He's not afraid to climb way up high, capture creepy crawlies with his bare hands, or stare down ghostly looking things. But this courageous kid does have one giant fear that he desperately wants to hide. It's a terror so big, it sends a cold shiver down his spine, leaves him speechless, and makes him question just how brave he really is. Vinnie's great fear – speaking up in class. When he doesn't understand the material or the teacher goes too fast, Vinnie refuses to raise his hand. He doesn't want the other kids to laugh at him, judge him, or say he's clueless. He sits in silence and pretends it all makes sense. But now he's falling behind. His grades are slipping, and something has to change. Vinnie and his teacher come up with a secret signal he can use whenever he needs help or wants the teacher to slow down. The discreet signal involves tugging on his ears. It works perfectly until the day he tugs and tugs and tugs, but his teacher never notices. Now what? Will Vinnie keep yanking his ears? Will he raise his hand and finally speak up? Or will he sit in silence and fall further behind? With vibrant illustrations and a main character everyone will root for, award-winning author and school counsellor Jeff Tucker explores the fears kids have about speaking up in class and being judged by their peers. A special page written specifically for parents and teachers offers practical tips on helping kids recognize the differences between helpful and harmful fears and how to manage social anxiety.

He's not afraid to climb way up high, capture creepy crawlies with his bare hands, or stare down ghostly looking things. But this courageous kid does have one giant fear that he desperately wants to hide. It's a terror so big, it sends a cold shiver down his spine, leaves him speechless, and makes him question just how brave he really is. Vinnie's great fear – speaking up in class. When he doesn't understand the material or the teacher goes too fast, Vinnie refuses to raise his hand. He doesn't want the other kids to laugh at him, judge him, or say he's clueless. He sits in silence and pretends it all makes sense. But now he's falling behind. His grades are slipping, and something has to change. Vinnie and his teacher come up with a secret signal he can use whenever he needs help or wants the teacher to slow down. The discreet signal involves tugging on his ears. It works perfectly until the day he tugs and tugs and tugs, but his teacher never notices. Now what? Will Vinnie keep yanking his ears? Will he raise his hand and finally speak up? Or will he sit in silence and fall further behind? With vibrant illustrations and a main character everyone will root for, award-winning author and school counsellor Jeff Tucker explores the fears kids have about speaking up in class and being judged by their peers. A special page written specifically for parents and teachers offers practical tips on helping kids recognize the differences between helpful and harmful fears and how to manage social anxiety.