Small Brave Things

Sixth-grader Honeysuckle “Honey” Chastain used to be fearless. But after a near-fatal car accident leaves her with a traumatic brain injury and relentless panic attacks, she’s dismissed, bubble-wrapped, and convinced the safest way to survive sixth grade is to stay invisible. But when a science assignment about hummingbirds pushes Honey to the front of the classroom, hiding is no longer an option. With the help of her loyal service dog, a blunt imaginary dragon who despises hiding, and an unfairly cute but rude fellow service-dog handler, Honey begins to reclaim her courage. At home, things aren’t much better—her family is quietly falling apart, choosing silence and simmering anger instead of the loud honesty they once shared. As a hurricane barrels toward her Mobile, Alabama, Honey fears her family will fall apart before the storm even arrives.

Amy Wagnon writes about reading, reflection, and the small brave things that shape a life.