A Fab Free Fun With Fear Lesson and Our Brand New Course (by Mira)

​We are so crazy excited about our brand new major game-changer course that we decided to give you a sneak peek at one of the lessons. It comes with a truly helpful worksheet that teaches you how to write a children’s picture book that deals with fear in some capacity or another but we are saving that to entice you to take the course. And need I say that it’s super fun?
 
This 6 week Instant Access take at your leisure course is a game changer because
The #1 Thing Guaranteed to Get Kids Interested in Reading Is Humor

And That’s Exactly What We Teach You How To Do. Get Funny, Be Funny, and Infuse Humor Into Serious Stories!

So without further ado, let's start with a joke followed by your free lesson.

​Fun With Fear
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There are so many places that humor shows up in kid’s books. Fun with Fear is one of them. As kids grow and learn they will inevitably face fears along the way. Books allow children to face these fears, become brave and overcome obstacles with the help of humor.

​Learning how others overcome fear, which is usually the case with books for young readers, can also involve a little superiority theory with feelings like, “Well I wouldn’t be scared of that!” or those perverse feelings of schadenfreude, taking pleasure in someone’s else’s misfortune.
 
But here’s the rub. Playing with fear in kid’s books has to be done in a way that doesn’t traumatize the kid, and real fear versus imaginary or un-necessary fears need to be differentiated, because fear of falling off a building or fear of stranger danger have important functions that mustn't be lightly dismissed.

However, if it’s imaginary or unreasonable fears we're dealing with, all bets are off.

But before we look at some fun books that deal with fear let’s take a quick look at:

1. Most drama involves fear – fear of missing out, fear of losing something or not getting something, fear of looking foolish or of making mistakes, or fear of being seen as a failure, or weak, or unpopular, and on and on. This is so universal and relatable it’s kind of sad as kids (and adults) struggle to deal with their own identities and fears. But it can be exploited for laughs, which can diminish a lot of the stigma of these fears.
   
   
2. Fear gets children interested in books. If they enjoy pushing boundaries and exploring new territories, fear may be just the adventure they’re looking for and of course you want lots of drama in your story to keep the reader hooked. Will Baby Werecub get over his night-fears so he can join his family’s pack adventures? 
   
   
3. Then there’s the beloved horror genre complete with its own creepy cast of ghouls, werewolves, vampires, ghosts and assorted monsters. Kids love stories starring these creatures, especially when they reveal THEIR own fears, fallibilities, and insecurities as both Mo Willem’s Leonardo The Terrible Monster and Marissa Moss’s Blood Diaries: Tales of a 6th-Grade Vampire do.
   
   
4. Fun books can help children overcome obstacles and learn life lessons. For example, they might learn that the their fears are stopping them from doing the things that they want to do as in Barbara Bottner’s Scaredy Cats or Lemony Snickett’s The Dark, where fear of the dark is rendered moot as The Dark becomes personified.
   
   
5. Kids learn more about themselves, i.e., their strengths and weaknesses by learning from others experiences of fear and as a result they learn strategies to deal with these fears as in the books mentioned above and below.
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6. Last but not least, kids find these types of books reassuring. Creepy, spooky stories can be fun fiction with the ability to turn every day things into funny fantastical encounters.

​Daredevil Duck by Charlie Alder
Daredevil Duck, despite his valiant name is your typical scaredy cat. It isn’t until he’s faced with an opportunity to help a friend that he lets go of his fears and saves the day. This is your classic hero's journey with a deeper meaning about the power of friendship.

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​Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
Scaredy Squirrel is a complete series of adventures complete with hyperbolic fear that instills a drive to be prepared for any event. Kids are left in awe and guffaw as they giggle their way through the pages.

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​Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
Leonardo is less than terrifying which is what makes him so terrible. He’s actually quite scared by most of the happenings around him. Turns out he may be a terrible monster, but he’s a really good friend. Once again friendship triumphs as Leonardo learns about his limits AND special gifts.

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​The Scaredy Cats by Barbara Bottner
Mama and Papa Scaredy Cat are terrified of everything! Because of that fear, they avoid every day chores like getting dressed, opening the mail and even watching the sun set. Thankfully, Baby Scaredy Cat is different and is able to help her parents find the courage to overcome their seriously unrealistic fears. ​

Now as I mentioned this lesson comes with two terrific exercises to get you writing really funny stories that deal with fears, along with 23 other lessons and over 35 worksheets and handouts including YOUR OWN FAB FUN WITH FEAR WORKSHEET WHERE WE ALSO WALK YOU THROUGH WRITING YOUR OWN  SCAREY STORY STEP BY STEP!!! Plus you'll have the opportunity to receive a critique from me. Here's the link, please take a peek and do let us know what you think below. xoxox 

​Just click the link below to find out more - 
Lets Get Funny: Writing Humor For Kids