I USED To BE SHY A Children’s Book: An Illustrated Story With Songs About Inclusion, Belonging, and Compassion by Mike Mirabella and Lenny Lipton, illustrated by Amy O’Hanlon – Children’s Books, Picture Books, Inclusion & Friendship

In I Used to Be Shy, from the Carla Stories by Mike Mirabella and Lenny Lipton, Carla meets a nervous boy with physical disabilities at Camp Allbelong. Through their friendship, Carla helps him become confident enough to join in the camp games in this compassionate illustrated story about inclusion told through song.

We begin with Carla’s bright yellow light contrasting with the boy’s deep, lonely blue representation. As their friendship grows, those two colors begin to mix, becoming a vibrant green that paints the heartwarming, pastoral scenes of Camp Allbelong. When the boy joins his peers in the center of these illustrations, his blue color takes on a new tone that reflects the expansive sky in the background.

Amy O’Hanlon’s delightful illustrations show how one friendship can bloom to become a garden full of many relationships.

As Mirabella notes, children with disabilities, such as his and Lipton’s own two daughters, are often left out of social activities. The story’s message of making space for everyone shows through Carla, who befriends the boy and encourages him to open up to the other children. As a result, we can see how quickly his mood changes to excitement and friendliness. With the compassion of his fellow campers and accommodations made by the staff, he even joins games like kickball that could otherwise prove difficult for someone who needs crutches to walk.

I Used to Be Shy encourages readers to sing along with the playful lyrics by Lenny Lipton, composer of the classic Puff the Magic Dragon, as they follow this meaningful story of acceptance.

Written as a duet, this song is shown in easy-to-read colored text that reflects the characters’ emerging friendship, with each singer trading verses, then as alternating lines as the two characters connect with one another. Mirabella & Lipton’s lyrics create a back-and-forth rhyming scheme which makes this song particularly fun to sing with old or new friends. Sheet music in the back of the book provides readers with a way to learn this song– as well as a bonus song called “Little Brown Pony” using instruments.

I Used to Be Shy is a sweet tale about opening up to those around you and finding friendships that extend well beyond words alone. Inspired by the daughters of Mirabella & Lipton, this book is for any child who might share the boy’s shyness. A must-read showing how wonderful it is when we all belong.