not to be afraid of fear
Illustration of a children's story
In these drawings I wanted to make a suitable work to explain to children between 5 and 10 years old the body signals that happen in the human body when we feel fear, fright or fear of something that seems threatening. My idea, born from psychology and the deep conviction that a proper education in what we are and how our biology works can help us to understand ourselves better, heal and face things that are overwhelming and even more when we are small and do not have many coping tools. That’s why I created a series of drawings to help children recognize and name the physical sensations of fear—so that fear becomes something we can talk about, draw, and even smile at.
goosebumps
When fear rises quietly through the skin.
One of these sensations is called “goosebumps”—when the tiny muscles under our skin contract and make our hairs stand up. It’s a very old survival response. Our body does it when it feels a sudden chill or when we’re scared. Long ago, this made animals look bigger to scare away danger.
To illustrate this, I drew a little ballerina standing on tiptoe—like the body getting alert, rising up—with a gentle goose in the background. It's a poetic way of showing how fear prepares us to react, but it doesn’t have to be scary. It can be something we understand with love.
Eyes Wide Like Records
How fear opens our vision
When we feel afraid, our eyes open wide—sometimes so wide they feel like two big disks catching everything around us. This is not random: it’s a brilliant move from our nervous system.
In moments of fear, the brain activates the amygdala, a tiny structure that helps us detect danger. It sends signals to our autonomic nervous system, preparing the whole body to react fast. One of the first responses is the widening of the eyes. Our pupils dilate, letting in more light, so we can see better and faster.
To explain this, I drew a mustached man with two old vinyl records for eyes—like giant, spinning sensors! It’s a funny way to show a very real process: fear makes our eyes grow big, not because we’re weak, but because we’re becoming extra aware.
The Monster on the Screen
When fear comes from what we don’t understand
Sometimes, fear doesn’t come from something real or near—it comes from things we see, but don’t understand. Like a strange shape on the screen, or a sound we can't explain. Our brain, always trying to keep us safe, fills in the blanks with something scary.
This is part of what scientists call cognitive dissonance—when our mind sees something that doesn’t match what we expect or know. It confuses the brain’s prediction system, which normally helps us feel in control. When the picture doesn’t make sense, the brain may signal fear, just in case.
To show this, I drew a cute little monster coming out of an old TV set. He’s not dangerous—just misunderstood. Like many things that seem scary at first, he just needs a second look and a bit of explanation.