The new Books of Great Character series from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky was created to teach children mindfulness, bravery, grit and empathy. The first two books — Too Many Bubbles: A Story about Mindfulness and Brave Like Me: A Story About Finding Your Courage — are available now,
TOO MANY BUBBLES: A STORY ABOUT MINDFULNESS, by Christine Peck and Mags DeRoma, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, July 6, 2021, Hardcover, $12.99 (ages 3-7)
Izzy has a problem. Something is casting a shadow over her day.
A bubble. One little grumpy thought bubble that just won’t go away. It follows Izzy everywhere, until…another pops up. And another. Can Izzy figure out what to do about the bubbles—before they completely take over everything?
BRAVE LIKE ME: A STORY ABOUT FINDING YOUR COURAGE , by Christine Peck and Mags DeRoma, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Sept. 7, 2021, Hardcover, $12.99 (ages 3-7)
Wyatt is a lion, and everyone knows that means one thing: Wyatt is BRAVE (like all lions, of course). But no one realizes that Wyatt does have a fear. And when he finds himself face-to-face with that fear, he must ask. Will he be able to conquer his fear and truly be BRAVE?
Through vibrant illustrations and a little interactivity, Brave Like Me encourages kids to dig deep inside and find a way to be brave when they need it most.
The popularity of picture books dealing with emotional intelligence has grown significantly over the years (my personal favorite is the Growing Hearts series by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey), and The Books of Great Character are a strong addition to the genre.
In keeping with their respective topics, Too Many Bubbles is quiet and thoughtful while Brave Like Me is bold and brilliant. Both feature simple, straight-forward text paired with graphic illustrations. Each book features back matter that further discusses the topic and gives parents prompts for further learning.
Creators Mags Deroma and Christine Peck are also the founders of the boutique brand Silly Street, whose mission is to help children grow character through play. And the Books of Great Character are an extension of that brand.
Though the suggested age range for the series is 3-7, due to the simplicity of text and illustrations, I would say it’s closer to 2-5.
