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Fearless: A Middle Grade Adventure Story
Being fearless doesn't mean you're never afraid.
Ever since the letters from Mom stopped coming, Jessie Nelson has been afraid—afraid that something terrible has happened in the war where her mom is fighting. And afraid that her mom might never come back.
Thinking a change of scenery might be a helpful distraction, Jessie’s dad moves them to a small town in southern Minnesota. There, Jessie meets two new friends: Oscar, a thoughtful boy whose brother just returned from fighting in Afghanistan; and Nicky, a goofy theater kid who constantly cracks jokes.
Together, the three kids stumble upon an old barn with the sound of terrified dogs coming from inside. Wanting to be brave like her mom, Jessie breaks into the barn and discovers a puppy mill where dozens of dogs are being neglected. While she can’t save all the dogs, she can save one. She carts the dog home in a rickety red wheelbarrow. But hiding a stolen dog from Dad and Grandpa causes more problems than Jessie anticipated.
As more time passes, keeping the dog hidden becomes increasingly difficult. In the end, Jessie learns what it means to be brave and that sometimes helping others is the best way to heal yourself.
Ever since the letters from Mom stopped coming, Jessie Nelson has been afraid—afraid that something terrible has happened in the war where her mom is fighting. And afraid that her mom might never come back.
Thinking a change of scenery might be a helpful distraction, Jessie’s dad moves them to a small town in southern Minnesota. There, Jessie meets two new friends: Oscar, a thoughtful boy whose brother just returned from fighting in Afghanistan; and Nicky, a goofy theater kid who constantly cracks jokes.
Together, the three kids stumble upon an old barn with the sound of terrified dogs coming from inside. Wanting to be brave like her mom, Jessie breaks into the barn and discovers a puppy mill where dozens of dogs are being neglected. While she can’t save all the dogs, she can save one. She carts the dog home in a rickety red wheelbarrow. But hiding a stolen dog from Dad and Grandpa causes more problems than Jessie anticipated.
As more time passes, keeping the dog hidden becomes increasingly difficult. In the end, Jessie learns what it means to be brave and that sometimes helping others is the best way to heal yourself.
232 pages, Paperback
Published May 8, 2022
175 people are currently reading
506 people want to read
About the author
Kristin F. Johnson
12 books27 followersKristin Johnson was born and raised in Bloomington, Minnesota. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter with a business degree. Kristin has won two Minnesota State Arts Board artist initiative grants. She was a media specialist and elementary school librarian for Minneapolis Public Schools for two years and taught writing at Metropolitan State University for 12 years.
Kristin was also a host for KFAI’s Write On! Radio program. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her family and their rescue dog, a mixed breed who is mostly half Black Labrador and half Australian Shepherd.
Kristin was also a host for KFAI’s Write On! Radio program. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her family and their rescue dog, a mixed breed who is mostly half Black Labrador and half Australian Shepherd.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 6, 2025
OMG this book was absolutely the best book I ever read! A true heart warming story and I greatly recommend it. Just makes me feel a way I can't even describe! Best book ever
September 10, 2023
Great Summer Adventure Story
I'm an adult who really enjoys reading middle grade books. I think it is because I have two granddaughters who are 9 and 11 and avid readers. They have a black and yellow lab and I believe they would love this story as much as I did.
What does it take to be really fearless? With the help of her new found friends, Oscar and Nicky, Jessie is on her way to discovering what being fearless really means. The story is fast paced, action filled and just wrapped in emotion. I found myself shedding a few tears myself. Was hard to put down. Great ending. Highly recommend.
I'm an adult who really enjoys reading middle grade books. I think it is because I have two granddaughters who are 9 and 11 and avid readers. They have a black and yellow lab and I believe they would love this story as much as I did.
What does it take to be really fearless? With the help of her new found friends, Oscar and Nicky, Jessie is on her way to discovering what being fearless really means. The story is fast paced, action filled and just wrapped in emotion. I found myself shedding a few tears myself. Was hard to put down. Great ending. Highly recommend.
September 18, 2024
My 3rd grade son and I both give Fearless FIVE STARS! We loved that it was based in Minnesota. My son asked to read this every night, we just wanted to know what was going to happen next! We had so many great conversations while reading. Kristin Johnson, you're an amazing author!
August 17, 2024
YOU ARE SO FEARLESS
January 11, 2025
I would rate it more if I could!!!!
May 13, 2022
“But if you do worry, remember that being fearless doesn’t mean you’re never afraid. And if you can help someone else through their fears, you’ll be less likely to be afraid yourself.”
Kristin Johnson’s “Fearless” struck a chord with me, and it was not a note of fear but of empathy and nostalgia. The story’s premise is that 11-year-old Jessie Nelson and her dad head to her grandpa’s house in southern Minnesota after her active-duty mom goes missing in action. Jessie becomes friends with two local boys, Oscar and Nicky, and when an adventure turns into the discovery of a puppy mill, Jessie tries to be fearless like her mom as she rescues one of the dogs and endeavors to keep it a secret. She reflects that “now I had chosen a war, too. I hoped the research I had done at the library would help with that. The dogs were prisoners of war. Dog POWs.” This is one of my favorite aspects of Jessie’s character; Johnson does an admirable job of demonstrating how Jessie connects the events happening in her own life to what her mother or other military members might be experiencing in Afghanistan. Not only that, but the range of honest emotions and the insightful thoughts that Jessie has, such as how another person or a dog is feeling in a certain situation, add depth to her character. I love that she journals in poems, which might encourage readers to explore writing or poetry, or both! Furthermore, the imagination and thought processes of early adolescence are relatable for middle-grade readers and nostalgic for older readers.
With all that is going on in the world today, “Fearless” addresses how unsettling and upsetting events can cause us to grow when we rise up to meet them and help others along the way. Johnson neatly juxtaposes this with elements from “The Wizard of Oz,” which was particularly poignant for me because my mom loved that movie. As may be expected with a story featuring military families, serious topics appear throughout the narrative. There is a military funeral for a townsperson, and one of the characters suffers from PTSD, which is important for people of all ages to be aware of at age-appropriate levels. The puppy mill that is central to the storyline is heartbreaking to read about, but Johnson writes it in such a way that she conveys the awfulness of the situation in as palatable a manner as possible. “Fearless” contains Christian elements, including faith, prayer, and God’s protection—although there is a mention of a same-sex couple—and all of the aforementioned potentially triggering aspects throughout the narrative are handled with care and sensitivity. Everyone faces daunting challenges at one point or another, and it seems that Jessie sums it up best when she tells her dad: “And I know you still hurt, and you’re probably scared, but you can’t not take risks because you’re afraid of getting hurt. You have to put yourself out there again. You have to be…fearless.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
Kristin Johnson’s “Fearless” struck a chord with me, and it was not a note of fear but of empathy and nostalgia. The story’s premise is that 11-year-old Jessie Nelson and her dad head to her grandpa’s house in southern Minnesota after her active-duty mom goes missing in action. Jessie becomes friends with two local boys, Oscar and Nicky, and when an adventure turns into the discovery of a puppy mill, Jessie tries to be fearless like her mom as she rescues one of the dogs and endeavors to keep it a secret. She reflects that “now I had chosen a war, too. I hoped the research I had done at the library would help with that. The dogs were prisoners of war. Dog POWs.” This is one of my favorite aspects of Jessie’s character; Johnson does an admirable job of demonstrating how Jessie connects the events happening in her own life to what her mother or other military members might be experiencing in Afghanistan. Not only that, but the range of honest emotions and the insightful thoughts that Jessie has, such as how another person or a dog is feeling in a certain situation, add depth to her character. I love that she journals in poems, which might encourage readers to explore writing or poetry, or both! Furthermore, the imagination and thought processes of early adolescence are relatable for middle-grade readers and nostalgic for older readers.
With all that is going on in the world today, “Fearless” addresses how unsettling and upsetting events can cause us to grow when we rise up to meet them and help others along the way. Johnson neatly juxtaposes this with elements from “The Wizard of Oz,” which was particularly poignant for me because my mom loved that movie. As may be expected with a story featuring military families, serious topics appear throughout the narrative. There is a military funeral for a townsperson, and one of the characters suffers from PTSD, which is important for people of all ages to be aware of at age-appropriate levels. The puppy mill that is central to the storyline is heartbreaking to read about, but Johnson writes it in such a way that she conveys the awfulness of the situation in as palatable a manner as possible. “Fearless” contains Christian elements, including faith, prayer, and God’s protection—although there is a mention of a same-sex couple—and all of the aforementioned potentially triggering aspects throughout the narrative are handled with care and sensitivity. Everyone faces daunting challenges at one point or another, and it seems that Jessie sums it up best when she tells her dad: “And I know you still hurt, and you’re probably scared, but you can’t not take risks because you’re afraid of getting hurt. You have to put yourself out there again. You have to be…fearless.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
June 8, 2022
I loved this book! I found it exciting and engaging, and very much enjoyed all of the Minnesota references which are very true to form. I read through it in just a couple days, primarily because I couldn’t put it down and wanted to see what was going to happen next.
January 27, 2023
I really enjoyed the book. It reminded me of when we were kids (no computers etc), and every day was an adventure.
January 14, 2023
What a wonderful story full of dog and family love and being fearless even when you are afraid! Main character Jessie Nelson wears the shirt her mom gave her whenever it is clean and tries to be as fearless as the word emblazoned across her chest. But with her mom in Afghanistan and no word from her in over a month, she is finding that harder and harder to do. Then her dad decides that they need a change of scenery and hauls the two of them to a small Minnesota town to stay with widowed Grandpa and she is left without the support of her two closest friends. St. Peter turns out to be a place of new discoveries, friends and ways to act bravely even when feeling afraid. Kristin Johnson’s book gives middle grade readers action, warmth and, hopefully, the encouragement to try new things and to take action when it is needed despite being afraid. The three 11 year old primary characters have different interests and family experiences but find common ground and form a realistic friendship. Oscar’s brother Sam is recently back from his own tour of duty in Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD giving those in grades 4-7 a glimpse at something they may not have experienced in their own lives. Representation: race of main characters is not critical to plot but all three friends are likely Caucasian; a secondary character has a same sex girlfriend and each play small but important roles in the book; one of Jessie’s friends lives with his grandmother. Text is free of profanity and sexual content and the violence/mistreatment towards the dogs in a puppy mill is sad but not overly graphic.
Thanks for sending a copy to #BookAllies, Kristin Johnson.
Thanks for sending a copy to #BookAllies, Kristin Johnson.
March 6, 2023
I am an adult and enjoyed this book, and I think young readers would too. I know my young self would have liked it! The main character is a person you want to root for. She struggles with relatable things - missing her mom, moving house, getting along with her grownups. She’s also an interesting person and getting to know her through her thoughts and actions makes for a great storyline. There author uses vivid details to bring the scenes alive, and there is humor and suspense as well.
June 4, 2024
A very Moving and Heartfelt story
FROM the moment we meet Jessie in this story the reader can relate to her. She is a strong character who makes reckless decisions for all the right reasons. She has a big heart. Dog lovers will especially like this book.
FROM the moment we meet Jessie in this story the reader can relate to her. She is a strong character who makes reckless decisions for all the right reasons. She has a big heart. Dog lovers will especially like this book.
December 31, 2024
Great story and writing for grade 4-7
I thought about rating it 4 stars but for the intended audience I think it deserves the full 5. There is a good variety of interesting characters and the setting in St. Peter is well developed. The energy and progress of the plot it quick and engaging.
I thought about rating it 4 stars but for the intended audience I think it deserves the full 5. There is a good variety of interesting characters and the setting in St. Peter is well developed. The energy and progress of the plot it quick and engaging.
September 1, 2022
When the weekly letters from Jessie Nelson’s mom stop arriving from Afghanistan, she’s worried that something terrible has happened to her. A long, anxious summer stretched before Jessie made only worse when her dad announces that they would be spending the summer with her grandfather in St. Peter, Minnesota. So begins Kristin F. Johnson’s middle grade adventure novel, FEARLESS.
Though she’s numb with worry about her mother’s welfare, she proudly wears the T-shirt her mother gave her before she was deployed, the one emblazoned with the word FEARLESS, a reminder to her that being fearless doesn’t mean you’re never afraid. Fearless will become Jessie’s mantra that summer. She will make new friends and she will become a hero in her own right.
Riding their bikes around St. Peter with her new friends, Oscar and Nicky, the three stumble upon an old barn. Inside there are dogs in small cages, whimpering and whining, and obviously neglected. The barn is the home to a puppy mill and though the kids can’t release them all, Jessie takes one that is in particularly rough shape home with her. She names the dog Dusty and she keeps him under her bed, sneaking food to him each day and letting him out when her father and grandfather are away running errands or visiting friends.
As the story progresses, Jessie learns what true courage is, and she displays a fierce commitment to helping the dogs left behind in the puppy mill. Kids who love dogs and animal stories will love FEARLESS and be inspired by Jessie’s dedication to step outside of her own troubles to help someone else. Johnson has written an adventure story with depth and heart – not too sad, but just enough tension to keep your eight- to ten-year-old (boy or girl) reading.
This is Lin Salisbury with Superior Reviews. Listen to my author interviews on WTIP Radio 90.7 Grand Marais or stream them from the web at www.wtip.org the fourth Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm and the following Saturday morning at 6:00 am.
Though she’s numb with worry about her mother’s welfare, she proudly wears the T-shirt her mother gave her before she was deployed, the one emblazoned with the word FEARLESS, a reminder to her that being fearless doesn’t mean you’re never afraid. Fearless will become Jessie’s mantra that summer. She will make new friends and she will become a hero in her own right.
Riding their bikes around St. Peter with her new friends, Oscar and Nicky, the three stumble upon an old barn. Inside there are dogs in small cages, whimpering and whining, and obviously neglected. The barn is the home to a puppy mill and though the kids can’t release them all, Jessie takes one that is in particularly rough shape home with her. She names the dog Dusty and she keeps him under her bed, sneaking food to him each day and letting him out when her father and grandfather are away running errands or visiting friends.
As the story progresses, Jessie learns what true courage is, and she displays a fierce commitment to helping the dogs left behind in the puppy mill. Kids who love dogs and animal stories will love FEARLESS and be inspired by Jessie’s dedication to step outside of her own troubles to help someone else. Johnson has written an adventure story with depth and heart – not too sad, but just enough tension to keep your eight- to ten-year-old (boy or girl) reading.
This is Lin Salisbury with Superior Reviews. Listen to my author interviews on WTIP Radio 90.7 Grand Marais or stream them from the web at www.wtip.org the fourth Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm and the following Saturday morning at 6:00 am.
June 1, 2022
Fearless is about a young girl named Jessie Nelson whose mother is fighting in Afghanistan in operation Enduring Freedom. Three months have passed since Mom's last letter, and Jessie and her dad fear the worst. Dad moves them in with their Grandpa in the rural town of St. Peter, Minnesota for the summer, hoping a change of scenery will take their minds off the fact that Mom is MIA.
Jessie quickly makes friends with two local boys named Nicky and Oscar, and they set out on a long bike ride where they discover an illegal puppy mill. Jessie's always wanted a dog, and she can't leave without rescuing the mom. The adventure is underway as she brings the dog home and the three attempt to keep Dusty hidden from Jessie's dad and grandpa.
Jessie wears a "fearless" t-shirt (a parting gift from Mom) every day in hopes it will give her the strength she needs to do the right thing. She journals in poems and longs for a letter from her mom, so she'll know she's okay.
Everything comes to a head when a tornado hits the town, damaging several buildings, and Dusty runs away in the mayhem. In this tale of bravery and fear, Jessie tests her mettle and in just the right moment, acts out the motto on her t-shirt.
This middle-grade adventure story has plenty of action to keep 8-12 year-olds turning the page. The heavy subject matter is handled delicately and through the eyes of a child. I highly recommend this book.
Jessie quickly makes friends with two local boys named Nicky and Oscar, and they set out on a long bike ride where they discover an illegal puppy mill. Jessie's always wanted a dog, and she can't leave without rescuing the mom. The adventure is underway as she brings the dog home and the three attempt to keep Dusty hidden from Jessie's dad and grandpa.
Jessie wears a "fearless" t-shirt (a parting gift from Mom) every day in hopes it will give her the strength she needs to do the right thing. She journals in poems and longs for a letter from her mom, so she'll know she's okay.
Everything comes to a head when a tornado hits the town, damaging several buildings, and Dusty runs away in the mayhem. In this tale of bravery and fear, Jessie tests her mettle and in just the right moment, acts out the motto on her t-shirt.
This middle-grade adventure story has plenty of action to keep 8-12 year-olds turning the page. The heavy subject matter is handled delicately and through the eyes of a child. I highly recommend this book.
May 16, 2022
Fearless is a heartwarming, sometimes suspenseful, often humorous story about a young girl navigating between who she thinks she is and who she wants to be, and her mettle is tested when confronted with the opportunity to rescue a puppy-mill dog, living in captivity.
I was immediately drawn in by Jessie’s spunk in the midst of a traumatic family experience (her Army mother is MIA).
I also loved the teasing camaraderie between Jessie and the friends she makes in her new town. I could easily imagine myself at that age, wanting to be Jessie's friend--out to save the world (one dog at a time).
While there are some serious issues related to military characters and the townspeople post-tornado, these issues are presented through a child’s lens, making this an emotional story that is age appropriate and relatable to all.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was immediately drawn in by Jessie’s spunk in the midst of a traumatic family experience (her Army mother is MIA).
I also loved the teasing camaraderie between Jessie and the friends she makes in her new town. I could easily imagine myself at that age, wanting to be Jessie's friend--out to save the world (one dog at a time).
While there are some serious issues related to military characters and the townspeople post-tornado, these issues are presented through a child’s lens, making this an emotional story that is age appropriate and relatable to all.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 1, 2022
this was a beautifully done young adult novel, it really handled the adult topics with a grace. The characters were great and I really loved the way the author writes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 12, 2023
amazing book! 👍
This book was inspiring and I honestly loved it. It has some really good cliff hangers, and I like how there is a dog in it. I recommend this to anyone who likes dog books and twists and turns. :)
This book was inspiring and I honestly loved it. It has some really good cliff hangers, and I like how there is a dog in it. I recommend this to anyone who likes dog books and twists and turns. :)
May 16, 2022
Great for a middle schooler interested in an adventurous summer read. Exciting, engaging and heartwarming.
March 28, 2023
Great story about facing fears and dealing with grief. There is mystery, survival, friendship, and dogs. I would recommend to readers in grades 4-8.
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July 19, 2025WINNER OF A MOONBEAM CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD AND
WINNER OF A MIDWEST INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS AWARD
Dear Reader,
Fearless was inspired by a real dog. Maizy was a puppy mill dog who had many litters of puppies. She was rescued from an Indiana puppy mill. I imagined what it would be like for her if she was rescued from the illegal puppy mill by a young girl who hears the dog's cry for help.
Readership has been amazing! It's been promoted on TV's Kato Living, the Pioneer Press newspaper, and even selected by the Brainerd Area Libraries in Minnesota for their Battle of the Books program in summer of 2024.
Thank you to all the readers (young and old), the librarians, the reviewers, and the dog lovers.
Keep reading!
Kristin
WINNER OF A MIDWEST INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS AWARD
Dear Reader,
Fearless was inspired by a real dog. Maizy was a puppy mill dog who had many litters of puppies. She was rescued from an Indiana puppy mill. I imagined what it would be like for her if she was rescued from the illegal puppy mill by a young girl who hears the dog's cry for help.
Readership has been amazing! It's been promoted on TV's Kato Living, the Pioneer Press newspaper, and even selected by the Brainerd Area Libraries in Minnesota for their Battle of the Books program in summer of 2024.
Thank you to all the readers (young and old), the librarians, the reviewers, and the dog lovers.
Keep reading!
Kristin
June 23, 2022
Fearless is the perfect middle grade summer read. It has everything you could ask for including suspense, longing, love, and friendship. Jessie Nelson's mother is in the service and has been deployed to Afghanistan. Jessie is worried she may not come home. In her absence, Jessie and her father move to St. Peter, Minnesota to stay with her grandfather for the summer. She and her new friends stumble upon a puppy mill where the dogs are horribly mistreated. The trio try to figure out a way to save the dogs, and one dog, Dusty who has stolen Jessie's heart. This book is well-paced and full of adventure, while wrapped in emotion.
July 11, 2022
What a great middle grade read! Jesse has a lot on her plate. She’s missing Mom, a deployed soldier who has gone MIA, and Dad has moved her to a small town where the only other person she knows is her grandpa. She bravely wears her “fearless” tee shirt (a gift from Mom) as she sets out to explore her surroundings, but being fearless is a lot harder than it seems. Jesse has spunk, though, and her new buddies, Oscar and Nicky, prove to be true friends when the three come upon an unexpected situation and Jesse feels she has to act. This is a solid book about friendship, hardship, and holding on to hope. Young readers will love it.
October 5, 2022
This is a pitch-perfect middle grade about a girl who moves to a small town for the summer while her mom is fighting in the Middle East. She and her new friends stumble across a puppy mill and rescue one of the dogs from being killed. It has some great themes about friendship, bravery, and family relationships. Johnson nails the middle grade voice and outlook in what comes together in a tender, heart-warming way.
September 22, 2022
Small town life is anything but boring! This book is full of adventure, struggles, friendship and dogs! Don’t be surprised find your middle grade reader staying up late to read the next chapter! Positive values, charm and plenty of emotional tugs.
February 6, 2023
Great book for middle grade kids. A different story that includes lots of things that could happen in real life and the author did a good job researching everything for it.
November 29, 2023
I love this so much and appreciate that’s it’s genuinely a youth appropriate book. Currently reading this with my 7th grade class! Great story and so many great discussion points!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews