Ivan's Fear

The author will donate all proceeds from this book to the Cometa Foundation. www.fundacioncometa.org

Ivan’s Fear Text © Ariel Andrés Almada Illustrations © Cha Coco This edition © 2013 Cuento de Luz SL Calle Claveles 10 | Urb Monteclaro | Pozuelo de Alarcón | 28223 | Madrid | Spain www.cuentodeluz.com Title in Spanish: El miedo de Iván English translation by Jon Brokenbrow ISBN: 978-84-15784-28-9 Printed by Shanghai Chenxi Printing Co., Ltd. xxxx 2013, print number xxx All rights reserved

In the smallest house in the biggest forest in the oldest country lived Ivan with his family. Every morning, he walked to the river with his dog, Tommy; in the afternoons, he would help his father collect honey from the hives; in the evenings, when he was tired, he would sit in the garden and look up at the stars.

Although he dreamed about having great adventures and visiting far-away lands, Ivan knew that it would be impossible for him. You see, Ivan’s secret was that, ever since he was little, he had always been frightened of things.

The first time he felt afraid was when his parents took him to the seashore. The waves looked as if they were edging towards them threateningly, and Ivan closed his eyes so that he would feel safer.

“I’m really scared of the sea, Mommy,” he said, and he spent hours walking along the beach, looking out at the water from a safe distance.

As the years went by, Ivan discovered that he was also afraid of loud noises, of swimming in the river, and above all, of the strange mist that formed in the forest surrounding his house. It all began one morning, just after sunrise. The trees were swishing back and forth, and suddenly the sky became darker and darker. A thick veil of mist descended slowly upon the house. Everything was silent, except for a strange noise that seemed to come from the very center of the forest. Tommy was barking in the same direction, running around nervously and constantly looking up at his master.

“There’s something bad in there,” Ivan would say quietly, when his parents couldn’t hear. Then he would hide in bed with the blankets pulled up to his nose while he waited for the mist to disappear.

And so the days, months and years went by.

One afternoon in August, on Ivan’s seventh birthday, an unexpected visitor arrived at his house. It was his Uncle Harry, who had returned from one of his long journeys around Africa, and had come to wish Ivan a happy birthday.

Ivan’s mom prepared a wonderful meal with roast chicken, mushrooms from the forest, and a delicious strawberry cake for dessert. When they finished eating, Ivan and his uncle sat on the porch as evening began to fall.

Hidden Pages

The sea, mist, loud noises… Ivan’s afraid of everything! And with all those frights and shivers, his dreams of having great adventures and visiting far-away places seem more and more unlikely. But could an unexpected visitor help him overcome his deepest fears? Could an old African song change his life forever?

Ivan’s Fear is an inspiring tale about the bravery we need in order to live our lives with joy and happiness. It is a journey to the very center of our hearts, which will give us the courage and bravery to face up to any obstacle that stands in our way.