Sunday Salon: Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes

Spring is in the air whether the weather wants to go along with it or not. 

This is the first Sunday Salon of April and time for us to discuss the books we’ve read and discovered during the past week. I’ve read and listened to some interesting books this past week and my TBR/L stack continues to grow (thankfully).

Today, however, I’m only going to highlight one book as I found it to be a very unique story that I think youngsters and parents alike will enjoy. 

In corresponding with the author, she has graciously offered one print copy of her book as a giveaway. Please see the end of the post for the guidelines and a bit of background on the author.

It’s time to make sure your cup or glass is filled with your favorite beverage, get a couple pieces of that delicious snack you keep for special occasions, find a comfort chair, prop your feet up, relax and let’s talk books.

Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes by Stacey Marshall

Third grader Katie is having to face the horror most youngsters (and adults) sometimes fear - fitting into a new situation and making new friends. Katie’s family has moved and she has to attend a new school where she doesn’t know anyone.

Feeling shy and a bit self-conscious, Katie doesn’t talk to the other students during lunch or even join in games during recess. While she wants to participate during class, she doesn’t have the courage to speak up.

Things change drastically for Katie during a show-and-tell program in her classroom. She meets the unique superhero Captain Courage and his fear-squishing shoes. He shows Katie how to have self-confidence and courage to overcome her anxiety.

Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes is a delightful story that is designed to help youngster with self-esteem, being able to speak in public and overcoming shyness in new surroundings. The story is presented in such a manner that children learn while enjoying Katie’s adventure.

One of the things I enjoyed about this story was how the principal of Katie’s new school addressed her problem. It shows that learning can be fun and adults can teach self-confidence in a way that will stay with youngsters forever. While this story is aimed at youngsters, adults can also learn how to overcome problems with self-esteem and lack of courage.

Captain Courage is the first in a series of books by author Stacey Marshall that will be a great tool for parents and teachers to use. The colorful and lively illustrations by Michelle Morse bring the story to life. The illustrations will have youngsters laughing as they learn.

Author Stacey Marshall’s website is www.captaincourage.com
 
Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes by Stacey Marshall, Captain Courage Series, Illustrated by Michelle Morse, Guardian Angel Publishing, @2012, ISBN: 978-1616333195, Paperback, 16 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - An eBook copy of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 
Author Stacey Marshall 
The inspiration for the book came when Marshall was a student at Duke University, and developed a friendship with Theodore Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). She told him that she was eventually going to be a children’s book writer like him, and he encouraged her to follow her dreams. 

The dream was put on hold as Marshall became a broadcaster, speech-language pathologist, motivational speaker, freelance writer and public speaking coach to children and adults of all ages, including media training to Division I, NBA, NFL and Olympic athletes in the media.  With her unique background, Marshall became acutely aware of the positive effect that optimal, confident communication had on self-esteem – especially in children. She decided it was time to start writing her first book.

“There’s such a need for a series of books to help this age group (elementary/grade-school kids) with effective speaking,” said author Stacey Marshall.  “So many teachers have asked me over the years to help their students, because kids are becoming increasingly involved in public speaking at school, and most of them struggle with it. With most kids today communicating only with their phones/computers, they need more help than ever with face-to-face verbal communication!” 
 
Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and select retailers throughout the US. 

Now for the giveaway guidelines. To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Captain Courage.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only. And, just so you know, I don’t share this information with anyone other than the publisher/author nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes is 8 p.m. (EST) on Sunday, April 14.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you’re enjoying a relaxing Sunday with lots of time to read. Do you have any tips for overcoming anxiety? 

Now check out author Stacey Marshall’s humorous video about the way youngsters communicate today verses how they did in the past. What are your thoughts on this video?