Harlee Blake
Harlee Handles It Series • Age 9–10 • Mustangs #7
Confident, energetic, competitive, loyal, expressive, funny, determined, and emotionally brave.
Shortstop • Mustangs #7
Sporty & Competitive
Funny & Expressive
Determined & Emotionally Brave
Harlee loves softball, tumbling, country music, singing in the car, playing guitar, making people laugh, and spending time with the people she loves. She is often the first person willing to try something new—even when she is not completely sure she is ready.
Who Is Harlee?
Harlee Blake is a confident, energetic fourth grader with a competitive spirit, a loyal heart, and a personality that fills every room. She is nine to ten years old and plays shortstop for the Mustangs softball team, proudly wearing number 7. Harlee is sporty, expressive, funny, determined, and emotionally brave. She loves softball, tumbling, country music, singing in the car, playing guitar, making people laugh, and spending time with the people she loves. She is often the first person willing to try something new—even when she is not completely sure she is ready.
Harlee’s Story
Harlee is used to being the girl who can handle almost anything. But when softball becomes harder, friendships shift, plans fall apart, or one mistake begins replaying in her mind, her confidence can turn into worry. Throughout the series, Harlee learns that handling something does not mean pretending it does not hurt. It means recognizing what she feels, challenging the story her worries are telling her, asking for support, and choosing what to do next. Her journey reminds readers that confidence is not never feeling nervous. It is trusting yourself enough to keep going—even when things feel uncertain. Harlee does not have to handle everything perfectly. She only has to take the next brave step.
“Confidence is not never feeling nervous. It is trusting yourself enough to keep going.”
Social-Emotional Learning with Harlee
The Harlee Handles It series weaves Harlee’s big-hearted, sporty adventures together with powerful social-emotional learning themes that connect with kids, families, and classrooms.
Resilience and perseverance
Confidence and growth mindset
Emotional regulation
Managing negative self-talk and spiraling thoughts
Coping with mistakes and disappointment
Friendship, communication, and repair
Sportsmanship and teamwork
Asking for help
Trying again after something goes wrong
Books in the Harlee Handles It Series
Harlee Handles It: The Sideways Sleepover (Book 3)
Harlee plans a sleepover filled with friendship, laughter, and perfectly organized fun—but the night quickly turns sideways. Misunderstandings, hurt feelings, an unexpected accident, and a picture problem force Harlee and her friends to slow down and communicate honestly. The girls discover that real friendship is not about creating a perfect night. It is about listening, repairing what went wrong, and making room for everyone’s feelings.
More Harlee Handles It Adventures
Explore more books in the Harlee Handles It series to follow Harlee through big games, tough moments, friendship changes, and the small, brave choices that help her keep going.
Friends, Family & Special Appearances
Mom, Tina
Also one of Harlee’s coaches; encourages Harlee to work hard while reminding her that her value is never determined by a score, mistake, roster, or performance.
Dean
Harlee’s older brother, understands pressure, leadership, and what it feels like when other people expect you to stay strong.
Harper
Harlee’s older sister, thoughtful and observant, helps Harlee look beneath the surface of friendship problems and consider what someone else may be feeling.
Lexie
Harlee’s younger sister, brings imagination, honesty, humor, and a little bit of mess into the Blake family.
Teammates & Friends
Emery, Payton, Brooke, Mia, Jordan, Bailey, and Josh; they navigate competition, misunderstandings, loyalty, apologies, changing friendships, and inclusion together.
Coach Davis
Encourages Harlee to speak honestly, accept guidance, and become a strong teammate both on and off the field.
Meet the Blake Family
Follow each Blake sibling as they face pressure, big feelings, and brave choices in their own stories.
Kelly Dean’s Books | Children’s Stories & SEL Resources for Parents, Teachers, and more 