I still ready nightly (or nearly so!) to DS8 who reads at a high school level. It's our ritual to stay connected and talk about things that may not come up or topics he may not want to broach. When I think there's something on his mind, I use "Some of My Best Friends are Books" or other Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook to find a book that addresses the topic. I use picture books a lot! We talk about how the character feels. This really helps open up my otherwise guarded boy!
Along those lines, maybe you can find a book that is about a girl who is scared of everything but realizes she can be brave and try new things?
