Children have a BIG imagination. But sometimes, they worry unnecessarily.
Help your child find their Brave Button!
This is an incredibly inspiring and entertaining magical adventure about Levi and Luna
Through valleys, over worry hills, through rivers, and a mist. To the waterfall and a mystical cave far away from his home. They embark on a quest to find a treasure chest that holds a green Emerald that could unlock Levi's powers.
Or will it?
Can Levi tame his Worry Monster?
Does Levi learn to overcome his fear and anxiety?
Does he learn how to take control?
Could it be that he has had the power inside him all along?
This action-packed tale of bravery can help young children from all walks of life cope with anxiety. It provides a common language for parents like you, as well as teachers and caregivers.
Levi is encouraged to face his fears, and with help from people around him; he discovers how to take charge of his worries. While Levi has a robotic leg, he doesn't let that get in the way of the big scary task in front of him. In fact, it even becomes an asset!
This was a sweet children’s book of bravery and triumph that has a lasting positive message.
Levi is afraid of the Worry Monster that has him going to sleep scared and waking up worried. He sees the monster outside his window, but his mother doesn’t see it. However, she tells him about advice she got from his Grand Granny:
“Face your fears head on, and don’t you ever run away. Look for the magic emerald in the deep green forest, to keep your Worry Monster at bay.”
With the help of his sister Luna, Levi embarks on a journey to find the emerald to tame his Worry Monster. Their journey forces them to be brave — along a long trail, to a cave in a forest. During their adventure, he feels worried and anxious, and finally has to confront his fears by attacking the monster with his robotic leg.
Notably, there are parts that rhyme and parts that don’t. Also, there were a couple of minor errors e.g. “rug sacks” instead of “rucksacks”, and some comparisons that rang a bit odd e.g. “Your brain is like a washing machine” (because you always want to worry).
However, overall I really liked the consistency with mostly four-line stanzas/paragraphs, the curly words for emphasis, the adjectives paired with the verbs and adverbs, and the alliteration throughout e.g. “dreadfully dangerous”, “meandered moodily”, and “sharp shiny”. I also appreciated that there is a mix of big and small words — this helps children to explore and build their vocabulary skills. Finally, I liked the inclusion of a diverse character like Levi with his robotic leg that saved the day.
Overall, the story helps children understand that anxiety and worry are experiences that are necessary to overcome, but they do not need external magic to do so — the power lies within them:
“Did I even need to find the treasure chest, or the emerald deep in the cave? Did I need to have such an adventure, or did I just need to look inside myself and be brave?”
This was a good read for young children, with colourful illustrations and mostly easy-to-read words. I would recommend to readers between 3 and 8, but it can be enjoyed by everyone. The story charts the journey of a child to face his fears and overcome them, which is an important part of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) that can help children to manage their anxiety. I look forward to other books by this author.
