Fern the Fearful Fox
a picture book about the stories fear tells us
by Liz Kohler Brown
About the Book
I am so excited to share my first illustrated picture book with you. It was inspired by my daughter, who was born during the first months of the global pandemic, a time that taught us all so much about fear and anxiety. I wrote this story for all the children (and parents) who lived through the pandemic and anyone who has faced fear or anxiety.
Come see the illustrations, learn more about my process, and get your copy below!,
About the Story
Fern was a very fearful fox. She was afraid of frogs, flying squirrels, fish, fireflies, and even fuzzy moss. But it wasn’t Fern’s fault—she was born during the great Fox Flu, when all the foxes had to stay in their burrows for seasons upon seasons.
Now, the Fox Flu is gone, and it’s time for Fern to venture out into the world. But how can she be brave when everything seems so scary?
Her family members offer advice, but nothing they say makes Fern feel braver—until Grandma shares a secret: She was afraid once, too.
With Grandma’s wisdom, Fern starts to see the world in a new way. A prickly bush isn’t a monster—it’s full of juicy berries. A buzzing beehive isn’t a danger—it’s a pot of golden honey. And fear? Fear is just a story our brains tell us… but sometimes, the truth is much more wonderful.
The wisdom in this book is rooted in ancient Stoic philosophy, which teaches that fear is not an objective reality but a narrative our minds construct. The Stoics believed that our emotions, including fear, arise from our interpretations of events rather than the events themselves. By recognizing fear as a story we tell ourselves, we gain the power to reframe it and respond with reason rather than anxiety.
About the Illustrations
Each page was designed by me from sketch to textured illustration using inspiration from the Blue Ridge Mountains where I was born and raised. Each texture was created from the forest outside my studio using elements like dried leaves, tree bark, and mud cracks. Learn more about my picture book process in this blog post.
My Big Goal
My goal for this book is to become a bestseller and expand it into a series of Fern the Fox books, each covering a different principle of ancient Stoic philosophy. Help me reach my big goal by buying a copy and sharing it with friends, family, and community members who you think would enjoy it!
get your copy
Ordering and leaving a review helps me have a chance at becoming a bestseller, so please consider leaving a review to support my big goals for this book!
