Beloved Daystar Counseling Pups Equip Kids 4-7 Years to Overcome Common Fears
Nashville, TN—Who let the Daystar dogs out? Beloved Daystar Counseling dogs, Lucy and Owen, star in their first children’s book series, The Daystar Dogs. These full-color illustrated children’s books equip parents to help little kids navigate big emotions. Veteran counselors and bestselling authors Sissy Goff and David Thomas share their fur-clad companion’s stories of overcoming fear and the scary unknown with hopeful encouragement, practical tools, and heartwarming storytelling.
The first two books in the Daystar Dog series are written for children ages 4-7 and are entitled Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage and Owen Learns He Has What It Takes: A Lesson in Resilience. Both will be releasing in early May 2025.
The third and fourth books—Happy Finds Her Calm: A Lesson in Self-Control and Pippa Learns to Share the Spotlight: A Lesson About Jealousy —will be available in November 2025.
Lucy and Owen’s stories of building courage and resilience speak to the heart of what little children need emotionally, socially, and spiritually to overcome fear—love and friendship. As the puppies, and the kids they help, navigate hard situations, children will discover how to regulate emotions, develop necessary social skills, and discover the difference each puppy—and child—can make. The end of both books contains a list of “Helpful Conversation Starters” for adults to help the beloved children in their lives to name and process difficult feelings.
Sissy Goff is the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works alongside her puppy counseling assistant-in-training, Patches the Havanese. Since 1993, she has been helping girls and their parents find confidence in who they are and hope in who God is making them to be. Sissy is a sought-after speaker for parenting events across the country and is a frequent guest on media outlets including NBC News, CNN, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, and Christianity Today. She is the bestselling author of 14 books including her first full-color children’s book, Lucy Learns to be Brave: A Lesson in Courage. She is the co-host of the 11 million+ downloaded podcast, Raising Boys and Girls. A transplanted Razorback who lives in Nashville, you can follow Sissy on Instagram @raisingboysandgirls and @sissygoff. Website: Raisingboysandgirls.com
David Thomas is the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the co-author of eleven books, including his first full-color children’s book, Owen Learns He Has What It Takes: A Lesson in Resilience. He is an in-demand speaker and frequent guest on national television and podcasts and has been featured in publications like The Washington Post and USA Today. He is the co-host of the 11 million+ downloaded podcast, Raising Boys and Girls. He and his wife, Connie, have three adult children, a new son-in-law, a soon-to-be daughter-in-law, and a yellow lab puppy named June. Follow David on Instagram @raisingboysandgirls.
Bethany House is a division of Baker Publishing Group. Bethany House has been publishing high-quality books for more than 60 years. Recognized as the pioneer and leader in Christian fiction, Bethany publishes over 75 new fiction and nonfiction titles annually in subjects including historical and contemporary fiction, Christian living, devotional, family resources, and theology. Bethany titles are frequently found on national bestseller lists.
Contact: Jana Muntsinger, MMPR, 832-247-9308
Owen Learns He Has What It Takes: A Lesson in Resilience
By David Thomas
May 2025 | ISBN 978-0764243462 | Hardcover | $17.99 | 32 pages
Lucy Learns to Be Brave: A Lesson in Courage
By Sissy Goff
May 2025 | ISBN 978-0764243455 | Hardcover | $17.99 | 32 pages
