Are you shy too? Meet Sami, a little girl in San Francisco who's scared of the big world outside. Then Daddy takes her on a "cloud stroll" and gives her a magic bracelet named Bella… and the world turns out to be full of wonder.
★★★★★ “A must have book for every kid!” — AY, Amazon review
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In the heart of San Francisco, Sami snuggles up with her best friend Maxi. Sami is shy. Big animals, high places, the dark… the big world outside feels SO scary.
Sami is afraid of the outdoors and all its unknowns: large animals, heights, the dark. Her fears are named gently, so little readers who feel the same can see themselves in her.
Daddy takes Sami on a cloud stroll. (That's what grown-ups call a HIKE!) Inside her backpack is a pink bracelet that says BRAVE. Its name is Bella, and it's magic!
On the way to a hike, Dad gives Sami a beaded bracelet and one simple instruction: touch it when you feel scared. It's a tangible, sensory anchor a child can reach for when big feelings show up.
A lizard! Buzzing bees! A frog! Every time, Sami touches Bella and feels a rush of calm. At the very top of the hill, she looks up at the sun… and smiles.
A lizard, bees and a frog go from scary to friendly as Sami practices. It's a gentle way into first hikes, first days and first anythings, and into talking about what feels big right now.
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The little girl in this book shares my name for a reason.
Growing up, I was a very shy girl. As a second-generation Iranian, I was raised in a home where "play it safe" was a really big theme. Be careful. Don't take risks. Think twice before trying anything new. So I stayed inside my comfort zone, where it felt safe.
Then one day it hit me:
“Playing it safe really is not going to get me anywhere.”
I always just knew there was more potential in me. So, one small step at a time, I started finding ways to expand beyond my fears.
Today I'm a coach, and I help adults do the very same thing. One of my favorite tools is surprisingly simple: something you can wear. Something you can touch, that's sensory. My clients use it before a big speech, a room full of strangers or a tough conversation. It gets them out of their heads, out of the thoughts and the fears, and turns that energy into something better.
But I kept thinking: it always starts when you're a kid. What if little ones had that tool from the very beginning? What if they learned early that big fears can become little?
The Magic Bracelet is that idea, wrapped in a story. It's the book I wish eight-year-old me had, and I hope Sami and Bella help your little one find their brave. Maybe they'll help you find yours, too.
For eight-year-old Sami… may you never be afraid to take chances and explore the world. Remember, you love the world and the world loves you.
Straight from Amazon, word for word.
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Four of Sami's big fears, straight from the book. Touch Bella and watch what happens. Best played on a grown-up's lap.
Grown-ups: ask your kiddo what they'd want their own bracelet to help with.
We take Bella off the page: real bracelets, real readers, real brave moments.
We brought the book and a tray of handmade word bracelets (BRAVE, HOPE, SMILE, BELIEVE, DREAM…) to celebrate courage with Women @ Meta. Each guest picked the word they wanted to carry with them.
Carry a little magic with you ✦
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Free coloring pages, story-time ideas and first news on Sami's next adventure.
We'd love for Sami, Maxi and Bella to join your story time, a birthday, or the night before something new.
Also available on Kindle
We share story-time moments, brave little wins and new bracelet magic. Come say hi!
Color every bead. Then wear your brave!
My bracelet helps me be brave when…
My name is…
The Magic Bracelet by Samira Toussi · themagicbracelet.com
