The Bravest of the Brave

This is a very cute tale of a small skunk, a very "brave" little skunk who takes a journey through the deep and dim forest during the gloomy evening. Great danger lurks at every twist and turn. We have ghosts (which turn out to be owls), horrible trappers (who turn into spiders), pirates (yup, just a family of flying squirrels and scary witches (porcupines). But through it all, our little hero is "brave." This rhyming book is also a counting book which is ideal for preschoolers. The rather dark illustrations are not really all that scary especially when we are instantly shown and told just what the scary creatures are that our little guy encounters so there is really no need to fear that the little ones will be scared during the story. The illustrations in this one are adorable, and the facial expressions on our brave little skunk are bound to bring a smile to your lips. As has been pointed out, the text is rather repetitive and due to the different fonts used throughout the test, it can be a bit difficult to read at times...in particular the first time. This is a cute story which not only teaches numbers, but more importantly teaches the child that an imagination running amok is much worse that reality. It is easy to "see bears in the woods," or be fearful of things that go bump in the night, but when we see things for what they are, the woods, and indeed life, is not all that bad. This is one that I would recommend checking from the library. It is a good read, an informative read, but not one that you will probably want to read over and over aging endlessly. Don Blankenship The Ozarks.

Beginning with the cover, this book is great for pre-schoolers. The lead character is adorable, the story is cute and the illustrations are the best. It's entertaining and with each picture there are things to talk about with the child.