Stories for Growing
Cover of Sheila Rae, the BraveAges 5 to 8
CourageAsking for helpKnowing yourself

Sheila Rae, the Brave

Kevin Henkes

Ages 5 to 8
About this age guidance

Publishers Weekly: 5–8

The age tag follows Publishers Weekly review. Other sources may suggest different ages. This is audience guidance, not an independent reading level.

Called a must-read classic about being brave. The parent summary names Louise, the sister Sheila Rae calls a scaredy-cat, as the one who saves the day.

Sheila Rae is sure she is brave and her sister is not. Showing off on a new route home, she gets lost and scared. Louise, who followed her, appears and leads her home, and readers are left to notice who was brave.

Recommended by What Do We Do All Day?

Find at Bookshop.org Find on Amazon

Choose your preferred shop and check the edition there. These are standard links; no affiliate commission is earned in this preview.

What children see in the story

The sister called a scaredy-cat turns out to be the brave one: Louise follows, keeps her head, and gets them both home. Sheila Rae admits she is lost and calls for help, and help comes. Sheila Rae learns the limits of her own bravery the hard way.

Why it’s on these shelves

Courage
Sheila Rae is sure she is the brave one and thinks her little sister Louise is a scaredy-cat. When Sheila Rae gets lost, Louise, who followed her, swings down from a tree and leads her home.
Asking for help
Lost on a new way home, Sheila Rae thinks of her family and cries for help. Her sister Louise appears and leads her home.
Knowing yourself
Showing off on a new way home, with her eyes closed and growling at dogs, leaves Sheila Rae lost and sad. Publishers Weekly says it rings true: kids get carried away and learn their limits the hard way.

Why pick it up?

Louise brings Sheila Rae home; bravery is shown to take more than one form.

A note for parents

A younger child secretly following an older one home is part of the rescue; parents may want to mention it.

Where this recommendation comes from

What Do We Do All Day?

Called a must-read classic about being brave. The parent summary names Louise, the sister Sheila Rae calls a scaredy-cat, as the one who saves the day.

Read What Do We Do All Day?’s recommendation
Sources and review status

We have checked source descriptions and drafted the value mapping. We have not personally reviewed the full book. The value labels, situation assignments, and parent notes remain provisional.

Publisher or literacy resource · Original recommendation

Our explanation of the value fit is separate from the original reviewer’s judgment. Their inclusion here does not imply an endorsement of Stories for Growing.

Another good example

Browse more values