Courage Is. Format: Board book

Jason Kander knows what courage is. With help from his son, True, he introduces the concept to future leaders in this powerful board book.

A military veteran, voting rights activist, and rising democratic star, Kander elegantly illustrates everyday courage in a way that will resonate with the preschool set. It is not, he explains, about not feeling fear. Courage is about being scared—and doing the scary things anyway. Whether it's going to the dentist, trying a strange new food, asking for help, or going to sleep all by yourself, this book addresses the many surprising ways that little ones can develop courage and character.

Jason Kander is a veteran, politician, and activist. A former Secretary of State of Missouri, in 2018 he dropped out of a mayoral campaign after announcing that he needed to address untreated PTSD from his time serving in Afghanistan. He re-emerged and founded Let America Vote to end voter suppression. He now runs the Veteran's Community Project, an organization devoted to building housing and providing support services to veterans. He is also the bestselling author of Outside the Wire and host of the popular political podcast, Majority 54. In his down time, he coaches True's baseball team.

Alyssa Gonzalez is an artist and a designer for Hallmark Cards. She lives in Kansas City.