Book Pages

Thursday, October 15, 2020

The Brave by James Bird

 How I Heard About It:
*The ARC came to me quite a few months ago through my #bookexpedition group.  I wasn't able to read it at the time, so I sent the book onto the next reader.  Recently, I kept hearing about the story and how powerful it was.  I decided to download it via Audible and listen while driving to and from work.  All I can say is, "WOW!  What a read/listen."  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Meet Collin:  lives in California with his dad, they don't speak of his mother, is picked on my other kids at school, and has a condition where he "counts" the words both he says and the people around him.


*After multiple "problems" at school, Collin's dad decides it would be best for Collin to go live with his mother.

*Collin relocates with his dog, Seven, to northern Minnesota where he meets his Ojibwe mother for the first time.

*Living on the reservation with his mother, Collin experiences a whole new type of world where his condition isn't looked down on and actually improves as he spends time with his mother.

*The biggest surprise for Collin is meeting the neighbor girl who changes his world in more ways then he could ever imagine.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
*When I posted a comment on social media, I compared this story to the likes of Wonder, Fish In a Tree, Walk Two Moons, and Bridge to Terabithia.  

*I know this book will stand out as one of my all-time favorite middle-grade novels.

*The plot had all the "feels" I crave as a reader and had me in tears on several occasions.  

*There were so many incredible heart-warming moments, surprises, and connections woven throughout the pages.  James Bird blew me away with his writing.  

*As a reader, I was fascinated about the life of the Ojibwe and found their beliefs on the world to be eye-opening, tender, and important.  


Who Should Read It:
*The book is long at 320 pages, so I think readers should be in fifth, sixth, and middle-school.  I do believe the story would make for a tremendous and important class read aloud.  Adult readers who enjoy middle-grade writing, definitely need to put this title on their TBR list.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:  5+ STARS out of 5 Stars


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