This is a beautifully written and poignant story about what it takes to be brave. Sometimes you are not okay when you think you are and sometimes, thinking about how to be okay – about how to be normal – doesn’t help either.

When 11-year-old Matt finds his world dissolving around him, he is totally lost. Why does he feel so tired all the time? Why has he lost interest in football, a sport he loves and shines at? Why can’t he make sense of the words on the page of the book he’s reading? Why does he feel so emotional and cry at the drop of a hat?

Matt’s world is spiralling out of control when he and his dad rescue an abandoned dog during a walk. But will his dad and his mother let him keep it? Matt is sure that once they have given the dog, who he has named Cliff, a home, everything will be back to normal. At least, this is what he’s promised his mum.

This is a novel about friendship, adolescence and what happens when things start to go wrong, told through the eyes of a young boy who has just started high school. It is an absorbing and candid story about families and family dynamics and, ultimately, the importance of listening. It’s about how, sometimes, owning up to what we feel and are experiencing takes enormous courage.

Although directed at younger readers, The Bravest Word should be compulsory reading for all parents.

Reviewed by Karen Williams
Age Guide 9+

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Foster is a children’s author writing about friends, family, and dogs. Originally from a small town in the south east of England, she now lives on the stunning Gold Coast in Australia with her family and second-hand dogs. She is passionate about encouraging and teaching a wider understanding of autism and mental illness via positive approach and representation.