This children's biography about The Brontës introduces children to the Brontës by focusing on the family at their most relatable--when they were creative kids with a passion for nature and an insatiable appetite for storytelling.

I loved this book!! What I loved most was that the author's and illustrator's clear focus was making the Brontës relatable to young readers. The writing style is engaging and serves to beckon readers in to this view of the lives of the Brontë children. The illustrations are gorgeous and captivating as they use various perspectives (above, from the side, etc.) to add visual interest for readers.

While most of the book is about the childhood of the Brontë family, this focus sets readers up for a seamless transition into the professional careers of the Brontë sisters. The author accomplishes this by framing their childhood with a focus on their creativity and love of stories. For those who want to know more about their careers, there is a timeline of their lives and author's note that provide this information. I thought the limited focus on the adult lives of the Brontës was an appropriate choice, as this allows the book to retain a broad appeal to young readers, most of whom have not even heard of the family.

I will certainly be purchasing this for my library's biography collection!

This little book was so sweet. I loved the artwork, all the little details. This book gives an instant classic vibe. Already pre-ordered a copy for our local library!

I really like the Bronte sisters and this sweet book with delightful illustrations is a perfect way to introduce younger readers to these amazing authors.

I particularly liked how well the story flowed as I read it aloud to my children. It was so easy to get caught up in the narrative of this story and I could see so much of my own children's imaginations coming to life as they looked at the beautifully illustrated pictures.

A major bonus to this book is that it concludes with an "author's note" with true historical information about the Bronte family which makes the book great for both the casual reader and one who is using this as a "living" textbook in a home-schooling curriculum.

Finally, this book adds an interactive element by giving a detailed explanation on how to make a "little book" just like the Bronte kids did in the story.

Amazing colors and wonderful drawings. It made a nice feel and connection to the timeframe and timeline of the story and history of the Bronte sisters. I would definitely recommend this book has light and easy informative reading for students as young in 5th grade. Imagination in childhood is powerful, that we forget as adults.

Thank you also, I just reviewed The Little Books of the Little Brontës by Sara O'Leary. #NetGalley

I LOVED this book! I knew nothing of their stories before reading his picture book and am inclined to read more about these interest siblings. The pictures in this book were perfection—they truly brought the words to life. As a family who loves to read and write stories this touched that place inside a mom who wants to foster that same imagination and playfulness and happiness these four siblings had. An absolutely wonderful book!!

*I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.

A short and sweet book about the Bronte siblings. I really like the illustrations! I also love that it tells you how to make your own little book!! And it gives a timeline at the end of the book. Very helpful!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you for the Advanced Readers Copy.

For a children's book this was very cute. I wish I could have seen the illustrations better, but when I downloaded the book the illustrations were weird and distorted. Having seen the movie To Walk Invisible about the Bronte sisters, I have adored and respected them even more than before. I loved that there was a book that was showing how amazing these young women were. I also loved that the author put instructions for the kids on how to make a little book of their own like Charlotte! I loved this encouragement for young authors!

What a fabulous book! I do believe that any young and budding Bronte fans are sure in for a treat with this reveal of the lives of the Brontes during their younger years. The illustrations are really amazing too with so much fine detail portraying the young Brontes, their lives in the great outdoors and how they had cultivated their writing, which eventually built up over the years, pouring into their adult offerings.

In my opinion, any young reader who gets their hands on a copy of this book is bound to be inspired to aspire to creating one of their own books. To help them out, the author has included a step-by-step guide for doing just that, similarly as the Bronte siblings once had done. So you see, there is extra potential enjoyment here. I reckon this book is destined to being a keeper and therefore earns a 5-star recommendation from me.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

March 2023

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

This book is precious! I loved the illustrations and the story of the Brontë girls. They are some of my favorite authors and I like the idea of introducing influential female authors to younger kids even if they can't quite read the books they are famous for.

Set to be released October 2023 this book is a delightfully illustrated, very well researched tale of four Bronte siblings and the role that reading, literature and story telling played in their young lives in England.
It would serve as a wonderful introduction to the Bronte family, the isolated life they led and how they went from reading books to becoming world famous authors whose works are beloved to this day.
The author includes book-making instructions so children can make their own little books after reading.
A timeline and bibliography are also included giving lots of ways to find out further information about this enchanting family.
A wonderful addition to a classroom or home library!


Thanks to the author Sara O'Leary, the publisher Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for allowing me a sneak peek at this lovely book.

Purely delightful to read! A brilliant way to introduce children to the Brontes and a love of books!

An alternate history of a famous literary family. This well-researched picture book features the little Brontes, Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and Bramwell, enjoying childhood games and creating their imaginative little books. Beautifully illustrated and dream-like. There are hidden gems in the background of every illustration and throughout the writing on each page you feel drawn into the childhood fun as if you were a part of their family. Featured at the end of the story is a timeline of the Brontes' lives and a step-by-step guide for making your own little books.

The Little Books of The Little Brontes is perhaps the most wonderful, sweet stories I have ever read! An adorable telling of the lives of the Bronte siblings as children and their fascination with telling stories. Focusing on the books they used to write and glue together for each other, The Little Books of The Little Brontes is a prefect biography for any child with an interest in storytelling!

Gorgeous, earthy illustrations paired with simple biographic facts make for a winning combination in The Little Books of the Brontes by Sara O'Leary and Briony May Smith. So many children's biographies today are way too dense for their intended audience, but this picture book is a perfectly balanced telling of the Bronte siblings' early lives with a focus on their love of reading and writing their own books. The limited palette of colors in Smith's illustrations reinforces the simplicity of the time period which allowed for the four siblings' creativity to flourish. The timeline, author's note, and directions for creating your own little book are wonderful teaching resources and follow-up activities to this beautifully rendered tale which will be a delight to read aloud in classrooms, libraries, and homes alike. I look forward to more picture book collaborations by Sara O'Leary and Briony May Smith in the future!

Sara O'Leary, wonderful just wonderful! Should be in every school library for young children to encourage reading and arts. This book will help a child (and adults) gain an interest in the Brontë classic novels, which would promote a lifetime of reading. This beautifully illustrated story is a nice easy read, best for young children, but will be enjoyed by all. Helping a child create their own little books with the author’s instructions, is a great way to market this as a heart-warming “interactive” book, with strong family traditions feels! Excellent decision to include that! Absolutely loved it. Five out of five stars!

This picture book is about imagination, siblingships, and love of stories. I loved the sweet illustrations and although there is no plot, just painting the childhoods of the 4 Bronte siblings, their family, and their creativity, I loved it. I love the works of the Bronte's (although I haven't read anything of Anne's or Branwell's) and this sweet book is a reminder of the beauty of childhood imagination.

Brave, Poignant, Intriguing, Inspiring, Unique, Unusual, Sweet and Reminiscent! Ok, I have never rated a book quite like this one before, but I have also never read one quite like this one before. The pictures are so unusual and sometimes very tiny, and one just doesn;t know what to expect next.

I want to thank the author Sara O'Leary, the publisher Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley are allowing me to read an ARC of this Little Book of the Little Brontes story.

What a delightful book!
This is about the early years of the Brontë sisters’ lives. They grew up in a small town and entertained themselves by writing stories and playing with toy soldiers.
I read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre in high school. I loved them then, and I need to reread them!!
This book is great for a young child or for a classroom. The illustrations are precious!
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A story about the Bronte children, and how they became writers from a young age, entertaining themselves on the moors where they lived. The version I got (Kindle version) did not adapt well, most of the drawings were broken up into pieces, even when I turned the Kindle sideways, trying to get a better view.. The few illustrations that did come through in one piece were lovely.

The story itself was quite short, but there was a detailed afterward with the sad and early deaths of all the Brontes. I don't think that would be appropriate for the age of children I think the actual story is meant for., which I would put at 8-10 years.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book offers a very charming introduction to the Bronte family. It's a biographical telling that focuses on the imagination and wonder that characterized the childhoods of the Bronte siblings. It also touches on the tragedy and heartache in a subtle but effective way. I would recommend this book to adults who want to introduce children to the story of this legendary family, and I would also recommend to any avid young reader looking for creative inspiration.

I learned a lot about the Brontes by reading this book. The pictures made it very enjoyable and enhanced the text with their bright colors. I especially enjoyed learning about the "little books" the Brontes created. This picture book also contains information at the end about how to make a little book of one's own, as well as a timeline for the lives of the Brontes. This is a great book for parents and children to read together.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.