a story of unity and resilience

In the heart of Braveheart Woods live five remarkable young creatures, each with a relative serving in different branches of the Armed Forces.

Follow Swift the Squirrel, Piper the Pigeon, Ollie the Otter, Benny the Badger, and Rosie the Rabbit as they navigate through daily life with courage, fortitude, and an unbreakable spirit. As they cope with the absence of their loved ones, they each learn to shoulder new responsibilities, uphold their families, and lean on each other for support.

The characters hope to remind their readers of the power of unity, love, and the undying spirit of our brave soldiers, both large and small.

Meet our Bravebark Woods heroes

This moving narrative showcases the resilience of children in military families, representing every branch of the Armed Forces – Army, RAF, Navy, and Marines.

Swift the Squirrel of Courageous Creatures

Swift the Squirrel

Ollie the Otter of Courageous Creatures

Ollie the Otter

Rosie the Rabbit of Courageous Creatures

Rosie the Rabbit

Piper the Pigeon of Courageous Creatures

Piper the Pigeon

Benny the Badger of Courageous Creatures

Benny the Badger

more than a tale

The book aims to initiate meaningful dialogues between parents, caregivers, and children who find themselves in new circumstances after a family member is sent away on tour.

The book provides a gentle and engaging way to discuss themes of resilience, responsibility, and community, making it easier for children to express their feelings and thoughts, fostering understanding, and strengthening bonds during challenging times.

What's inside

Representation of the Armed Forces

Embark on a journey with our woodland friends where every branch of the Armed Forces is honoured through the characters' stories, symbolising the unity and diverse roles within the military community.

Fostering Meaningful Conversations

Discover narratives crafted to foster meaningful conversations between children and caregivers about service, sacrifice, and support, empowering young minds to understand and articulate their feelings about family members' deployment.

Educational and Emotional Support

Within the pages lies a blend of educational content and emotional wisdom, providing children with relatable scenarios that teach resilience, understanding, and adaptability in the face of change.

Resilience Through Storytelling

Uncover tales of bravery and resilience with each turn of the page. Our book weaves stories that help children understand and appreciate the steadfast courage of their family members in the Armed Forces, aiding in emotional growth and character building.

Praise for the book

A key strength of Courageous Creatures is that it incorporates key emotion-based language which can be embedded into everyday language for the child to articulate their feelings and can be shared with other key people in their lives so that they can offer support to the child too. 

Lucy Oldershaw

Supportive Stories

Cristalle Hayes reviews Courageous Creatures

Courageous Creatures is a warm and uplifting story which is unique to the books out there which normally show family life as 2 parents and 2 kids in a home together. Highlighting how families can be different is really important. I like how they don't rely on simplistic language and the illustrations are beautiful! Teaching children resilience through real-life situations is a beautiful thing.

Cristalle Hayes

Existential and Trauma Focussed Psychotherapist

Join the adventure

‘Courageous Creatures’ is designed for children aged 3 to 6 years old. The book’s format, storytelling, and illustrations are tailored to captivate and engage young readers within this age range, making it an ideal read for preschoolers and early primary years.

‘Courageous Creatures’ is printed in an A4 landscape format, specifically chosen to be easy for little hands to hold and turn the pages. The larger illustrations and text are perfect for young readers and shared reading sessions.

Your book will be dispatched within 3 working days via Royal Mail. We ensure prompt service so your little ones can enjoy their woodland adventure as soon as possible.

We truly wanted to make ‘Courageous Creatures’ available on Amazon to reach as many families as possible. However, the print costs on Amazon are significantly higher, which would require us to increase the book’s selling price, potentially making it less accessible to families of all income levels. Additionally, our quality standards are very high, and the print quality in the samples we received from Amazon did not meet our expectations. We are considering exploring this avenue in the future if we can ensure that it aligns with our commitment to affordability and high-quality products.

Postage costs £2.99, which includes £2.30 for Royal Mail second class delivery and 59 pence for packaging and handling to ensure your book arrives in perfect condition.

You also have options to receive your book via First Class and Signed For First Class.

To increase the chances of your book arriving before Christmas, please place your order by the 10th of December. While we strive for timely delivery, we cannot guarantee delivery before Christmas as it will be in the hands of the postal service during the busy holiday season.

Elliot Reynolds, currently serving at Bulford Camp, is the author of ‘Courageous Creatures’. Drawing from his personal experiences in the British Armed Forces, he provides a unique and heartfelt perspective. You can learn more about his journey on his LinkedIn profile.

‘Courageous Creatures’ is supported by Brandspire Digital Limited, a marketing agency owned by a military spouse. They provide valuable publishing assistance and are passionate about bringing stories to life. Discover more about their work at Brandspire’s website.

While ‘Courageous Creatures’ is a narrative that young readers will love, it’s also a tool for families to engage in conversations about service, absence, and resilience. It’s a story that goes beyond entertainment, offering support and understanding for children with family in the Armed Forces.

For any additional questions, support, or information, please feel free to contact us at elliot@courageous-creatures.co.uk. We’re here to help!

About the author

Elliot Reynolds serves as a Lance Corporal in the British Armed Forces, where he acts as the British Army Mental Health briefer, advocate and trainer. He is the author of “Courageous Creatures”.

Drawing from his personal experiences as a service member and father, Reynolds aims to provide support, understanding, and encouragement to children and families navigating the challenges of military deployment.

Connect with him on LinkedIn.