This is a wonderful book! Believe me, for I am Urso Brunov!

This has been on my reading list for a while, but somehow I never got around to it. Brian Jacques is well-known as the author of the popular Redwall series, and this picture book is an excellent example of his writing skills.

The story of Urso Brunov, Little Father of All Bears, has a rhythmic, folkloric quality to it. The repeated refrains and heroic quest of Brunov will draw younger children through the lengthy text while older children will wait breathlessly to see if Brunov conquers each new obstacle.

There are only three poems in the story (I am not a fan of Brian Jacques' poetry - I think it's poorly scanned and pedestrian) but they're not essential to the plot and can be easily skipped.

Verdict: A good story for a chilly winter night or to read in installments.

ISBN: 978-0399237621; Published September 2003 by Philomel (out of print); Borrowed from the library

Very fun illustrations by Alexi Natchev. This was a pretty long picture book but older kids would definitely like it. Might be a good introduction to Brian Jacques that is not as intense as jumping right into the Redwall books which can be pretty violent. CONTAINS GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES. GEOGRAPHY LINK TO MIDDLE EAST, RUSSIA AND OTHER REGIONS.