1. The Big Day

Alice held her drawing with both hands.

She stared at the big classroom door.

Her heart went thump-thump-thump inside her chest.

Her tummy felt full of jumping beans.

"Today is Show-and-Share," she said quietly.

She had been waiting for today for a whole week.

But now her feet did not want to move.

Then — whoosh! — the White Rabbit zoomed past her.

His ears were flat against his head.

His eyes were wide and round.

"I'm not ready!" he gasped. "What if everyone laughs?"

He zoomed one way.

"What if I forget my words?"

He zoomed the other way.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Alice watched him zip and zoom and spin.

She felt something funny in her chest.

She felt something funny in her tummy.

She felt something funny in her hands, squeezing her drawing tight.

Oh.

That was the same feeling.

Loud and fast and all mixed-up at once.

Alice looked down at her drawing.

One corner was already a little crumpled.

Her heart went thump-thump-thump.

Her tummy jumped and jumped.

"I feel it too," she whispered.

2. Too Many Thoughts

Alice sat down on the bench.

She put her drawing on her lap.

Then the thoughts started.

*What if your drawing is wrong?*

*What if you trip on the way up?*

*What if everyone stares at you?*

The thoughts were so loud. So fast.

Alice tried to listen to just one.

But another one jumped on top.

Then another. Then another.

They piled up like a big, wobbly tower.

The White Rabbit flopped down beside her.

He pulled his long ears right over his eyes.

"The thoughts are SO loud," he whispered.

"I know," said Alice.

She tried to pick one thought and hold it still.

But they kept shouting. All at once. All together.

*Wrong. Trip. Stare. Wrong. Trip. Stare.*

Alice squeezed her drawing very tight.

She squeezed it tighter.

And tighter.

Then she looked down.

Oh no. The corner had crumpled.

Her tummy jumped hard.

Her heart went thump-thump-thump-thump-thump.

The thoughts felt very big.

They felt like they were in charge.

Alice wasn't sure they weren't.

3. A Slow Breath

Then something moved on the windowsill.

It was the Cheshire Cat. It had a wide, calm smile.

"Your thoughts are very loud today," it said gently.

"Yes," said Alice. "And I don't know how to make them quiet."

"You don't have to make them quiet," said the Cat.

Alice looked up. "I don't?"

"No. Just breathe in — slow as a cloud."

Alice breathed in. Slow. All the way in.

"Now breathe out — slow as a feather."

Alice breathed out. Slow. All the way out.

The jumping beans settled just a little.

She tried again. In… and out.

They settled a little more.

"Good," said the Cat, still smiling. "Now — can you tell me one word for how you feel?"

Alice thought. She looked at her crumpled drawing. She looked at the door.

"Scared," she said.

The Cat nodded its big, slow nod.

"Scared is okay," it said. "Scared is allowed."

Alice waited.

"Scared does not mean stop," said the Cat.

Alice said the words quietly to herself. *Scared does not mean stop.*

She took one more breath. In — slow as a cloud. Out — slow as a feather.

4. Weena Goes First

The classroom door clicked open.

Alice peered in through the gap.

Up at the front stood little Weena.

Weena held her drawing with both hands. Her hands were shaking.

Alice held her breath.

Weena opened her mouth. At first, no sound came out.

Alice felt her own tummy squeeze tight.

Then Weena's voice came. It was small. It was wobbly.

"This is my picture of home," Weena said.

That was all. But she said it.

Everyone clapped.

Weena's shoulders dropped down low. She let out a long, slow breath — out, like a feather.

Alice watched that breath. It looked just like her breath on the bench.

Alice looked down at her own drawing. The corner was still a little crumpled.

Her heart was still going thump-thump-thump.

But now it felt different. Not so big. Not so loud.

It felt like something she could hold.

Weena had been scared too. Alice could tell.

But Weena's voice had come out anyway.

Wobbly — and out.

Alice's fingers stopped squeezing so hard. She smoothed the crumpled corner of her drawing.

*It can be done*, she thought. *Even when your voice wobbles.*

5. Alice Steps Forward

Alice stood up.

She breathed in — slow as a cloud.

She breathed out — slow as a feather.

"I feel scared," she said quietly. "And I am going anyway."

She walked through the door.

The room felt big. All the faces looked at her.

Her heart went thump-thump-thump.

She held up her drawing with both hands.

"This is my picture of—" Her voice wobbled on the first word.

She took one more slow breath.

"This is my picture of my favourite place."

Her voice got a little steadier. Then a little steadier again.

She told them about every colour. She told them about every line.

When she finished, the room went clap-clap-clap.

Weena's hands clapped the loudest of all.

Alice felt warm all the way to her toes.

Outside the door, the White Rabbit stopped rushing. His ears stood up tall.

"You did it!" he said.

Alice smiled. She held her drawing against her chest.

"My thoughts were loud," she said. "But they were not the boss of me."

The White Rabbit's nose twitched. Then he smiled too.