"Great, I lost a fight, and now I'm going to have to inform my dad that I'm the kid who gets picked on every day. How much of a disappointment can one son be."

That one line sums how Collin understands his relationship with his father. He's the weird kid, the disappointment, the boy no one wants to fix. After another school kicks Collin out for fighting, his father sends him to live on the Ojibwa Reservation with the mother he has never met.

He doesn't believe this time will be any different. His mother will grow tired of his constant counting of words, he will get picked on at school, and he won't be able to hold back the fear that drives him to anger. This time is different. With a family and town who supports him, he learns what bravery means. Through the friendship of a girl who fights a battle worse than his, he learns how to accept himself and accept the love his mother offers him.

Perfect for fans of Rein Rain, Fish in a Tree, Out of My Mind, and Counting By 7's. This book's universal theme of accepting oneself in the face of adversity will touch the hearts of all readers.

I received and advance copy of this book.

I loved the magical realism. I loved seeing Connor learn to love himself. I think my older students will enjoy this book. My only issue is that it seems like his counting was "fixed" and I think it might give the wrong idea that people can be fixed. Granted, there are things that can be changed, but I wonder if that type of OCD is one of them? I don't know the answer, but it caused me pause.

Overall though I enjoyed this book and I think my students will as well.

A great upper middle grade book that finds the main character being sent to live with his mother whom had never met. He and his father always had difficulty getting along but now he was being sent to live with a parent bed never met. A book about families, belonging, fitting in and out and dealing with learning differences. Fantastic book by a debut author!

This book will instantly pull in my middle school students. Many of my kids deal with parents not being around, and the “numbers” situation is really interesting. It made me think about how I would react to a student like this. I love the windows it allowed me to look through on many levels!

Think back to a book you have read that was so absorbing, so beautiful that it made you want to be a participant in the story. I often feel like I want to befriend a character in a book that I am reading, but it is rare for me to wish that I could just pack up and move to live within a fictitious community. Reading The Brave by James Bird was definitely one of these rare experiences.

The book begins with Collin, the main character, being expelled from yet another school in California. In what seems to be a not uncommon scenario in today’s schools, Collin has been asked to leave because he is being bullied. You read that right, Collin is the one being bullied. He is unable to respond in conversations without counting the letters in words that someone has spoken to him and beginning his own speech by reporting on that number. Collin can’t control this compulsion-it is painful for him not to announce the numbers- but everyone, including his father, is annoyed by the counting. Collin lives with his dad and hasn’t seen his mom since he was an infant. So finding out that he is going to live with her on a Native American reservation in Minnesota is a bit of a surprise.

From the moment he arrives, though, Collin finds belonging and acceptance. While there are still bullies at school, he has people to come home to who see his counting as just something that he has to deal with and not as something that is wrong with him. It is a stumbling block that he will get past when and if he is meant to. In the meantime, he is exactly who he is supposed to be. It isn’t just Collin’s family who sees him this way, it is also the wildly wonderful young woman who lives next door. She spends most of her time in a treehouse where she paints and feeds members of her family (many of whom happen to be butterflies).

This hints at the mysticism that is included in the book, but I would shy away from using words like fantasy or magic. There are ghosts and metamorphoses, but they are handled so gently by Bird that none of it ever seems unbelievable. These parts of the story always feel right; like nothing else could be so real or justified. Collin helps us to accept these elements because they are also so new to him. Near the beginning of the book, Collin asks his mom if all of her feelings and intuitions are a “Native American thing” and she responds by pointing out that he, too, is Native American. The way we see the world might be influenced by our cultural backgrounds, but in the end it is always up to us. We choose how we view ourselves, each other, and the events that shape our world.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book is not at all what I expected. It gave me ALL the feelings! James Bird Bird handles difficult topics such as OCD and differences with humor, sympathy, and grace. Through moving away from his father and with his mother (whom he has never met and doesn't even know her name) Collin learns so many lessons beyond what he thought imaginable. I appreciate that James Bird incorporated Ojibwe tribe life and weaved in their beliefs throughout the story. It definitely gave me some a-ha moments!

This was such a powerful read and I absolutely loved reading it! I think this is more geared towards upper middle grade or even YA. I think anyone struggling to find themselves and who needs a little hope should definitely read this!

<b>4.5 out of 5 🌟 OCD, indigenous people and a hint of magic</b>

I stopped reading middle-grade books when I was probably 12. I've promoted myself to the young adult shelf and avoided 'childish' books for long, long years. And here I am, in my early thirties, reading that genre again. And one thing I know for sure, there are children books about more 'serious' topics and containing more in-depth life knowledge than in many adult-ish books. And 'The Brave' is one of these books.

'The Brave' has probably one of the most interesting synopsizes I've ever heard of. It's a story about a boy with a very specific type of OCD - counting each letter in sentences directed to him. It's caused a great issue for his peers, who bullied him, and his father, who sent him away to live with his mother. Collin's mom is an indigenous woman living in an Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota and that's a tremendous life change for a boy from South California! Collin has to learn new ways of living and get to know his mother, his new family, and his native American heritage.

The author, James Bird, is an Ojibwe descent himself and I appreciated every insight about the tribe's life he incorporated into the book. He used magical realism to weave Ojibwe's believes into the plotline creating a phantasmagoric narration about family, friendship, love, and grief.
It's a poignant story that gave me all the feelings. I was cheering for all the characters as we laughed and cried together. I'm not sure if my 9-year old son is ready for that book but I definitely was.

<i>Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.</i>

Collin counts letters. He is compelled to tell you how many letters are in every sentence that is directed to him. And he can do it quickly. He has to or those letters balloon up in his mind and start to suffocate him. As you can imagine, this compulsion singles him out for bullying. Collin's dad decides to send him to Minnesota to live with his mom on the Ojibwe reservation. One of the first people Collin meets is his next door neighbor Orenda. She captivates his heart and helps him learn life lessons. Not all is right with Orenda and her illness worsens in juxtaposition to the growth of Collin's strength in his new life. Full of magical realism and fascinating characters, this book will appeal to fans of John Green.

Thank you to McMillan (Feiwel & Friends) and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thirteen-year-old Collin Couch (pronounced like pooch, not the thing you sit on) has no friends (except his dog Seven), an alcoholic father, and gets kicked out of every school he attends. For the first time, he actually gets kicked out because he hit someone. Usually, he gets asked to leave because no one can handle his odd condition.

When someone speaks to him, he compulsively counts the letters and must repeat them before he can answer. Kids make fun of him, teachers feel bewildered, and even counselors can’t seem to help.

Collin’s father has had enough and decides to send him to live with his mother on the Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota. Collin doesn’t know how he feels to get sent to a place he’s never been with a woman he’s never met. But he’s pretty sure it can’t turn out any worse than his current life of isolation.

Once he arrives in Minnesota, Collin struggles to understand ways of seeing and thinking that defy everything he grew up knowing. Along the way, the mysterious next-door neighbor girl, Orenda, helps him on his journey to becoming brave.

Why I Loved this Book

James Bird, a screenwriter and director of Ojibwe descent, Bird brings an own voices perspective to the problem that faces all of us—what to do with differences. Differences in race, religion, sexuality, health, socioeconomic status, skin color, personal preferences, learning styles, traditions, customs, and beliefs.

His message (most of us fail dismally at handling differences, but we can’t change if we don’t try) brings a poignant message of hope to all of us. Collin’s experiences cause him to decide, “Maybe, just maybe, you’ll see how we’re all not so different from each other.”

How would we treat each other if we came to the same conclusion? Although I’ve never used a book from the magical realism genre in my classes, I’ll be teaching this one in the fall. It makes the perfect companion to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Students will relate to the duality of Collin’s life. Raised by a white father whose society rejected him and welcomed into his mother’s community where they teach him new ways of solving problems. The modern and the ancient. Likewise, my students struggle with the bling modern society offers and how to incorporate the wisdom of their ancestors in a world that labels them unkindly.

To read a book written by a minority and see how the solutions come from a Native way of seeing and thinking will help my students understand the value of their traditions. For the rest of us, reading a book written by a minority and seeing how the solutions from a Native way of seeing and thinking will help us understand how much we have to learn from other cultures and traditions.

This is one book that librarians, teachers, and parents will want to read, ponder, and discuss with students or their children. Warning, you will need tissues. Bird handles difficult topics with humor, sympathy, and grace.

Collin is struggling in middle school. His OCD manifests itself with counting. He counts the words that people say to him and says the number back to them. The kids bully him and his dad doesn't know what to do with him. So Collin ends up going to live with his mother, whom he's never met. His mom lives on an Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota and Collin ends up meeting an extended family he never knew he had. He also ends up falling in love with the beautiful girl next door and learning lessons he never thought he wanted to learn. This is a terrific story.

maybe 4.5 stars?
I really really loved this. all the characters were so vibrant and likable - I absolutely loved Collin, his mother, his grandmother, and Orenda. I loved the magical realism elements and all the messages woven throughout. I also really liked the Native American rep and all of the elements that were included from that culture! such a sweet and powerful read.
although I did like & appreciate the OCD rep, it is also the one issue I had with the book. **spoiler** to me, it kind of felt like the test at the end "fixed" Collin and I don't like the idea that someone with mental health issues or a disability needs to be fixed or needs to get rid of their "ailment" to be better. I felt like the rest of the book was putting forth the message that something like OCD doesn't make you less than and focused on Collin learning to love and accept his differences, and in the end it kind of felt like that growth was all for nothing.
there are also some comments made about Native Americans and people in wheelchairs that I think could make some people feel uncomfortable but to me it came across as Collin just being unknowledgeable (keep in mind he is still really young!) and not the author's thoughts/feelings on these groups of people (and the author is Native American himself). just wanted to include as a minor warning!

Collin has been given a gift of counting every letter of every word that is spoken to him. What some may see as a gift, others see it as a target for bullies. He is sent to live with his mother, he has never met, on a Native American reservation in Minnesota. He quickly makes friends with his neighbor, Orenda. Will Orenda help Collin become brave to face his biggest fears?
While this book is listed as middle grade, I feel it may be better suited for YA or mature middle grade students. I think this is a great book for those who are struggling to find themselves. The story is beautifully written and filled with raw emotion.

An absolutely beautiful 5 stars!

This was an unexpectedly beautiful book about a boy who has been isolated from his mother's Obijabwe heritage for his whole life and has struggled in the Western world (Huntington Beach, CA) with his father, primarily because of an OCD issue that causes him to count the letters in every spoken sentence addressed to him. Besides his OCD issue he is also artistic, and not the sports athlete that his father always wanted. After he is kicked out of his nth school for being a disruptive influence (argh!), his father sends him to live with his mother, of whom he knows nothing, not even her name. Besides his OCD, this book explores the intersection of the Western worldview vs. the Native American worldview as well as the role nature has in our lives. This was a wonderful coming-of-age story for a boy who lives in fear, but learns to be brave with the help of his mother's greater family, especially his next door neighbor. Besides his OCD, this book covers issues of life and death, reality vs. magic, being brave vs. being afraid, bullying (there's a brilliant scene when he stands up for himself and the teacher is supportive of it), family and freedom with sensitivity and skill. The book even touches on LGTBQ but only peripherally and in a supportive way. I was absolutely touched by his beautiful writing and I found myself bawling in several places. As sad as I was, the view of life and death by the Native Americans had me filled with beauty and hope. There is one possible violent scene with a wolf that might be a bit tough for young/sensitive readers to handle, otherwise this book is very appropriate for Middle School readers.

Thanks to #JamesBird, #NetGalley, and #MacMillianChildrensPublishingGroup for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Brave is a book that takes you on a journey of self-discovery, love, and friendship. Collin has a condition in which he counts the letters in all the words that are spoken to him and begins every sentence with the number. Intriguing to people at first, his condition eventually makes him an easy target for bullies and people just don't understand him. Collin's dad finally sends him to leave with his mother on an Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota. But there is just one thing really bothering Collin about this...he has never met his mother.

Once on the reservation, Collin begins his journey to learning about himself. With the help of his neighbor Orenda, Collin discovers there is more to who he is than just a number counter. He learns to love, not only others, but himself.

This is a must read for those who struggle with who they are and need some hope to believe in.

'"Gifts are wrapped so you don't see what's inside. You are special, you just have to tear away the wrapping paper to see what your gift is,' she(Grandmother) says as I pass her." Collin, feeling he is not special in a good way, leaves his dad in CA and heads to Minnesota to live with his Native American mother he has never met. The people and culture he finds himself in take him on an interesting and enlightening journey.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this digital advanced reader copy. This book has so much representation! Ojibwe family, father experiencing alcoholism, protagonist experiencing OCD symptoms, gay brother, terminally ill secondary character. I also really appreciated how the author tied the magical realism to the Native American culture. It was lovely and highly compelling, especially a plot twist near the end that shocked me! I do have some concerns about some of the weaker plot points and the leap of imagination readers will need to take, but overall a very strong title from an under-represented group. Will recommend a lot to young patrons!

This was an incredible book, and I greatly enjoyed reading it! Well-written, poignant, moving, and touching on a great many themes that many middle school students struggle with - a family member with alcoholism, coming of age, being bullied, grief and loss, parental separation, learning about one's own culture, accepting oneself for who you are, connecting with parents, blended families. You will laugh, you will cry, you will count letters just to be sure - but most of all, you will get to know Collin, and feel what he feels. A wonderful book to read alone, with a student or child, or to a family.

Collin has a problem that interferes with all of his relationships. He compulsively totals the number of letters spoken to him and names the sum before he can answer. He is shuttled from school to school by his disconnected, alcoholic father. When Collin finally stands up to a bully, his father sends him from California to live in Minnesota with the mother he has never met. Collin knows next to nothing about his mother an Ojibwa who lives on the reservation. This begins Collin's coming of age in a home that welcomes him and accepts him, including his neighbor Orenda. Orenda is special too. Together they grow in ways that will make you cheer and at the same time break your heart.

The magical realism works so well in this book. Be prepared to suspend your beliefs in the ordinary, laugh, cry, rage, and read all night.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know how I feel about this book. In the beginning, I was spell-bound with Bird's introduction and description of Collin and the challenges he faced as someone who struggled in life because he counted the letters in everyone's sentences as they spoke to him. Imagine what a field day bullies would have with him. His awkward relationship with his disapproving father felt real.

After another bullying incident at school, Collin is sent to live with his mother, an Ojibwe woman he's never met. Here the story turns, and it takes on a mystical, almost fantastical tone. There were elements that didn't feel real to me. His mother and grandmother sound too good to be true. While I appreciated their welcoming words and the way they viewed life, something about them didn't seem realistic.

Orenda, the friend next door, who is facing challenges of her own, offers a beautiful look at life, but I had questions. Why wasn't she in school? Why was her father - so protective - willing to let Collin hang out (and ultimately, make out) with his daughter. Really? Not like any dad I know!

And I guess that's why I'm left a little unhappy. The switch from realistic fiction to fantasy/mysticism felt too abrupt for me to make the transition smoothly.

This book is great at immersing you in Native American culture. It is also an enduring story of friendship (author leads you to believe love between the 13 year olds) Wile a very good story I was angry and bewildered why they wouldn't tell Collin the truth about Orenda disease. And that they lied about the grandmother being dead even though he was always being touched and having conversations with her. Confusion with the fact that Orenda did not seek medical help because she was going to become a butterfly like her mother. What kind of stuff is that to feed to confused middle grade schoolers? I find it sad to lead readers to believe this. I don't believe a 13 year old would develop such a deep relationship with this girl. This life is a mystery to Collin as his first thirteen years of life he has lived with an uncaring father in California and now is to live with his mother on an Indian reservation in Minnesota. Collin has always been a "freak" because he has to count letters the people say, say the number and then continue the conversation. In the end he goes through some mysticism and no longer has this problem. Orenda leaves a letter "preaching" what we should do for people (and animals) in our lives.