“Could you sit with me?”
You can start by asking a trusted grown-up to be nearby. You don’t need the whole explanation yet.
A Sloan’s Bedtime Story
You Are Brave
You can feel unsure. You can ask for help.
You don’t have to go alone.
Start anywhere. Pause anywhere. Nothing to finish.
There is room to pause.
A familiar room. Someone nearby. You don’t have to do anything yet.
Nothing you choose is saved. This is an optional imagined activity, not a safety exercise. If something is unsafe, ask a trusted grown-up for help now.
Some bravery is quiet
You don’t have to feel fearless.
You don’t have to go alone.
Sometimes brave is a few words. Sometimes it’s showing a picture. Sometimes it’s asking someone to stay beside you.
No rush. No right answer.
A little help belongs here.
Your next step is yours.
Room for every feeling
What does
brave feel like?
There isn’t just one way. Open a question and wonder together.
Can brave feel nervous?
Yes. Feeling uncertain does not mean you have done something wrong. You can ask for support without waiting for that feeling to disappear.
Can brave be quiet?
Yes. In the story, bravery can be telling a grown-up something important. It does not need an audience or a big voice.
Can brave mean asking for help?
Yes. “I need your help” is a beginning in the book. Pictures, pointing and other ways of communicating count, too.
Can brave mean waiting?
You may wait or sit out an optional activity. A pause is not a failure. If something is unsafe, ask a trusted grown-up for help now rather than waiting.
Can brave mean saying no?
You can say no to an optional game or unwanted touch, and tell a trusted grown-up if something does not feel right. Adults are responsible for helping keep you safe.
Can brave mean trying?
It can mean choosing one small, safe action with support. You do not have to keep trying something unsafe or prove yourself to anyone.
These companion reflections build on the story; they are not additional scenes from the book.
Make the action smaller, not the feeling
A big feeling.
A small beginning.
Imagine there’s something you want to tell a grown-up. You don’t have to find all the words at once.
These are different ways to begin. Not steps to finish. Not a test to pass.
Not now? Keep reading instead.“I need your help.”
These words are a beginning in the book. You can say them, write them, or use your usual way to communicate.
Read every way to begin
“I need your help.”
These words are a beginning in the book. You can say them, write them, or use your usual way to communicate.
A picture can be a beginning.
You could draw, point, or show a trusted grown-up something. If one person does not understand, you can ask another.
Nothing you choose here is saved. If something is unsafe, seek help from a trusted grown-up now.
40 pages · 16 original illustrations
The story behind this little space
A hand to hold.
A voice to ask for help.
In 1838, Grace Darling and her father William helped rescue people from the sea. But this isn’t a story that asks children to go into danger.
It brings that idea of helping home: to a listening grown-up, a picture, a few words, and the reminder that you don’t have to be brave alone.
A Sloan’s Bedtime Story, to read together.
The complete publisher edition. No sign-in or payment.
From the page into everyday life
Brave can look
very ordinary.
Explore a made-up moment together. You don’t need to tell a personal story or do anything afterward.
When you need a little help
An ordinary task feels too big to do alone.
“Could you help me with this?”
A small invitation
Practice asking a trusted grown-up for help with something familiar, such as opening a container. Asking, pointing or showing are all ways to begin.
You may leave the task for later. You don’t need to prove you can do it alone.
When something is unfamiliar
There is a new, safe activity you might like to try.
“Can you show me first?”
A small invitation
With a trusted grown-up, watch a safe activity before deciding whether to join. You can ask a question or have someone stay nearby.
Watching can be your whole choice. Joining is optional, and you can change your mind.
When your answer is no
Someone offers an optional pretend game.
“No, thank you. I’d rather watch.”
A small invitation
With a grown-up, practice offering and declining a pretend game. Let either person choose not to play, without needing a reason.
A boundary is not something to push past. Tell a trusted grown-up if something does not feel right.
Original companion scenarios, not events from the book. Explore with a trusted grown-up, in a safe setting. No challenges, scores or completion checks.
For the grown-up beside them
Be the place
they can begin.
You don’t need the perfect thing to say. Listening is a place to start.
A few things to hold in mind
Listen before “be brave.”
Try: “I’m listening. Would you like me nearby?” Leave room for words, pointing, pictures or silence. Do not require a child to explain a feeling perfectly.
Encouragement is not pressure.
Offer choices in safe, optional activities. Watching, pausing or declining are not failures. Never ask a child to enter danger to demonstrate courage.
Make the action smaller.
Ask: “Would it help to get my attention first?” Reduce the demand, not the importance of the worry. A few words can be a beginning.
Model a little uncertainty.
You can say, “I’m not sure how this works. I’m going to ask someone.” Keep examples ordinary; children do not need to carry adult worries.
Notice communication, not performance.
“Thank you for showing me” recognizes a way of asking without ranking how brave a child is. Speaking is not the only valid way to communicate.
Make room for another listener.
The book makes room for asking another trusted grown-up if one does not understand. A child is never at fault for not being heard. Adults are responsible for safety.
“You do not have to make your worry small before you share it.” From You Are Brave
This companion supports reading and conversation, not diagnosis or treatment. If fears persist or affect everyday life, seek advice from a qualified health professional.
Take a little of this with you
Small invitations.
For the everyday.
A few gentle things to try together, away from the screen. Always an invitation. Never homework.
Words, pictures & pointing
My smallest way to ask
There is more than one way to begin.
Open printableSix conversation cards
A brave conversation
Little questions. Plenty of room to listen.
Open printableA gentle reflection sheet
Before, while & afterward
Notice what helps. Nothing to prove.
Open printableFree to print on Letter or A4 · No names, sign-in or completed sheets to send back
About this companion & its sources
Rooted in the book
This is a digital companion to You Are Brave , a Sloan’s Bedtime story. The original illustrated edition follows Grace Darling’s rescue work and a child’s everyday ways of asking for help.
Original book illustrations are from the publisher’s free edition (Edition 1.0, Art 1.5, Cali 1.2). Historical pictures are interpretive. The character-free hallway backgrounds were created with AI assistance through Higgsfield, separately composed for desktop and mobile. They are decorative environments, not pages from the book. Interactive prompts and activities are companion material, not additional scenes or quotations. The pictured characters remain the original book characters; no replacement character art has been generated. Named author and illustrator credits, development drafts and derivative-art permissions have not been supplied, so we do not invent a making-of story.
View the original editionReading for grown-ups
- RNLI: The story of Grace Darling
- American Academy of Pediatrics: childhood fears
- Nemours KidsHealth: childhood fears and worries
These sources inform the companion’s approach. They are not evidence that this website provides treatment or guarantees an outcome.
And for tonight
“You do not need to prove
how brave you are.”
A quiet reminder from
You Are Brave
.
You can simply be here.
