are sensitive to it, but supportive.

This is a useful resource for supporting children who are selectively mute, as well as educating those who aren't. The overall narrative is sweet, but I felt it to be too long for the age it was pitched at, and the rhyme scheme was not always consistent. While I appreciate that the parents' support came from a loving place, I'm not sure if it sets the right precedent that the young girl needs a shiny necklace in order to remind her to be brave... Would've been nice to refer to intrinsic motivators, as not all children/families have the means to access fancy motivators. That being said, the back matter is useful and well written. Overall, a solid effort.

This was a very sweet and beautifully illustrated picture book. I love how selective mutism and anxiety is treated with understanding and compassion. The main character, works through her anxieties along with her parents and gains skills and bravery to use her voice. The authors also provide information for parents. I would recommend this book for kids 4-10. Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author/illustrator, Brave Mighty Minds and Net Galley for the free early copy in exchange for my honest review.

The message of this book is as inspiring as the title suggests and will be great for the right reader. I do think that the audience is very niche, and that the rhyme scheme/design for younger readers is a mismatch with the length of the book, which would be for slightly older readers. And while some don’t mind this, the flexibility of the rhyme scheme and rhythm wasn’t to my taste.

Bravery Grows will speak to your heart. This is an important book that many of us can relate to. This story explores childhood anxiety and selective mutism. The pictures bring the story alive as the text dives into realistic life situations which can be a wonderful conversation starters. This book is gentle and encouraging and reminds us all that are feelings are valid. I'd highly recommend this book for all young scholars.

This book is wonderful not only because the main character gains bravery, but they also grow into themselves as part of this as well. I definitely found myself relating to certain parts in the book, like being shy at school, especially having gone to the middle school I went to. I would have loved this book and found it immensely helpful when I was younger, and I’m grateful to see it on its way to publication here! This is a great book.

Thank you for allowing me to read this eARC in advance of publication. This is my honest feedback I am leaving voluntarily.

Bravery Grows is beautifully written! As a preschool teacher, this book is perfect for students transitioning to kindergarten, or just nerves in general. I love that the story allows for ample social emotional discussions. I will be purchasing this book for my classroom once it's published, and it wil be a new classroom staple.

A brilliant reminder that we can do hard things, with encouragement and support!

This beautiful picture book offers delightfully rhyming prose, practical strategies to gentle support children with childhood anxiety and selective mutism, as well as encouragement that bravery grows with practice.

I appreciate the focus on practical coping strategies, the caregiver’s guide at the end of the book, as well as the identification of thoughts/feelings/bodily sensations that can accompany anxiety.

I adore the whimsical and colourful illustrations, that work well alongside the important message of this delightful picture book.

With many thanks to Jessica Kingsley Publishers, and NetGalley for the e-Arc, in exchange for an honest review.

This book would make a brilliant addition to any school, child psychology clinic, or home library, to share with all children about childhood anxiety and situational mutism.

Release date: 21st May 2025