Bravery isn’t something most children pick up from a motivational speech. It’s something they grow into, slowly, through experiences they can understand and connect with.
One of the best ways to prepare children for challenges is through storytelling. A good story doesn’t just entertain; it allows children to live through a situation in their imagination before they ever face it in real life.
In Jimmy Goes to the Emergency Department, a simple playground mishap turns into an important lesson in courage. Jimmy is injured while playing and must visit the hospital. He’s not worried about the wound itself; what really scares him is the thought of needles. Throughout the story, Jimmy experiences worry, asks questions, and slowly discovers that bravery doesn’t mean never feeling afraid. It means moving forward, even when you do.
Stories Help Children Counter Fear
When fear appears in a story, it’s contained within a safe space. Children can watch from the sidelines as a character faces something scary. They can process the fear without the intensity of actually living it.
In Jimmy’s case, his fear of needles mirrors what many children feel. They see his apprehension, but they also see that the fear doesn’t last forever. By the end, he is stitched up without pain and leaves smiling. This shows young readers that fear can be temporary and manageable.
Stories Allow Children to Express
Young children often struggle to express emotions in words. A story bridges that gap. When Jimmy says, “I don’t like shots,” it’s a direct, simple way of expressing a common fear. For a child listening to the story, hearing a character name that feeling can be freeing; it gives them permission to say, “I feel that way too.” Once a child can name a feeling, it’s easier for parents or caregivers to help them work through it.
Stories Offer a New Route to Problem Solving
In the book, Dr. Kumar doesn’t follow the expected route of injecting anesthesia with a needle. Instead, he uses numbing medicine on a cotton ball, which soaks into Jimmy’s skin and allows the stitches to be placed without pain. For a child, it’s a lesson in creative problem-solving. It shows that challenges often have more than one solution and that trusted adults can find ways to make things easier.
Stories Leave a Lasting Impression
Children remember how a story ends. If it ends well, it leaves behind a feeling of safety and accomplishment. Jimmy walks out of the hospital holding a popsicle and saying, “Maybe next time I won’t be so afraid of needles.” That moment is powerful.
A child who hears it might carry that memory into their own medical experience and think, “If Jimmy could do it, maybe I can too.” Storytelling turns someone else’s victory into a child’s personal source of courage.
Bravery doesn’t mean eliminating fear—it means learning to face it in ways that feel safe. Storytelling is one of the gentlest, most effective tools we have to help children prepare for real-life challenges. It lets them imagine, rehearse, and succeed in their minds before they try it for real.
That’s why books like Jimmy Goes to the Emergency Department are so valuable. They’re not just tales to pass the time; they’re quiet, reassuring practice runs for the moments when courage is needed most.
