Be Bold, Bob

Bob the elephant follows his friend’s advice for letting go of stage fright in a sweet, encouraging story that will appeal to any child who experiences anxiety.

In the heart of the forest, everyone is getting ready for the big show. Everyone but Bob the elephant. Bob longs to sing on stage, but it’s impossible—he’s just too nervous. Whenever he tries, his ears get hot, his trunk feels tangled, and nothing but a tiny squeak pops out. When his friend Paloma, the ukulele-playing pangolin, shares her secret, Bob agrees to perform. But at the very last minute a minor disaster strikes and he can’t go on. Until, that is, he remembers Paloma’s secret—and how much he’d like to give her something in return. From the award-winning author of The Boy Who Loved Everyone, a story of overcoming your nerves and finding your voice.

Jane Porter is the author of The Boy Who Loved Everyone, winner of a Christopher Award. A geography editor for a magazine before going to school to study illustration, she now works full-time as an illustrator, writer, and teacher—though she still loves maps! Jane Porter lives in London with her family.

Jenni Desmond is the author-illustrator of Albert’s Tree and the illustrator of On the Night of the Shooting Star by Amy Hest and Joy by Yasmeen Ismail, among many other books for children. Jenni Desmond lives in East London with her husband and daughters.