My beautiful Esther
Age 12
Recently joined an SEN drama group
Together with her twin brother, William
And some lovely Home Ed friends
They do a lot of drama games
Improvisation and storytelling
Without the pressure of a show
This is perfect for William
But Esther wanted more
Esther enjoys dancing and loves to sing
So she has also joined a
Saturday Performing Arts Academy
Later this month she is going to be
In her very first show
Which involves drama, singing and dancing
She has worked hard to learn her lines
Songs and dance routines
And she is very much looking forward to the show
She is also very nervous
Esther is a shy person
Getting out on stage and performing lines
Is going to be a big deal for her
And I am so proud of her
Because she is feeling anxious
We have been sharing stories
Of overcoming nerves and shyness
And I think that Timid
Written and illustrated by Harry Woodgate
Is the most brilliant and beautiful book
I have seen about overcoming shyness
To take part in a show and perform on stage
Have you read this one?
Timmy absolutely loves performing
They love singing
Speaking in silly voices
And wearing costumes that sparkle and shine
They love getting into role
And telling imaginative tales
There is just one problem
Timmy is shy
And can only perform
In the comfort of their room
With no one watching
When Timmy’s teacher announces
There is to be a school play
Timmy longs to perform
But knows that their shyness
Will not let them
Timmy’s shy feelings
Are portrayed as a large lion
A lion that roars whenever they
Try to talk to someone new
Or speak out in class
Timmy wishes that they were brave
Like all the other children
One school lunchtime
Timmy meets Nia
And a friendship begins to grow
Nia is shy too
And she understands how Timmy is feeling
Slowly and gently the pair help each other
To embrace their shyness
And to find the courage to share their talents
They help each other
To play their parts in the school play
As the two new friends
Rehearse together
They tame their shyness
And their courage grows
They also have a lot of fun
Together they find ways to
Calm their nerves and anxiety
As the show comes closer
Timmy feels confident and excited
Can he keep his nerves under control
And step onto the stage for his moment
To shine in the spotlight
With Nia?
This is such a wonderful story
With a “dazzling” ending
I loved sharing this story with Esther
She is 12 and Timmy’s tale
Really made her smile
And has helped her to feel more
Excited and confident about her show
She knows that there are ways to
Accept and tame her worries
To face her fears
And shine on stage
In her own very special way
This is a story about friendship
Facing your fears and
Believing in yourself
Do you have a little performer in your family?
This is a beautiful story
With bold striking stunning illustrations
To read with anyone
Who may be dealing with pre show jitters
Timmy’s tale will reassure little ones with worries
And build empathy in others
Timid would pair up beautifully with
Violet’s Tempest by Ian Eagleton
And Clara Anganuzzi