Fiona and the Fluttering Butterflies
A Story About Worry, Courage, and Taking One Brave Step
Meet the character
Fiona is thoughtful, kind, sensitive, and quietly brave. She notices a lot about the world around her, including all the things that might happen.
The story
Fiona wants to join in, explore, and try new things—but sometimes worry arrives first.
When Fiona begins imagining what might go wrong, she notices a familiar feeling in her tummy: fluttering butterflies.
At first there may only be one or two. As Fiona’s worries grow, the butterflies seem to flutter faster and multiply, making her want to avoid whatever is making her nervous.
Through the story, Fiona learns to recognize what is happening in her body instead of immediately running away from the feeling. She pauses. She breathes. She notices the butterflies.
And instead of waiting until she feels completely fearless, Fiona learns to take one brave step at a time.
As she moves forward, she discovers something important: courage does not mean having no butterflies. Sometimes courage means bringing the butterflies with you.
From story to real life
Each Brave Little Minds book is designed to continue beyond the final page with child-friendly activities, games, reflection prompts, and practical exercises that help children practise the tools introduced in the story.
- Recognize feelings, patterns, and experiences
- Practise the story’s core strategy
- Connect the lesson to everyday situations
- Notice strengths and build confidence