• Age: 6 to 8
• Grade: 1 to 3
• Reading age: 6 to 8

★ “Enthralling…Empowers readers to understand their own human coping mechanisms, while colorful, detailed images soaked in softly muted earth tones build a base of strong general knowledge. The challenge for readers young and old will be to see who says 'ew' first! A thoroughly engaging, fact-filled book with audacious and memorable animal responses to predators. A must-have for every library.” — School Library Journal

Learn about the wild, wacky and downright disgusting ways some animals react out of fear.

Are you afraid of the dark? Of getting lost? Or of something you saw in a movie? Maybe someone laughed at you for being scared or called you a chicken. That’s okay! In fact, it’s how humans stay safe in scary situations.

While people might run or scream, animals have amazing ways of protecting themselves when they’re afraid. Fulmar birds vomit, Texas horned lizards shoot blood from their eyes and hagfish slime their enemies. Full of incredible and sometimes gross animal facts, Mighty Scared explores how mammals, insects, fish and birds around the world respond when scary predators are near.

Erin Silver is an award-winning children’s author. Her books include Just Watch Me (Krystal Kite Award nominee), What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19 (Hackmatack Award nominee), Proud to Play: LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History, Rush Hour: Navigating Our Global Traffic Jam (Blueberry Award winner), Sitting Shiva (Vine Award finalist, TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award finalist) and Good Food, Bad Waste: Let’s Eat for the Planet (2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books finalist). Erin was chosen to tour during Canadian Children’s Book Week in 2023 and is a sought-after speaker at schools, libraries and conferences. She has an MFA in creative nonfiction and a postgraduate journalism degree. Erin lives in Toronto.

Erin Silver's profile page

Hayden Maynard is a Canadian illustrator who graduated from Sheridan College's Illustration program. His clients include the New York Times, The Walrus, the Globe and Mail, Reader's Digest and the Washington Post. Hayden lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Hayden Maynard's profile page

“A juicy topic [that] goes for gusto.”

Kirkus Reviews

“Though most readers would not want to encounter any of the animals highlighted in Mighty Scared... they will be both fascinated and repulsed by the rather disgusting survival techniques mentioned, all part of the book’s appeal! Recommended.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“[Provides] facts that are often unknown and certainly surprising...There will be 'EWS!!!', but there will also be endless fascination.”

Sal's Fiction Addiction

★ “Enthralling…Empowers readers to understand their own human coping mechanisms, while colorful, detailed images soaked in softly muted earth tones build a base of strong general knowledge. The challenge for readers young and old will be to see who says 'ew' first! A thoroughly engaging, fact-fill book with audacious and memorable animal responses to predators. A must-have for every library.”

School Library Journal (SLJ)

“With peppy prose and colourful, detailed illustrations, this slim value introduces a surprising range of self-protective traits and behaviors from across the animal kingdom…An endnote aims to connect the animal defences featured to kids’ responses to feeling frightened, with suggestions for calming fears, like taking deep breaths. The lively approach and unusual focus set this animal book apart.”

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