Nelly at Bat, Nelly al bate

Reach for this book when your child is facing their very first organized activity and feels overwhelmed by the 'what-ifs.' Whether it is the first day of T-ball or a new music lesson, this bilingual story addresses the physical sensations of anxiety, specifically that fluttery feeling in the stomach, and provides a gentle roadmap for moving through it. Nelly is a young girl stepping onto the baseball field for the first time. Through her journey from the sidelines to the batter's box, children see that bravery does not mean the absence of fear, but rather trying anyway. The bilingual format makes it a wonderful choice for Spanish-speaking or dual-language families, offering a mirror for Latino children seeing themselves in a classic childhood rite of passage. It is ideal for ages 4 to 8 as a tool to build resilience and normalize the jitters that come with growth.