About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is facing a new challenge and feels paralyzed by the fear of failing, or when they need to see that even 'grown-ups' and experts lose their nerve sometimes. Set against the vibrant backdrop of 19th-century Paris, this Caldecott Medal winner tells the story of Mirette, a girl who discovers a mysterious stranger walking on air in her mother's courtyard. She soon learns he is the Great Bellini, a master wire-walker who has lost his courage. Through Mirette's persistence and Bellini's vulnerability, the story beautifully illustrates that bravery is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to try again with a friend by your side. It is a sophisticated yet accessible choice for children ages 4 to 9, modeling how empathy can heal and how practice leads to mastery.
