Paul Russell (text) and Cara King (illustrator), Courageous Lucy: The girl who liked to worry, EK Books, February 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781925820775
Lucy likes to worry. In fact, she worries about things most people wouldn’t even think about, like meeting the Queen of England on the way to school and forgetting her name. And bumping into Bigfoot when he’s in a bad mood. She wants to be part of the school’s musical but worries about what could go wrong. Thanks to an understanding teacher, Lucy soon summons courage she didn’t even know she had and embraces a very special opportunity.
Cara King’s expressive illustrations perfectly capture Lucy’s apprehension in this delightful story by Paul Russell (Grandma Forgets). Showing children that it’s okay to be worried, Courageous Lucy also gently encourages them to step out of their comfort zone into a world of possibilities, one small step at a time. Author Russell has a daughter who worries sometimes. I worry sometimes, too. So do my daughter and many, many people I know. That’s why books like this are essential. They show that we can take a deep breath and rise above our fears and say yes to the many opportunities that life presents, even those that induce belly flutters.
Reviewed by Maura Pierlot
