we can be brave book
We Can Be Brave is a new young-readers adaptation of Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s work on courage, focused on how kids and teens can learn to act bravely in everyday and pivotal moments.
What “We Can Be Brave” is about
We Can Be Brave centers on “decisive moments” in young people’s lives—times when a person must push past fear to do what is right, especially in the face of bullying or injustice.
The book presents bravery not as a one-time heroic act but as a daily journey , built from many small, conscious choices over time.
Themes and key ideas
- Learning to respond courageously in tough situations, instead of staying silent or giving in to pressure.
- Different types of decisive moments: deciding to go, deciding to stay, starting something new, accepting hard circumstances, and stepping up unexpectedly when needed.
- Courage as deeply connected to personal values, community, and a sense of participating in something larger than oneself.
Audience and format
- Targeted to readers ages 10 and up (roughly grades 5 and above), making it suitable for upper elementary, middle school, and early high school.
- Adapted from Budde’s earlier adult book How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, reshaped with examples and language that speak directly to younger readers.
- Uses references familiar to kids and teens—such as Harry Potter alongside figures like Martin Luther King Jr.—to illustrate what courage looks like in both stories and real life.
Style, examples, and tone
- Combines personal stories from Budde’s own life with stories from scripture, history, and pop culture to show many forms of courage.
- Emphasizes that everyone has the capacity to be brave, and that courage often involves vulnerability, persistence, and a willingness to risk failure for what is right.
- Frames bravery as something practiced in small, everyday actions, so that when bigger moments arrive, a young person is more ready to respond.
Latest buzz and context
- The original How We Learn to Be Brave has been featured in national media, including CBS Mornings and MSNBC’s Morning Joe, highlighting its focus on moral courage and public leadership.
- The young-readers edition We Can Be Brave is positioned as a timely resource for helping kids navigate bullying, social pressure, and broader social issues with integrity and confidence.
- Some bookstore listings describe the book as “a gift of brave and courageous leadership,” signaling its use not just for personal growth but also for classrooms, youth groups, and family discussions.
TL;DR: We Can Be Brave is a youth-focused guide to everyday courage, built around real-life decision points and stories that show kids how to act bravely, kindly, and consistently with their deepest values.
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