BRYSON THE BRAVE BISON: FINDING THE COURAGE TO FACE THE STORM, by Nate Davenport, Luke Freshwater, Richard Cowdrey, Zonderkidz, June 27, 2023, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
A young bison learns to face his fears in Bryson the Brave Bison, written by Nate Davenport and Luke Freshwater and illustrated by Richard Cowdrey.
In this world of challenges, we all need a hero … and here comes Bryson the Brave Bison! In the face of a big storm, Bryson shows his crew and the entire herd, that you can get through anything with a little bravery and self-confidence. —Synopsis provided by Zonderkidz
If you’re hoping that Bryson the Brave Bison, is going to be a book about how Bison roam and how they live, then this isn’t the book for you. It’s more of a message book — being brave and weathering storms — rather than a story book. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, if you know what you’re getting first, but it does feel a touch on-the-nose, even for this genre.
The rhythmic text is mostly fun to read aloud. There are a few spots where the phrasing does trip you up. Some “convenient” rhymes and an unnecessary last page really left me wishing for some tighter editing.
Richard Cowdrey’s artwork is the best part of Bryson the Brave Bison. His vintage-style illustrations are full of movement and emotion. Kids will naturally gravitate to this expressive style.
I recommend checking this out from the library prior to purchasing to make sure it’s a good fit for your family.
*Editor’s note: This book was provided to me for review through the Amazon Vine (a program that enables a select group of Amazon customers to post opinions about new and pre-release items to help their fellow customers to make educated purchasing decisions). All opinions are my own.
Copyright © 2023 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
