"Bryson the Brave Bison" is a heartwarming and engaging children's book that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through the wilderness. This delightful tale follows the adventures of Bryson, a curious and courageous young bison, as he explores the vast landscapes of his home.

The author's vivid descriptions bring the natural world to life, painting a beautiful picture of the bison's surroundings. From rolling meadows to towering mountains, young readers will be captivated by the stunning imagery throughout the book. Davenport 's writing style is accessible and engaging, making it perfect for both independent reading and bedtime storytelling.

One of the most commendable aspects of "Bryson the Brave Bison" is its emphasis on bravery and self-discovery. As Bryson encounters various challenges, he learns important lessons about resilience, friendship, and the importance of believing in oneself. These themes are skillfully woven into the narrative, offering young readers valuable insights and life lessons in an enjoyable and relatable manner.

Accompanied by charming illustrations by a talented artist, the characters in the book truly come to life. Each page is filled with vibrant colors and expressive drawings that enhance the reading experience and spark the imagination of young minds.

Overall, "Bryson the Brave Bison" is a delightful and uplifting children's book that combines adventure, friendship, and valuable life lessons. Nate Davenport has crafted an enchanting tale that will captivate young readers and leave them eagerly anticipating future adventures with Bryson. It is a must-read for children and parents alike and a wonderful addition to any child's library.

This brilliantly illustrated tale shows how a small Bryson might not actually be that small.
A excellent reminder for kids to find the strength and courage they need inside so they can face anything comes their way.


An Arc was sent by NetGalley.

My 8 month old son and I enjoyed this book about Byron. He loved the pictures and the lyrical cadence to the story and I loved the message about being brave in all of life’s storms. We’d definitely buy a copy of this book to experience the story by holding the book in our hands!

I received a complementary e-copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. I was not asked to leave a positive review. My opinions are my own.

Wonderfully drawn, and with very well-sustained narrative verse, this is the tale of the only bison to sit and think about storms and not run from them. Yes, we're told all the entire bison herd would just dash away from anything stormy in the skies above, but our young hero decides to take the opposite approach, and thus provide an answer to each and every one of us – he will run at the threat and speed through the danger to the bright sunny world the other side. The way this is presented might be thought of as unsubtle but for the visual quality, which really makes this shine. Narratively the end is a bit quick as opposed to the build-up (and a rhyme involving "stature" is very dodgy), but any quibbles remain very small. No bravery is needed in the purchase of this – four and a half stars.

An awesome picture book to teach kids about Bison. And how important they are to Indigenous peoples.

I really love Bryson the Brave Bison by Nate Davenport and Luke Freshwater and it’s message! It’s beautifully written and illustrated and a great lesson. Bryson the Brave Bison is perfect for any story time. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book! My review is also on Goodreads.

This story about Bryson and his bravery in facing a storm did not quite live up to my expectations. Written in rhyme, it doesn't quite hold together in places and feels a bit laboured. I also felt that the cover illustration, which I really liked, gave the impression that the illustrations throughout might be more 'vintage' in style, but in fact they are more like cartoons. I'm afraid it's not a book I'll be recommending.

This was a good story to encourage strong character traits in children. The illustrations are lovely. The content is appealing to children. It does not have actual scriptural content per se, but the lessons contained can easily be tied to a Bible verse to help children remember the One Who is with them in the storm to help them be brave like Bryson. My children enjoyed this story as well.

I requested and received a copy of this book for review. The words and thoughts expressed here are wholly my own.

Though smaller than most, Bryson the bison is part of a herd who is “taught to be brave and be true.” Such a large group of strong animals have fun together and can protect each other from things that seem scary, but when “Thunder and lightning…boom like a drum” the herd is terrified and runs away. Despite never being the “tallest…the strongest, the fastest,” Bryson’s strength is his smarts. Knowing how to think and use reason, Bryson is able to find a problem’s solution. Amidst a fun afternoon of play, a sound suddenly signals “A storm’s on the way!” Will Bryson be able to use his smarts to lead the herd to safety, or will the storm be too much for the tiny bison? Only a strong herd who listens to and helps each other will know.

THOUGHTS: This rhyming picture book is a perfect SEL title for elementary readers. Use it to discuss fears, teamwork, or strengths.

This is a beautifully illustrated story telling how a small Bryson may not be so small after all. Highly recommend.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

This is a story about a young bison who is much braver than the rest of the bison in his herd. Much like my daughter, the bison are terrified of thunderstorms, but living on the prairie, they don't really have a good way to avoid them. So they usually run away from them. But Bryson thinks instead they should run through the storm to get through it faster. Which is a solid point. He tries to convince the herd to try it, but they're all far too scared, until Bryson heads into the storm. They follow and discover that he was right and running through the storm is a better option.

The illustrations had a very old western feeling to them, making me think of the Little House on the Prairie books, which makes sense because it is a book about bison living on the prairie. They helped to show the story as it progressed. I'd probably be okay reading this book a few times before I'd desperately want to move on to something else. Overall I give this book 3.86 out of 5 stars.

Bryson the Brave Bison is a beautifully illustrated picture book that tells the story of a young bison who must find the courage to face a storm and protect his herd. Written in lyrical rhyme, the book is perfect for read-alouds and is sure to captivate young audiences.

The story follows Bryson as he sets out to find shelter for his herd before a storm hits. Along the way, he must overcome his fears and face the dangers of the wilderness. With the help of his friends and his own bravery, he is able to lead his herd to safety.

The vintage-style artwork by NYT bestselling artist Richard Cowdrey is truly stunning, with each page bursting with detail and color. The illustrations perfectly capture the beauty and grandeur of the wilderness, as well as the characters' emotions and expressions.

What sets Bryson the Brave Bison apart is its emphasis on positive character traits such as bravery, courage, and trust. These themes are woven throughout the story in a way that is both accessible and inspiring for young readers. The book serves as an excellent reminder that even the smallest and seemingly weakest of us can be heroes when we have the courage to face our fears.

Overall, Bryson the Brave Bison is an ideal gift for any time of year. It is a charming and uplifting book that will delight young readers and inspire them to be brave and courageous in the face of adversity. The combination of beautiful artwork, engaging storytelling, and positive themes makes it a must-have addition to any children's bookshelf.

First of all really love the fact that the authors of this book went with the more correctly factual bison name and also found a name that nicely rhymes with it thus ensuring there would be no slip-up to the more commonly used buffalo.

Anyway <i>Bryson the Bison</i> is a story that explores a herd of bison and the fact that all of the animals are scared of storms thus run away from it. Like millions of other stories the main protagonist and hero of the story is the stereotypical "runt" of the group who makes up for his weakness with a superior head on his shoulders in comparison to the rest. And one day he convinces the rest to face their fears. But what makes this book so different from the rest is the interesting character selection, the fact that the story flows in its rhyming sequence so well and the fact that the less on is one that is rather image-building in the mind than so much other used mantras.

The only reason why Bryson and his friends didn't get a much higher star rating from me is the fact that the illustrations were just a bit off. The bison weren't colored right but I could have dealt with that and the eerie eye situation of bison whose eyes are naturally on the side of their head but are in the book looking forward if it wasn't for the human hair. The need to separate various characters from the herd was interesting but I felt that instead of unrealistic human hair the illustrator could have kept with small changes like different formed horns, coloration of the actual animals and even the "strongbison" type with the wood stuck on his horns.

Another aspect that bothered me was so much usage of lines of actions that instead of conveying these animals moving it added a strange exaggeration to the page while making it feel like you were looking at the animals either as they had cartoonishly ran into a non-moving line and were ricocheting back or that there was just something not completed in the illustration itself.

Furthermore I thought the message was quite cute event though I would give more props to confessing that bison are scared of storms given to the violent nature of tornadoes in the homes they inhabit. But even overlooking that, though, the book is most definitely one of good message and if you don't mind some weird illustration types than I think your children will most definitely enjoy this story of courage.

**I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

There aren't too many books about bison, and as a bison is my alma mater's mascot, I always pick them up when I see them! This one was quite fun, telling the story of one brave bison who convinces his herd that they should run right into a thunderstorm to get through it/away from it faster than they would by trying to run away. I googled it after reading and it is true - bison are the only animals known to do this - instead of huddling in place like cows they will run headlong into storms and pass through to the other side! Brilliant animals. Even without the scientific accuracy, this is a good lesson for children: sometimes in life we just have to face our fears head-on instead of trying to run away from our problems. Bonus points for this being illustrated by Richard Cowdrey, whose work on the Fiona the Hippo series I love!

My daughter and I really enjoyed this fun little story. I loved all the problem solving throughout. The illustrations were very colorful and told a story as well.

This was a cute read and something I could see incorporating into my classroom. My students would love the illustrations and the theme would be great to tie into problem solving and cooperation.

Bryson the Brave Bison is an adorable children’s book with a great message. The illustrations are so detailed. My son loved the face that each bison had its own unique hair style. He was laughing so much. Bryson was so brave and helped his friends to safety. It was a great opportunity to teach my son about bravery. I couldn’t say enough good things about this book! It’s just wonderful!

I really enjoyed this book and so did my children. The illustrations are beautiful and the moral of the story was wonderful.

A great story about courage and being brave!
As a retired elementary teacher, I loved the message, the illustrations and especially the rhyme. This book would be an excellent addition to any family or classroom library.
Bryson is a large bison, but is afraid of storms. When he uses his knowledge and helps his friends to get out of the storm, he is the hero! A great story about overcoming your fears.
Thanks to NetGAlley and the publisher for this ARC in return for my review.

Bryson the Brave Bison was a great book on showing children how to overcome their fears. If you just run away from your fears they never truly leave, only by confronting them will you be free. The illustrations for this book were also wonderful and I would highly recommend this title to libraries and children that are struggling with fears.