A young girl with curly hair and a yellow star hair clip sits on a deck with an orange tabby cat. They are watching the sunset over a river and mountains with trees and flowers in the background.

Stories that Stay with Children Long After the Last Page

At Brave-Next Books, we believe stories can help children understand themselves, build confidence, and find the courage to take their next brave step.

We create beautifully illustrated picture books that spark meaningful conversations, strengthen connection, and nurture resilience, kindness, and wonder.

Our hope is simple:

Every child closes one of our books feeling more understood, more confident, and ready for whatever comes next.

Our Promise

To create timeless children's books that nurture emotional well-being, inspire imagination, and encourage every child to take their next brave step.

We believe children's books should become treasured family traditions, revisited long after bedtime stories become independent reading.

Looking Ahead

Ayla and the Thunder in Her Tummy is the first adventure in a growing collection of stories designed to help children navigate life's everyday moments with courage, kindness, and heart.

⭐ Coming Fall 2026 ⭐

As Brave-Next Books grows, our commitment will remain the same: Creating stories that children love and families remember.

Why Families Choose Brave-Next Books

Every story is thoughtfully created to help children:

⭐ navigate big emotions

⭐ build confidence

⭐ spark meaningful family conversations

⭐ develop resilience

⭐ discover the courage to take their next brave step

Brave-Next Books logo with a star and an open book, and the text "Our Values".
Illustration of a young girl standing on a mountain cliff, looking at a sunrise over distant mountains with trees in the foreground. The text reads: "Courage. Helping children discover that bravery isn't about never feeling afraid—it's about choosing what comes next."
A photo of a woman and a young girl reading a book together, alongside a whimsical illustration of a girl looking at a starry night sky with a moon and stars.
A little girl with curly hair and a yellow star hair clip planting a sapling outdoors, and a quote book titled 'Ayla and the Thunder Quilt' leaning against a wall with a vase of flowers and a lit candle beside it.

How Artwork is Created

Every Brave-Next story begins with characters and a visual world that I develop myself. I originally drew and designed Ayla, Sam, and Miso, establishing their expressions, colours, clothing, personalities, and signature details.

I use AI-based illustration tools to generate the finished scenes from those original character designs and my detailed creative direction. Each illustration is reviewed and revised repeatedly to support the story, maintain character consistency, correct visual details, and prepare the artwork for print.

There is no separate human illustrator. The stories, original character designs, scene direction, image selection, and revision process are led by me, Tara Eliza Murray.

Every Brave-Next character begins as an original hand-drawn sketch. Here is a look at how Ayla developed from an early drawing into a refined character design and polished concept.

Ayla is shown here as one example. Sam and Miso are developed through the same creative process.

From Sketch to Story

Original Hand-Drawn Sketch

Refined Character Design

Finished Story Illustration