Just Keep Going

When Mouse sets out on his adventure, he discovers that brave isn't something you are--it's something you do!

Mouse's day is full of big moments and bigger feelings. But with each step forward--jumping to shake off fear, accepting a friend's comforting hug, or simply pausing to breathe--he builds his courage toolkit. Because taking a brave journey doesn't mean you have to be fearless. It means you know how to just keep going.

in her first book for children, former news anchor Lynn Smith, now a media consultant and host of the parenting podcast Strollercoaster, was inspired by her experience coaching Fortune 500 executives. She realized the fears that hold back CEOs aren't that different from what stops a child from raising their hand in class. That's why she wrote Just Keep Going--because resilience shouldn't be a C-suite secret.

Lauren Gallegos (she/her) earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration from Cal State Fullerton in 2009 and has been illustrating ever since. When it comes to stories, Lauren has always loved books that warm the heart and touch the soul; timeless narratives that speak to your inner child whether you are 5 or 95. As a young girl she loved to pour over illustrations that were rich and full. Lauren still loves books that take you to mysterious places and let your imagination run wild with possibilities. Lauren is continually looking for opportunities to illustrate great stories with the desire to see how her work will impact the young minds of our future.

Lauren has illustrated a number of picture books, including the Crystal Kite Award winning book BAA BAA TAP SHEEP, published by Sleeping Bear Press. She has also illustrated 2 Little Golden books, one of them for American Girl(R). Lauren is a proud member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two young kids.

Lynn Smith is a former anchor for NBC News, MSNBC, and CNN Headline News. She now has a media and communications consulting company, hosts the award winning parenting podcast StrolIlerCoaster by Munchkin, and writes for Parents.com, Women's Health magazine, and cnn.com. In her experience as a media coach, Lynn's realized the fears that hold back CEOs aren't that different from the ones kids have, and that building resilience can start in classrooms instead of boardrooms. Lynn lives with her husband and two sons in Georgetown, South Carolina.