I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared: Finding the Brave You
Judy Bradbury: Tell us about this project: What seeded its creation?
Lisa Katzenberger: The idea for this book came straight out of a therapy session. I was learning about the Cognitive Behavior Technique “act as if.” According to Psychology Today, this technique “encourages clients to adopt the mindset and behaviors of the person they want to become, even if in the midst of self-doubt.”
JB: How did you conceive of the book’s format?
LK: I connected the idea of “acting as if” to children playing pretend and envisioning that they are something else. And after many revisions–40 of them–I landed on the structure to show children how to picture they are brave, pretend to be brave, then put their brave selves into action.
JB: The characters in the book are animals. Was that your idea or the book illustrator Hannah George’s idea?
LK: When I was writing this story, I pictured a single child going through the activities that scared them. But Hannah and the art department at Sourcebooks Kids chose to create three different animal characters who were facing three different fears. And I think it turned out so cute!
JB: I agree! Tell us about one hurdle you experienced in the creation of I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared: Finding the Brave You or provide a memorable (or humorous!) anecdote related to the writing of the book.
LK: Sourcebooks Kids acquired this book with my title, The Brave You. But when they did brainstorming and testing, they found the concept of the book became clearer when they included the problem (being scared) in the title. I really wanted to keep The Brave You somehow, because it’s such a core component of the narrative. So we agreed on the longer title of I CAN DO IT EVEN IF I’M SCARED: Finding the Brave You
JB: What is one unexpected joy that came from the creation of I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared?
LK: For me it was sharing more about my experiences in therapy and having other people say, “yeah, therapy has helped me a lot too.” It was helpful for me to be more transparent about my mental health struggles through my stories. And it has made me feel proud of the work I am doing instead of feeling embarrassed that I need help.
JB: An Author’s Note in which you share a personal story about anxiety is found at the beginning of the book. Tell about the decision to place this at the front of the book.
LK: The publisher chose to put the author’s note at the beginning. It wasn’t anything I ever discussed with them, but when I saw it up front during the design stage I felt like it made perfect sense to set the stage for the story.
JB: What would surprise readers to learn about you “finding the Brave Lisa”?
LK: I teach creative writing classes online, and when I share stories about my anxiety challenges, my students are often surprised. You seem so natural, they’ll say. But what they don’t see is the time leading up to the class where I am swallowed in self-doubt, worrying if they will learn anything from me or like me. Yet once I get into the swing of things, The Brave Lisa comes out, my love for teaching writing takes over, and all is well. But it’s the anticipation of failing that still gets me, although it is lessening over time.
JB: Who do you perceive the target audience to be for I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared and why?
LK: I see my target audience as young children who are still playing pretend. Through my previous title It Will Be OK, I have also found that many school counselors and therapists use this book to teach about anxiety, showing empathy, and being a good friend. I hope I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared connects with this community as well.
JB: What do you hope young listeners and readers will take away from I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared?
LK: I want them to know that fear and self-doubt are normal emotions, and even adults face them. I also want them to learn that these emotions do not need to paralyze you and prevent you from doing what you enjoy.
JB: How do you see I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared connecting to curriculum or being used in schools or learning settings?
LK: Sourcebooks Kids created an Educator’s Guide for this book, which includes pre- and post-reading questions and activities, a visualization exercise to find The Brave You, and more. I also think this book can tie into standards in Social Emotional Learning curriculum. I hope educators can use this guide as a way to encourage their students to follow the steps to find their brave self included in the book.
JB: The back matter offers both concrete suggestions directed toward young readers and a note to parents, guardians, and caregivers written by Dr. Heather Davidson, a child psychologist. Tell us about the importance of the back matter to this book.
LK: In the backmatter, I wrote an activity to encourage children to talk about their fears or self-doubts with a trusted adult to encourage a discussion. I always say a story doesn’t end when you close the book. Picture books can be stepping stones to more conversation between a caregiver and a child. Then my editor suggested we provide information from an expert in the field to support my experiences as a patient in therapy. She reached out to Dr. Heather Davidson, who is the author of CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) Workbook for Kids, to share some of her expertise.
JB: What is one question you wish I had asked, and what is your answer?
LK: What scared you about writing this book?
Answer: I was afraid to put more of myself out there in the public eye and talk frankly about my mental health challenges. Although I’ve been in therapy for many years, I still feel shy sharing about it. But I’ve found that people are understanding and supportive, which is a great feeling.
JB: What project(s) are you currently working on?
LK: I am working on potential follow-ups to I Can Do It Even If I’m Scared. But my bigger and more intimidating project is a middle grade novel, where a young artist strives to find her voice and self-confidence.
Illustration © Hannah George
