Barry the Brave: A Flowerageous Journey to Courage

By: Joshua Swank
Illustrated by: Tincho Schmidt
Publisher: Raising Barry
Publication Date: September 29, 2023
ISBN: 979-8987860908
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: August 29, 2023

A delightful story of a dinosaur who finds the courage he didn’t know he had awaits readers of author Joshua Swank’s debut children’s book, Barry the Brave.

Barry is a bright blue brachiosaurus who loves to go on adventures every day. He’s carefree, happy, and enjoys discovering new things about the jungle where he lives. Should he go swimming in the nearby river? Climb a mountain? Or maybe dance in the rain? There are so many things to do, and the playful brachiosaurus discovers new things to do each and every time he goes out to explore.

On one lovely day, while out walking, Barry came across an amazing, absolutely gorgeous flower. It had lovely pink petals and shimmered in the sunlight. Peeking out from the crevice of a rock, the flower seemed so delicate, and Barry simply couldn’t take his eyes off of it. Of course, Barry had to smell this unique flower and a huge smile grew on his face as he took in its sweet, sweet smell.

Barry knew that this beautiful flower was special, and he quickly decided that he would do whatever it took to protect it. From what, you might ask? Well, it turns out that some of the other dinosaurs who lived in the jungle were not so captivated by the flower. When they stumbled upon the flower, they thought it’d be fun to pluck its petals. Yikes! What could Barry do?

The three naughty dinosaurs continued to harass Barry and his flower – after all, what could one dinosaur do against three ill-behaved scalawags? True, Barry was big and strong, but he was still just one dinosaur. Could he somehow muster the courage to fend off the flower-wreckers? He didn’t know if he could, but if he didn’t do something, the very special flower might be harmed. And then the bad dinosaurs plucked at the flower and a petal fell…

Debut author Joshua Swank has envisioned a new children’s series, “The Raising Barry series” that he hopes will inspire not just his son, but children from all corners of the world. Through Barry the Brachiosaurus’ adventures, readers will discover their own amazing abilities and talents, learning life lessons along the way. This first book in the series, Barry the Brave, is a very good introduction to the big, lovable dinosaur, and the jungle he lives in. Barry, when unexpectedly faced with a difficult situation, summons up all his courage and realizes that he is, in fact, a very brave dinosaur. Settle in with your child for a wonderful bedtime story and learn all about courage and bravery as you watch your child’s imagination grow. I look forward to meeting Barry on many more exciting adventures.

Quill says: Barry the Brave shows youngsters, in a gentle and encouraging way, that like Barry, they too have great courage within themselves.

For more information on Barry the Brave: A Flowerageous Journey to Courage , please visit the author's website at: www.raisingbarry.com