The Brave Series was written so readers could go through the flow of the four volumes in order; however, each volume is also a stand-alone resource. Therefore, each volume can be covered in any order tailored to the audience's needs.

For example, if your immediate need is working on emotional health, then you may decide to go through Volume 2 first. One school decided to go through Volume 4 first, then they went through Volumes 1, 2, and 3 next, and this is working wonderfully for them. You can choose from any of the four volumes to begin with. Here is a summary of the themes:

● Volume 1 grows confidence in personal value.

● Volume 2 increases emotional health.

● Volume 3 promotes positive dreams and visions for their future.

● Volume 4 empowers the readers to safeguard themselves and others from exploitation and sex trafficking victimization in an age-appropriate way.

Within a given volume, we created a natural flow of chapter topics; however, like a magazine, you can always skip forward and read the chapters to help teens with their current situation if the need arises. For example, the subject of grief is in Volume Two. If teens struggle with handling loss, skipping ahead and engaging with the relevant chapter would be helpful!

A teacher or parent knows their teen’s maturity level best and can use their judgment. Note that the first three volumes cover topics such as knowing your value, confidence, emotional health tips, and having dreams and goals for your life. Such issues can be great to go over with a child as young as 4th grade, and as the guide, you can pick and choose which articles to cover depending on the maturity level of the reader. The richness of the content of each article is a powerful resource for teachers and parents who care for elementary-age children.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Volume 4 covers topics such as pornography and sexual abuse and expounds on sex trafficking topics – topics that may be too mature for some younger readers to engage with. In such cases, the teacher or mentor would NOT cover those articles with them until a later time when they are ready.

However, we encourage teachers and parents to read the Volume 4 articles as some articles may be relevant (pick and choose) since topics such as internet safety and exposure to porn may need to be addressed before middle school. For example, some research finding share that the average age of first exposure to porn is 9-11 years old. A parent or leader can engage with younger children on such topics in age-appropriate ways.

Teachers and parents can use this Brave Series resource in ways that work best for their situation.

We have discovered that the articles in the Brave Series connect to all ages, so it is truly a transformational, personal growth journey for young adults through seniors! Many groups and leadership groups of adults have also used the Brave Series as their group content. They are impactful gifts for fellow adults.

“I love Brave & Beautiful! My 87-year-old mom is reading it and can hardly put it down! I’m sharing this with my oldest daughter, who is 20, and even my youngest daughter, who is 12 years old! The quality is phenomenal! What an all-encompassing range!”  - Angela Cannon

We strongly urge teachers and parents to honor their teens’ privacy regarding the interactive pages they filled out – unless they want to share their writings or art with you. We want every teen to be honest and vulnerable in their reflections and journaling. Knowing that others will be reading their private journaling without permission would greatly hinder the effectiveness of their experience.

As a teacher, mentor, or parent, we want to support you as much as possible, so we created a Teacher Guide with helpful discussion questions for each chapter that you can use. We know your conversations will also inspire you with more spontaneous questions. We also provided group/class activities and lessons for each chapter that you can do to explore and experience the subject matter further.

Another approach that has worked well is going through the content in a book club style. This style works well in a more free-flowing, informal setting. Creating a safe place and facilitating a positive, respectful discussion is important for success. You can start an engaging dialogue with a highlighted article of your choice. You could read a short, significant passage from an articleand then invite comments and questions from the participant(s). This can spur a dynamic conversation and verbal processing of the topic. More articles within a chapter can be covered in this style as time permits. It is most helpful if the participants read the articles beforehand, but a new person who didn’t read the chapter can still gain insights and engage in the discussion. Remember that men and women of all ages (through seniors) also enjoy the Brave Series for themselves. A book club style of discussion is an easy, engaging way to go through it with adult groups.

Yes, absolutely! They make meaningful gifts for teen girls or guys! We purposely made both Brave & Beautiful and Brave & Bold as engaging as possible for teens to read. In our experience, teens enjoy reading the volumes on their own. Going through the Brave Series with a teacher, parent, mentor, or a small group adds extra value to the experience where it is possible. Going through the magazine with others can help ensure the teens read and digest the helpful articles. Yet, they do make wonderful gifts. Please help us get this resource into the hands of every teen! *Remember you can gift the entire series or just one or more of the volumes since each is a standalone resource with a particular theme.

Yes! It is very helpful if the teacher or parent has established or is building a positive emotional connection with the teens so conversations can be engaging and comfortable.

*Note: This tool is meant to encourage heart connection and open discussion, so please refrain from lecturing and instead seek understanding and validate feelings as much as possible. Be that safe place for your teens to share openly without being judged. Share from your heart and talk about the struggles you had when you were their age in an age-appropriate way.

Yes! Please email Executive Director Michele directly at michele@thebraveseries.com for more information on how we can best serve your needs.