Brian the Brave

by Paul Stewart, Jane Porter (illustrator)

Every sheep is different. Some white, some black. Some striped, some spotted, some with hats! They're all still sheep, and they can all play together. At least that's what Brian thinks—until the other sheep say they can be friends only with sheep that are just like them.

But when danger strikes, can Brian help the sheep come together? Can Brian the ordinary become Brian the Brave?

This lively story with bright, playful artwork will prompt conversations about friendship, teamwork, and bias based on race or language.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2019

About the author

Paul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers – from picture books to football stories, fantasy and horror. Together with Chris Riddell he is co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles, which has sold more than three million copies and is available in over twenty languages. They have also collaborated together on lots of other exciting books for children of all ages. The Far-Flung Adventure series includes the Gold Smarties Prize Winner Fergus Crane, and Corby Flood and Hugo Pepper, both Silver Nestle Prize Winners. Then there are the Barnaby Grimes books, two Muddle Earth adventures, and the sci-fi Scavenger and fantasy Wyrmeweald trilogies. For younger readers there is the Blobheads series, while for the very young, Paul has written several picture books, including the Rabbit and Hedgehog series, In the Dark of the Night and, his latest, Wings.

Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute little picture book about a bunch of funky-looking sheep who have to overcome their biases to save their own sheepskins.

First of all, I love the page at the beginning introducing all the sheep with their unique appearances. Their names are pretty amusing, too. Once we get into the story, it's obvious that we're reading about racism and language biases. Brian's pretty open to playing with all sorts of different sheep, but some of the others don't want to play with a white sheep or a plain sheep or a sheep that uses funny words. Eventually, the biased sheep all run off to play together, leaving Brian all by himself. Now, a sheep by himself is ripe for the picking, and poor Brian does encounter a wolf. The wolf chases him and then chases all the other sheep, not caring one whit about whether they have horns or fancy wool or how they bleat. It's Brian who rallies the rest of them to take on the wolf, and they eventually defeat him and then prance off into the field together to play.

The message is a little heavy-handed, although for little kids the lack of subtlety is probably okay. I'm guessing that there are also going to be people who see this as having a white-supremacist tone, since Brian is white and is the sheep who's first discriminated against (I would hope that people wouldn't read so much into a children's picture book, but I won't be surprised if it happens). We've got striped and polka-dotted sheep here, though, so it's not like there's a straight art-to-life comparison. Any group can be discriminated against, and we see that here with the sheep not wanting to play with each other if they're too plain, too white, too horny (um... you know what I mean), too creative with their word choices, etc.

The colourful collage illustrations are interesting. Each sheep is distinct and unique. The wolf is kind of rough-looking, but it's suitably scary with lots of teeth and a lolling red tongue. I don't really have any complaints about the pictures; they're pretty fun to look at, and complement the story well.

Overall, this is a nice little book about overcoming prejudice and appreciating the similarities that bring us together rather than the differences that set us apart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flyaway Books for providing a digital ARC.

[Ren ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ IsBuriedInBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian is just a regular sheep in a regular field doing regular sheep things when along came another sheep, and another, and another... Each new sheep or sheep(s) has an objection to the way another sheep looks or speaks. Friendships are made and abandoned due to their differences.

Soon, Brian finds himself sad and alone. That is, until he comes face to face with a wolf who is not so picky about the characteristics of his next meal. Brian tracks down the other sheep to warn them about the wolf. Even though they’d rejected him because of wool that was the wrong color, because the words he used were weird, or because his horns weren’t just right, Brian was brave enough to confront them all. He taught them that they were all sheep regardless of their differences. He teaches them that to survive with the wolf around, they’d need to work together.

Paul Stewart has written a story that will always be relevant in childhood. Jane Porter’s illustrations bring the sheep to life in a colorful and attractive way. Their book teaches that coming together because of their similarities is better than being apart due to their differences. “Courage comes in all sheep and sizes.”


Thanks to Flyaway Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest and unbiased. #NetGalley #BrianTheBrave

[Gladimore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be brave like Brian! Of all the sheep Brian has the clearest head in a time of trouble. Brian knows what is most important. Brian wants to include everyone. Brian believes everyone is important. No matter how different. A story of friendship and acceptance.
#Netgalley

[Christina Potter Bieloh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brian the Brave is a nicely illustrated story. The intent of the story is a great one. It is meant to be about friendship, learning to accept each other's differences, and standing up for what is right.

I had a couple of problems with the book. First, there were a lot of sheep who were quickly introduced, and it was hard to keep up with them and their various differences (black, white, curly horn, etc).

Second, and more importantly, I am not crazy about how the sheep went from excluding each other to all ganging up on the wolf. I know the wolf was big and scary and had bad intentions, but in school we don't encourage children to go all "vigilante justice". We teach them to walk away or to find an adult. We don't suggest they all band together to beat up the wolf so he will leave.

I enjoyed the illustrations. I liked the contrast of how when the sheep were playing, the curved text of "round and round the field and over the little hill" suggested playfulness, but instead the reality was that someone was being excluded.

Also, Brian was brave, and he does provide a good example of standing up for what is right.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy. #netgalley #brianthebrave

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another picture book saved by the fun illustrations. The story centers around sheep that are each different in one way -- curly horns instead of straight, white wool instead of black, using silly words, etc. They each get discriminated against by the crowd at one time or another yet still discriminate based on the ways they each match each other. Forced dialog and stilted writing tells of how they all meet and get along ("Hello," said Brian. "Let's all be friends!" But Cassidy, Ernest and Lou said...). The writing reminded me very much of what educator Charlotte Mason called "twaddle" -- picture books devoid of enriching vocabulary, rhythm and story telling -- the kind of writing you see in books written about Barbie. The moral is heavy handed and predictable -- they're all mean to each other and then feel bad when they're excluded themselves, then a wolf comes along and they have to band together against a common enemy and see how great they all are after all. This is not the kind of book I'd enjoy reading again and again to my kids. It's a bit like reading a Dick and Jane book, unfortunately. As mentioned, the artwork is colorful and fun, though.

My rating system:

1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about friendship, racism, being proud of your differences and celebrating your similarities. Brian is just a regular sheep who does regular sheep things. He meets many new sheep, who look different from Brian. Some are a different colour, some have curly horns, and some do different things. They don't want to associate with Brian because he does not look like them or he is different in some way. Soon, Brian finds himself sad and alone, as he is abandoned by his friends. But when a wolf comes along, Brian warns the other sheep and they band together to save themselves from the wolf. Brian is brave and risks himself to save the other sheep. They realize that it doesn't matter what their differences are, they need to band together and be friends in order to survive.

Paul Stewart has written a story that is very timely and relevant. With all the racism, especially with all the immigration happening, this is a very important issue. Jane Porter’s illustrations bring the sheep to life in a colorful and attractive way. Their book teaches that coming together because of their similarities is better than being apart due to their differences. My granddaughter thought this was cute story and that the sheep were mean. The underlying message was there, but she is pretty accepting. Children aren't born racist, racial prejudice is something we learn. Maybe adults reading this will understand and undertake the message. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, idea and opinions shared are my own.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian is a free-spirited little sheep who loves to play and loves everyone to be included in that playtime. But sadly he soon finds out that the other sheep don't have the same tolerance level as he does. They will only play with sheep who they pick and they make the rules as to who gets that privilege. Unfortunately Brian doesn't fit their expectations and he is shunned from playing.

Poor Brian goes off broken-hearted and alone. Rejection is a hard pill to swallow. Then a mean, blood-thirsty wolf appears out of nowhere and Brian knows he needs the help of the others to ward off this dastardly villain. He warns the other sheep of the grave danger that is among them and bravely awaits to see how they will respond. Will they rally together and fight off this treacherous beast? Will their differences dissipate and they all come together as a mighty sheep-force-to-be-reckoned-with and put their petty differences aside?

This story is about friendship, teamwork, inclusivness, kindness, and bias based on race or language. It is sure to spark conversations around those themes at home or in classrooms. The illustration are colourful, playful, expressive and enrich the text visually. The book celebrates our uniqueness and what a beautiful thing that can be. I highly recommend this book.

[Terry Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you FlyAway Books for this free copy of Brian the Brave.

Lazily grazing on grass, Brian is content. All ng comes another sheep. She greets Brian and introduces herself as Rose. “ Hi” said Brian. “Let’s be friends”. They run off frolicking up and down the hill. Along comes another sheep. He introduces himself as Rodney . When Brian suggests the three of them be friends, Stanley tells him he only plays with sheep that look like him, with black wool. Stanley finds white wool such as Brian’s ugly. Stanley and Rose saunter off to run up and down the hills. Along comes several more sheep, each time different from the others, and each time someone is left out of the playing because they don’t fit in.

Brian is feeling sad and wanders off on his own when suddenly a large wolf springs out of nowhere. Brian runs towards all the sheep to warn them but he’s too late; they’ve scattered everywhere. Then he has an idea *cue the lightbulb. Follow along as Brian unites the group despite their differences and defeats the wolf.

Such a simple yet wonderful story of friendship, harmony, and unity. For adults reading this book I’d include narrow mindedness . This story is a great way to reach children that appearances don’t define a person.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story that encourages children to look beyond physical differences and to band together. It uses sheep who start out trying to be friends, but as their friend group expands, one friend discriminates against another one simply because of how one looks. For example, one with black wool refuses to play with one with white wool.

There's almost a round robin of sheep going up against each other, so that more than one of them can feel what it's like to be left out. But then they learn how to band together when danger strikes and realize that they work better as a group.

Some children may pick up on what is happening just by reading it, but I would suggest using this as a launchpad for discussion about being friends in spite of surface differences. Inside, we are all the same.

The illustrations are a little reminiscent of Eric Carle's style as they are done in a multimedia way of collage and paint. It's a cute book.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for fulfilling my request for a review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Vonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are about 8 sheep in this story. I can’t tell you their names because the author didn’t develop their personalities and I couldn’t easily tell one from another. There wasn’t anything notable in the illustrations to differentiate them either. The point of the book was that some sheep excluded others based on appearance. The horned sheep didn’t want to play with those who had no horns. Some others excluded sheep based on the color of their fleece.

One of the sheep made up the strange word bungalungabam. The others told him it wasn’t a real word and once again you find them being inclusive and exclusive in whatever ways they please.

I felt like the author might have some underlying agenda. I won’t even begin to speculate what it might be, though I have several ideas. I’ll let you be the judge of that for yourself.

I received an electronic copy from the galley in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian the Brave is a sheep who just wants to play with everyone. As new sheep come into the pasture he quickly learns that not all sheep want to play together. Some only want to play with those who look just like them, or those who have horns and other only want to play with sheep that have black wool. Everyone is going their separate way, until the wolf comes onto the scene. Then the sheep, led by Brian the Brave, realize they have to work together if they want to make it out of this story alive. They learn to cooperate and work together. This book will be a great teaching tool for fairness and and kindness. What a great tool for a storytime read and discussion. Pre-schoolers and K-2 kids will get this book.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Flyaway Books through NetGalley.
Brian the sheep tries to be friends with all the other sheep. However, most of them prefer to create cliques and small groups that leave someone out. He stands tall and calls them out on this. Things go well until something happens and Brian is excluded again. He runs away; encounters a wolf; tries to warn the rest of them, but is too late. In the end, he rallies them and they defeat the wolf.
Stewart presents a valuable lesson on getting along and being open to playing with everyone. Terrific book to use at the elementary level to talk about playground and classroom behavior. Characters are easy to relate to whether in sheep or human form.
Illustrations show character expressions and action.

[J David · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRAIN THE BRAVE by Paul Stewart with spectacular colorful illustrations by Jane Porter is physically a beautiful book. High quality high gloss paper with large and colorful illustrations that demand your attention. And the story is equally compelling with a lesson to respect our differences which is self-rewarding. Each sheep had an objection to another sheep be it color, horns, curly horns and so on. They only came together and recognized themselves as one when they were confronted by a threatening wolf. There is strength in numbers and differences aren't really important. We learn to love another despite his or her differences. I highly recommend this picture book for children.

[Megan Carpenter, Nurse Practitioner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book courtesy of Flyaway Books in exchange for my honest opinion.As a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) I have a unique interest in children's books that are engaging to children but also teach them life lessons. In this book, bullying and 'picking favorites' occur, but when something bad happens, the characters band together, and they are able to have victory in the situation. The story was slightly confusing but overall, I would recommend the book.

[Reading Mom.me · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story lacked just that a story! Brian is a sheep trying to find a friend to play with but the other sheep don’t want to include him.
. The premise had so much promise and the illustrations were bright and colourful but the overall story just fell flat. It’s a quick read so good for kids with short attention spans but all and all not very entertaining.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about diversity and how we can and should all try to get along despite our differences. On each page a different sheep gets left out, for different reasons each time. Relates to the way these things happen on a playground, in school, or with any group of people. The final message is that it is our diversity that can bring us together and about working together to help each other.

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested and received an e-ARC from NetGalley and Flyaway Books in exchange for an honest review.

This book was cute. The illustrations were colourful and fun and the message was great. This book will teach kids not to judge others by their colour, shapes, or sizes; and about getting to know one another first.

#BrianTheBrave #NetGalley

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cute book. I love all the different sheep. I like that the main sheep is named Brian. I love animals with people names. Very colorful and a good message.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Flyaway Books for a copy of this book about accepting the differences of others that is accompanied by lovely illustrations.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The message is a bit heavy handed and doesn't make for a great read.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Embracing differences & working together for the common good

[Lara Bate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of accepting everyone regardless of their differences.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The illustrations really brought this book to life! They look like adorable little canvas paintings and have vibrant colors. The storyline was a little confusing just because everyone was excluding different people for different reasons, but it definitely helped with the point of the book: everyone is different in their own way and we should be friends with everyone.

[Rebecca Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sensing a theme with new picture books...lots of them are talking about diversity and accepting differences in others. This isn't a bad thing since the books often approach diversity in different ways. With this one, there's one sheep who wants to play with all the other sheep that keep showing up, but each group of sheep have specifics of who they will and will not play with. This continues until they are all forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive.

[Amber Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian the Brave is the story of a sheep that just wants to play with everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to play with him or with everyone else. He quickly learns that not all sheep want to play together. Some sheep only want to play with those that have horns and other only want to play with sheep that have black wool. This book will be an incredible teaching tool for fairness, inclusivity and kindness. I can't wait to share with my class and start some big discussions.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I love the illustrations, they're bright, cheerful, full of fun, and go perfectly with the story. Brian is a very friendly sheep who just wants to make new friends. But as Brian meets new sheep, he finds that not all of them want to be friends because of various biases. Some don't like sheep with white wool, or without horns, or who use funny words. But when a wolf shows up, they decide to work together to chase him away, by turning their differences into strengths. A good story to help younger children understand inclusivity, and that it's okay to be different.

#BrianTheBrave #NetGalley

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story about seeing the good in everyone around. How difference don’t matter and just make each person unique. The story is fun and so are the illustrations. They have color and texture, and depth. A wonderful addition to any collection.

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I first got into this book I thought it was going to turn out to be a disappointing look at the racism problem. It's not. It introduces goats with all kinds of differences, and all kinds of prejudices, and shows that they not only CAN but HAVE TO work together and be friends to make it in life. The artwork was very engaging.