Great books teach about living courageously

The artist Vincent van Gogh once said: "What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" At quick glance, one might assume van Gogh referred to "courage" as the attempt to create art. Perhaps he did.

Then again, perhaps he meant that statement for everyone. After all, we each must face difficulties throughout life that require courage to take stock, adapt, adjust and move forward.

Every time a child faces a difficulty and an adult runs interference, the adult actually does that a child a disservice. Learning how to cope and change direction is an important life skill. The learning curve of courage takes place through real-life experiences, what we can learn from others and through reading books that help demonstrate courage on a wide variety of levels.

Today's books address courage in different ways. Look for others. Help equip young people with the courage to face life's challenges, for challenges surely will come their way.

Books to Borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

• "Little Quack" written and illustrated by Lauren Thompson, Simon & Schuster, 32 pages

Read aloud: age 2 — 4

Read yourself: age 6 — 7

Mama Duck and her five little ducklings lived in a cozy, soft nest. One day, Mama announced to her ducklings that they were old enough to leave the nest, and she planned to teach them how to paddle on the water. All five were frightened, but one by one, four of the five ducklings mustered the courage to jump in and paddle about. Only Little Quack was left in the nest. He wants to join in, but does he have the courage?

A marvelously rendered story with the added bonus of counting along with the Quack-U-Lator as each duckling makes the plunge, this selection is loaded with good stuff.

Librarian's Choice

Library: Yuba County Library, 303 Second St., Marysville

Library Director: Loren MccRory

Outreach and Programming Coordinator: Kathleen Stewart

Choices this week: "When Gorilla Goes Walking" by Nikki Grimes; "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka; "Big Mouth and Ugly Girl" by Joyce Carol Oates

Books to Buy

The following books are available at your favorite bookstores.

• "My Name is Henry Bibb: A Story of Slavery and Freedom" by Afua Cooper, Kids Can Press, 2009, 160 pages, $16.95 hardcover

Read aloud: age 10 and older

Read yourself: age 10 — 11 and older

Born a slave in 1814, Henry Bibb lived with his mother and siblings on a plantation in Kentucky. When he was just 9 years old, Henry was separated from his family and hired out several times to different masters, each exceedingly cruel.

Henry experienced raw hunger, humiliation, horrible beatings and the terrible injustices of slavery. His courage and determination to one day be free from the bondage of slavery propelled Henry Bibb to become exactly that.

Meticulously researched, Cooper's novel is based on the young life of Henry Bibb. Written as a first-person narrative, readers will be drawn into this exceptional novel and the powerful messages it provides.

• "Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan" written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter, Beach Lane, 2009, 40 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 6 — 9

Read yourself: age 8 — 9

Young Nasreen lives with her grandmother in Herat, Afghanistan. Dark and troubled times had fallen on Afghanistan under the Taliban, which prohibited education, employment and more to all females, and arresting men and women who were thought to defy the Taliban's suffocating and endless rules.

One day, soldiers took Nasreen's father away. Many days later, Nasreen's mama went to look for him, and she, too, never returned. From that day, Nasreen never spoke a word and never smiled, and "Nasreen stayed inside herself."

Desperate to help Nasreen find a way out of her loneliness, Nasreen's grandmother learned of a secret school inside a private house where girls gathered to learn from a female teacher.

Risking arrest, Nasreen and her grandmother stole past soldiers and made their way to the school. There, Nasreen would learn to read and write, to add and subtract, about writers, artists and musicians. She would also learn about the world, and her education would open windows for her that could not be closed by anyone. Would it be enough for Nasreen to help wash away her sadness?

A moving, true story that is powerfully charged with courage and the clear message of the importance of education, this selection excels in every regard.

Kendal A. Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at kendal@sunlink.net.