Brian the Brave

This is a great book to read aloud, and the pictures and subject will quickly hold the attention of an audience. On the inside cover we are introduced to eight different sheep, each with distinctive features. Tracey is spotty, with yellow curly horns; Stanley is black with no horns at all…. The illustrator uses collage to create an absorbing atmosphere; sheep, dry stone walls, trees, flowers and insects fill every spread. Brian, the hero of the book, has a black head, grey horns and white wool. Along comes Rose, with a grey head, black horns and black wool. They decide to be friends, and they chase each other round and round the field and over the little hill. Until along comes Stanley. Brian extends a welcome, BUT Stanley says he only likes black wool, and he will only play with Rose, and not with Brian. So Stanley and Rose chase each other round and round the field and over the little hill. Brian, left out, feels very sad. When Tracey and Frank amble along, Brian suggests they should ALL be friends, but Tracey and Frank say they only want sheep with HORNS in their gang. So Brian is included, but not Stanley, so HE is very sad. When three more sheep come along, and announce they don’t like sheep with white wool OR black wool, Brian has had enough. A threatening collage of Brian, head down, horns at the ready, with steely, blue eyes glowering, says, “We are all sheep. We should all play together.” And they do. Until Rose notices Brian’s blue eyes. So all the brown-eyed gang go off together, leaving Brian feeling very, very, very sad. Alone and lonely, Brian encounters hungry Mr Wolf. Hurtling back to try to warn the others, absolute mayhem ensues, terrified sheep dashing in all directions. Brian the Brave addresses them, saying they could beat the wolf IF THEY ALL WORKED TOGETHER. And so they do, ……and they did.
Paul Stewart is a renowned writer of great repute, and this picture book will be warmly welcomed in town and country alike. Try reading it aloud, discussing bullying and issues of race, and use it for a wonderful book for drama in the classroom. Partnered with a talented, winning illustrator, Stewart’s book should become a warm woolly favourite! Especially when the sheep going ‘baaa-carumbaaa!’ joins in the fun!