Be Strong

A girl named Tanisha faces questions about what it means to be strong after watching a classmate get teased at school. She reflects on different types of strength she has witnessed in her family and community. Through simple text and illustrations, the story follows Tanisha as she considers examples of both physical and emotional strength. She observes acts of bravery, perseverance, and standing up for others in everyday situations. The book explores universal themes of courage, kindness, and finding inner strength. It presents the message that being strong can take many forms beyond physical power, from speaking up against unfairness to showing compassion for others who need support.

Parents, teachers and librarians commend the book's message about finding different ways to show strength beyond physical power. Readers note it helps children understand that traits like kindness, speaking up, and trying again after failure are forms of strength. Specific praise focuses on the diverse character illustrations and relatable school scenarios. Multiple reviewers mention using it to discuss bullying prevention and emotional intelligence with young students. One teacher wrote "My first graders connected with the main character's journey to discover her own kind of strength." Some readers found the story predictable and wished for more concrete examples of being strong. A few noted the message may be too subtle for very young children. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (897 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (416 ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.9/5 (89 ratings) Top themes in reviews: - Builds confidence - Good for classroom discussions - Validates different personality types - Appeals to both quiet and outgoing children

Stand Tall by Bea Birdsong A student learns to stand firm when facing difficult classroom situations through support from friends and family.

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët Wordless illustrations show how one student's kind actions create a chain reaction of support for a bullied classmate.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson A girl reflects on missed opportunities to show kindness to a new student who faced rejection at school.

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts A small student notices acts of unkindness at school and takes action to create change.

Say Something by Peter H. Reynolds Students discover different ways to use their voices and actions to make an impact in their school community.

🌟 "Be Strong" was published in 2020 as a companion book to Miller's earlier work "Be Kind," which became a New York Times bestseller. 🎨 The book's illustrator, Jen Hill, created the artwork using both traditional and digital techniques to capture the different ways strength can manifest. 💫 The story was inspired by Pat Zietlow Miller's own daughter, who struggled with monkey bars at school and learned that strength comes in many forms. 🤝 The book explores multiple types of strength beyond physical power, including emotional resilience, standing up for others, and perseverance. 📚 Author Pat Zietlow Miller worked as a newspaper editor and marketing professional before becoming a children's book author, and has now written over a dozen picture books.