PETER AND THE PARACHUTE

A young eagle gains the courage to face his fear of flying in this children’s book.

It’s time for Peter, a golden eagle who hatched three months ago, to leave the nest and fly. But he’s scared—so much so that despite having wings, he’s gotten himself a parachute. His mother urges him to have confidence, but Peter is full of what-ifs. Talking to several adult eagles, he discovers that they, too, were once wary of flying or lacked strength at first. But all of them tried their wings and discovered they could do it, got better with practice, and soon loved flying. Still, Peter is reluctant to get started. “What if he fell and snapped a wing?” When a gust of wind blows Peter from his nest, he can’t open his parachute. He panics but also remembers how other eagles were frightened to fly but “found a way to believe in themselves.” As he nears the ground, Peter flaps his wings—and flies. He learns that all he had to do to succeed was try his best, and the more he practices, the better he gets. By the end, Peter makes himself and his parents proud. Ridgeway and Manning, both consultant clinical psychologists, previously collaborated on Joe Goes To OCD School (2018). Children who are scared to try new things can identify with Peter and appreciate that he’s never mocked for his fears but instead given solid encouragement. The book offers realistic acknowledgement that first attempts may be difficult, as when Peter soon needs to rest after his first flight, but encourages a resilient attitude. It’s also reassuring that his parents were watching all along. Urosevic, who illustrated similarly themed Chasing Scaredy Away (2020), offers varied and nicely composed pictures that combine realism with anthropomorphism.

Approachable advice for kids who lack confidence.