Timid

For many a small child, performing in front of an audience may be a terrifying ordeal. Especially for someone like Timmy. In his bedroom he just loves performing, dressing up, dancing and singing. And he dreams of performing on stage. But there is a small problem, well, rather a big one. Timmy is very timid, so shy. For even when he attempts to talk to anyone new, a giant lion will appear from nowhere, ROOOAR at him, and sap all his confidence. Then a classmate Nia befriends him, and they discuss their common fear of performing before an audience. With the school play approaching, together they make costumes for themselves using Timmy’s brother’s meditation technique; also Nia’s mum’s writing of encouraging notes around the house: ‘Believe in yourself’; ‘You can do it!’ to boost each other’s confidence. Come opening night, the huge Lion still makes an appearance.  But at long last Timmy faces him down, and after that the two children create a dazzling performance. The first endpaper pictures snatches of events to come. One of these says, ‘HELLO! My name is Timmy. My pronouns are they/them’. The illustrations do great credit to the story, being full of lively and sparkly detail, showing how shy Timmy is, and how gloriously proud and BIG is the Lion, with his enormous multicoloured mane. A story to combat the fears performance can create for some children, and with a salute to identity, to the need to be oneself.