We Can Be Brave: How We Learn to Be Brave in Life's Decisive Moments

Ages 10 And Up, Grades 5 And Up

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is no stranger to bravery in the face of bullies. In this adaptation of her New York Times bestselling How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, Bishop Budde and acclaimed novelist Bryan Bliss share lessons in how to be brave in life’s hardest moments.

The decisive moments in life—even in the life of a young person—are those pivot points when we’re called on to push past our fears and act courageously in the face of injustice and bullying. In We Can Be Brave, Budde shows readers examples of how to respond even in the toughest times. Bravery is not a singular occurrence; it’s a journey that we can choose to undertake every day and it begins when we're young.

Budde explores the range of decisive moments people of all ages encounter, from the most visible and dramatic (the decision to go), to the internal and personal (the decision to stay), to brave choices made with an eye toward the future (the decision to start), those born of suffering (the decision to accept that which we did not choose), and those that come as surprises (the decision to step up to the plate). Drawing on examples relevant to young readers ranging from Harry Potter to Martin Luther King Jr., she weaves together personal experiences with stories from scripture, history, and pop culture of how adults and kids throughout history have faced these moments and heeded the call to be brave in challenging times.

About the Author

Mariann Edgar Budde is the bishop and spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., and the Washington National Cathedral. Prior to her election in 2011, she was a parish priest in Minneapolis for eighteen years. She has appeared on PBS NewsHour, Meet the Press, Good Morning America, and NBC's Today, among others. Bishop Budde earned her master’s in divinity and doctor of ministry from Virginia Theological Seminary.

Author Residence: Washington D.C.

Author Hometown: Minneapolis, MN