It’s scary to speak up. And when you raise your hand in class and give the wrong answer, it makes you think twice about speaking up again. This is how eleven-year-old Alice Paul Tapper felt when she raised her hand in school. After ruminating on this embarrassing classroom situation she talked with her mom who encouraged her to keep trying. She also noticed that the boys in school were less fearful than the girls about raising their hands. This didn’t seem right. So she decided to do something about it. She championed a “Raise Your Hand” Girl Scout pledge patch that challenges girls to be confident and speak up.

I love this book written by Alice Paul Tapper who, despite being only eleven, created a motivational tool to inspire more girls to raise their hands. Parents take note. This is a great courage-boosting book for early learners who might feel intimidated about speaking up in school. But it also opens the door to discussing more sensitive issues that kids may be afraid to confront; including speaking up on behalf of others, addressing bullying or even other unpleasant realities kids are facing today.

Talk about “leaning in.” This young author openly shares her experiences with making mistakes and facing fears and shares her passion for encouraging all kids (and adults) to be bold and speak up. No matter your age, no matter the issue, this simple message reminds all of us that we have the power and right to raise our hands.