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APRIL RODRIGUEZ PLOTT BUY BRAVE & KIND ↗
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A CHILDREN'S STORY BY APRIL RODRIGUEZ PLOTT

Brave &Kind

A Story of Care, Courage, and Calm

A children's story created to support meaningful conversations about kindness, calm, safety, belonging, and courage through a diverse community of children and the Heart, Leaf, Shield framework.

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Care, courage, calm, belonging
April Rodriguez PlottMOTHER · EDUCATOR · STORYTELLER
stories
with heart
ABOUT BRAVE & KIND

It began
at home.

Brave & Kind began with questions my children brought home. They had questions about safety, belonging, differences, and things they were hearing and seeing in the world around them.

I wanted a gentle way to keep those conversations going. As a family, we kept coming back to a bigger question:

OUR QUESTIONHow do we want to show up in this world?

Our answer is through brave, calm, and kind actions. We believe in caring for ourselves, caring for others, and making thoughtful choices in the communities we share.

Those conversations became Brave & Kind.

THE SAME QUESTION, EXPANDED

And it grew.

As my children's questions grew, so did mine. I went on to graduate studies in Legal Studies, with a focus on Land Use, Planning, and Development, at Claremont Lincoln University (CLU), and began asking that same question at a broader level: What does it mean to care not only for ourselves and one another, but also for the communities we share?

Those studies are informing a developing capstone project. It gives context to the broader work, and it is April's own project.

Capstone project details

The capstone is still in development. The Brave & Kind series that follows may explore civic awareness, listening, community planning, and participation. These are ideas for future stories, not learning outcomes of the current book, Brave & Kind.

As the project and series develop, this website will share updates, educational resources, and opportunities to continue the conversation.

This is April's own graduate work at Claremont Lincoln University (CLU). The university does not sponsor or endorse Brave & Kind or the book series.

Ourselves→Others→Our Communities
THE BOOK

Care.
Courage. Calm.

Brave & Kind is a visual story about kindness, belonging, relationships, representation, calm, growth, bravery, courage, choices, boundaries, community, and safety for self and others.

READ THE COMPLETE BOOK ↗Explore the story, then turn every page.
Brave and Kind book cover
BRAVE & KIND
HEART: KINDNESS

Kindness
starts with care.

The Heart reminds us to care for ourselves and others. Kindness is how we show love through our words, our actions, and even our thoughts.

THE LEAF

Calm makes
room to pause.

The Leaf reminds us to slow down, breathe, pause, and notice.

SHIELD: BRAVERY AND SAFETY

Brave Choices Can
Keep Us Safe.

The Shield reminds us to stay safe and be brave. Being brave does not mean we are not scared. It means we do the right thing even when it feels hard.

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THE COMPLETE BOOK

Brave & Kind

Step inside the complete story and turn the pages of Brave & Kind.

OPEN FULLSCREEN ↗
BRAVE & KIND · DIGITAL EDITIONHEYZINE FLIPBOOK
HEART · LEAF · SHIELD

The framework
starts here.

Heart, Leaf, and Shield give children simple symbols they can remember when a conversation moves from the page into everyday life.

Heart

Kindness

How can I show care for myself and others?

Care · Empathy · Connection · Inclusion · Belonging

SEL connections: Social Awareness, Relationship Skills

Leaf

Calm & Growth

Can I pause, notice, and make a thoughtful choice?

Pause · Breathe · Notice · Reflect · Thoughtful Choices

SEL connections: Self Awareness, Self Management, Responsible Decision Making

Shield

Bravery & Safety

Is this safe? Do I need help from a trusted adult?

Courage · Boundaries · Caring and Safe Choices · Speaking Up · Asking for Help · Trusted Adults

SEL connections: Responsible Decision Making, Self Awareness, Relationship Skills

Kind actions. Calm actions. Brave actions.

EXPLORE THE FRAMEWORK ↗
HOW IT FITS TOGETHER
READ

Begin with the story.

TALK

Continue the conversation.

PRACTICE

Put Heart, Leaf, and Shield into everyday action.

CONNECT

Carry those ideas into our relationships and communities.

BELONGING

Creating belonging is at the core of the framework.

Brave, calm, and kind actions help us create belonging within ourselves, with one another, and in our communities. Heart helps us care for one another. Leaf helps us pause, listen, and remain curious. Shield reminds us that safety and dignity matter for ourselves and others.

Every person matters. We all have a place in the communities we share.

EXPLORE BELONGING ↗
There's Room for EveryoneFinal-page illustration from the published book will be placed here.
RESOURCES

From story to
everyday life.

Brave & Kind is a place to begin. Resources help children and caring adults keep the conversation going through reflection, conversation, creativity, and everyday practice.

FOR FAMILIES & CARING ADULTS

Five free printables

The Challenge, a crossword, a vocabulary matching activity, My Mindful Minute, and the Talk Together conversation guide, plus the optional Activity Book.

EXPLORE ↗ FOR EDUCATORS

SEL Companion

Extend Brave & Kind into the classroom with the SEL Companion in PlayLab (PlayLab account required).

EXPLORE ↗ HEART · LEAF · SHIELD

Framework Tools

Explore the framework definitions and practical applications.

EXPLORE ↗
QR code linking to the Brave & Kind SEL Companion in PlayLab
FOR EDUCATORS

Brave & Kind SEL Companion — PlayLab

Explore Social-Emotional Learning with PlayLab. The PlayLab SEL Companion was independently created by the author of Brave & Kind using PlayLab's AI platform. Inspired by the book, this interactive educational resource encourages educators, caregivers, and other eligible adult users to explore social-emotional learning concepts, including belonging, safety, empathy, social awareness, and community building.

Responsible AI Use & Disclosure

Independent Creation and Platform Disclosure

This resource was independently created by the author using PlayLab's AI platform. It is not sponsored, affiliated with, or endorsed by PlayLab. PlayLab does not endorse Brave & Kind or its author. Purchasing the book is not required to use the companion. Access is subject to PlayLab's account requirements and applicable terms.

Responsible AI Use

This AI-powered resource is intended for eligible adult users, including educators and caregivers. AI-generated responses may be inaccurate or incomplete. Please do not enter children's identifying or sensitive personal information. The companion is intended to support educational exploration and guided conversation, not replace professional guidance or trusted adult support.

PlayLab account required.

OPEN THE SEL COMPANION IN PLAYLAB ↗
COMMUNITY
THE STORY CONTINUES

Ourselves. Others.
Our Communities.

Brave & Kind begins with the child—with safety, kindness, calm, courage, and belonging. Future stories will follow these ideas outward, helping children explore how we care for other people, the places we share, and the communities we call home.

As the stories grow, the question remains the same: How do we want to show up in this world? With brave, calm, and kind actions.

DISCOVER THE PROJECT ↗
BOOKS

One story now.
More stories ahead.

Brave & Kind is the first featured title, and future stories will follow its ideas outward.

AVAILABLE NOW

Brave & Kind

Care, courage, calm, representation, belonging, and Heart, Leaf, Shield.

EXPLORE ↗
✦
FUTURE STORY

Our Shared World

Future stories can extend the work into environmental stewardship, laws, communities, and participation.

COMING SOON
✧
FUTURE STORY

Our Community

Stories that invite children to notice how communities work and how people can participate.

COMING SOON
COMMUNITY

Brave & Kind
in the Community.

Readings, family activities, classroom conversations, community events, and partnerships create opportunities to bring the ideas in Brave & Kind off the page and into the places we share.

01Author readings and read alouds
02School, library, and bookstore visits
03Family, educator, and community programs
04Speaking opportunities and collaborations
INVITE APRIL / PARTNER WITH BRAVE & KIND ↗
SHOP THE STORY

Bring the story
into everyday life.

Get the book, read it online, or explore the free resources.