I Am a Courageous Cub – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Hugs, cubs, trains, trees, dragonflies.
Children’s book title: I Am a Courageous Cub (I Am Mindful).
Children’s author: Shoshana Chaim.
Children’s illustrator: Lori Joy Smith.
Genre: Picture book.
Published by: Greystone Kids.
ISBN: 9781771646406.
Recommended for children aged: 3-7 year-olds.
First published: Hardback October 2024.
This children’s book is ideal for: Promoting self-regulation and positive well-being.
To see the latest price or order, click on the book cover image. As an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
Our review:
Hugs and cubs, trains and trees, stretching high and dragonflies – this book is a combination of yoga and mindfulness wrapped up in easy coping strategies aimed at young children.
I love that this story gives young children playful, imaginative, fun ideas as a solution to worries or feeling overwhelmed. It encourages them to use these ideas to move into play and socialisation without focusing too much on the problem.
Mental health is a huge concern right now and using the proposed constructive solutions will give children the skills and foundations to develop resilience and good mental health from a young age.
I Am a Courageous Cub focuses on children who have worries or anxiety and improve how they feel by using easy moves to feel more positive e.g. calm, courageous, full of energy and much more.
In the author’s note, Shoshana Chaim suggests: “Think about some courageous animals or characters you like. How could they pose?” There is no right or wrong to the ideas and this will leave children to feel free to either copy the ideas or look for what works for them.
The illustrations are bright, simple, colourful and mostly of park scenes which, will appeal to most young children.
Overall, I Am a Courageous Cub is a good social storybook to promote self-regulation and positive well-being in young children and a great resource for preschools and schools.
- Download a free activity pack for teachers.
Many thanks to Greystone Kids for the review copy.
To order a class set of this book, please click below to order via uk.bookshop.org, an organisation that supports local bookshops, or Amazon.co.uk.
Buy from UK.Bookshop.Org Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Disclosure: If you buy books using the buttons above: we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops; as an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
If you like I Am a Courageous Cub (I Am Mindful) by Shoshana Chaim, illustrated by Lori Joy Smith you might also like: Storybooks online – free videos of children’s and YA books, our list of narrative nonfiction books and Growing Up Powerful by Nona Willis Aronowitz.
Browse our Reception reading list.
