Home / The Books / Emma and the Silver Sword

Emma and the Silver Sword book cover — a girl in a teal cloak holding a sword on a hillside above a fjord village at sunset
Courage

Emma and the Silver Sword

A story about being brave.

Emma is small, and Emma gets scared of the dark, the deep, and the crash of thunder. So when her father sails away and his treasured silver sword is left behind on spooky Black Fog Isle, Emma makes a daring choice: she grips the oars and rows out alone through the cold and fog. On a misty, haunted island, Emma learns that being brave doesn't mean you feel no fear — it means taking one small step while your heart is still pounding.

It's Courage: feeling afraid, and stepping through the fear to do the hard thing anyway.

A Peek Inside

A few pages from Emma's journey to Black Fog Isle.

Illustration of a Viking father hugging his daughter Emma close before sailing away
"Each night he'd hug her close and say these words she carried every day."
Illustration of a father and daughter walking toward a misty, castle-like mountain across a rainbow-lit field
"'Come meet my king across the land. He has a test for you that's grand.'"
Illustration of Emma meeting a gentle reindeer in the misty forest of Black Fog Isle
"Not scary, not a sweet surprise."
ᚠ

Rooted in Old Norse Myth

Emma and the Silver Sword is an original tale drawn from the Old Norse legend of Hervor, the brave girl of the Hervarar saga who crosses the sea to a mist-shrouded isle to claim her father's ancestral sword — a reminder that being brave isn't the absence of fear, it's finding the courage to step through it.

More Tales in the Series

Livvy and the Lost Boat book cover Livvy and the Lost Boat Grace and the Long Winter book cover Grace and the Long Winter Will and the Giant King book cover Will and the Giant King

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Emma and the Silver Sword teach?

Courage. Emma learns that being brave doesn't mean feeling no fear — it means taking one small step even when your heart is pounding.

What age is this book for?

Ages 3 to 8, and it's perfect for reading aloud.

Is it scary for little kids?

No. There's a foggy island and a mysterious horned shadow, but it turns out to be a gentle reindeer — it's a worry-free adventure with a warm, happy ending.

What Norse myth is it based on?

The legend of Hervor from the Old Norse Hervarar saga, softened for children.

Is it written in rhyme?

Yes — gentle, read-aloud rhyme from beginning to end.