Sasha Feels Shy: (A Book about Confidence, Friendship, and Social Skills for Ages 2-5) -- Natalia Shaloshvili, Hardcover

Sasha wants to join in on a playdate, but her shyness keeps getting in the way. A kindhearted, funny, reassuring story for anyone who needs more time warming up in this socially extroverted world.

When Sasha arrives for a playdate at Leo's, she finds him charged up and ready to go. Waving a toy frying pan, he shouts, "I'm Chef Yummy. Step into my café!" Sasha pictures herself making fluffy pancakes, but her shyness quickly takes over. Leo is full of ideas, bouncing up and down as he invites Sasha to play rock stars or astronauts, but Sasha's reticence wins out every time. She wants to be Leo's friend, and she doesn't want to make him sad, but how can she get past this hurdle? With empathy, humor, and some truly adorable characters, Natalia Shaloshvili draws from her own childhood experiences to show that sympathy and understanding can go a long way--and might just lead to the start of a beautiful friendship. Anyone up for a game of space-rocker-pancake chef?

Author: Natalia Shaloshvili
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 01/06/2026
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
ISBN: 9781536248203
Audience: Ages 4-8

Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 11/01/2025

About the Author
Natalia Shaloshvili is the creator of Pavlo Gets the Grumps. Originally from Ukraine, she published a number of picture books before moving to the UK, where she started her career as a fashion and editorial illustrator. She enjoys working with traditional materials such as acrylic and watercolor pencils. Natalia Shaloshvili lives in London.