I Can Do It Afraid

I Can Do It Afraid
by Lynne Harley, Illustrated by Ben Young
Published by Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing
Review by Sally Meadows
$26.95 ISBN 9781778690686

The monarch butterfly shivers as cooler temperatures signal the advent of the fall season in Canada. She instinctively envisions travelling to a warmer place; but before she starts her 3000-mile (~4800-kilometre) migration to the protected oyamel fir forests of central Mexico where she will join tens to hundreds of millions of other wintering monarchs, she must silence the voice of self-doubt. On her journey she will learn to persevere through challenges and dangers including predators, storms, fatigue, injury, and loss of safe havens due to climate change, urban sprawl, and pesticides.

Author Lynne Harley uses delightful, lilting rhymes to detail the monarch’s journey. Her choice to endow anthropomorphic features to the butterfly helps young readers explore the connection between fear, courage, and the drive to overcome as inspired by the whispers and dreams of their own hearts.

Through I Can Do It Afraid, children are encouraged to dream big and set their imagination free by letting go of that inner voice that raises doubt about what they can achieve. Harley’s message is that it is okay to “begin your dream afraid.” And it’s just as important to “stay the course” with persistence no matter what obstacles one faces. Just as the little monarch experienced, we all have times when we feel weighed down or broken. Thankfully there is hope, refreshment, and help along the way.

At the back of the book readers will find discussion/reflection questions about fear and courage such as “What is one thing you can tell yourself the next time something feels really hard?” and “What is one small step you could take this week to practice courage?” As a former scientist and educator, I also enjoyed reading the back matter about monarch butterflies and their migration; for example, while most butterflies live only two to six weeks, there is a “super generation” of monarchs that live up to nine months!

I was not surprised to discover that Harley is an esteemed motivational speaker, not only for school-age kids but also for adult clients including parents, seniors, women in shelters, library patrons, communities, and more. This book successfully combines a compelling nature story with a message that we can all benefit from regardless of our age.

Lynne Harley is a retired social worker and a certified life coach. This is her second children’s book. You can connect with Lynne and find out more about her messages of empowerment and mental wellness at www.lynneharley.com.

Ben Young is a professional art director and graphic designer who blends traditional design techniques with cutting-edge digital design. He lives in Portugal.

THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM.