The Three Brothers

K-Gr 2–Three young brothers set out to explore their snowy backyard forest. The eldest brother, Finn, leads curious Leo and silly Ooley on their walk, which quickly becomes dominated by a constant, sometimes humorous, flow of conversation. While the tight brotherly bond is apparent, the dialogue wanders off into hints about the detrimental effects of global warming on wildlife, worthy points that nevertheless disrupt the adventurous spirit of their day. The brothers’ wish to become explorers inspires their journey, but Finn’s musings and Ooley’s distracted whims may lead readers to wonder what, if anything, they’ve learned. Each page spread is delightfully illustrated with Gay’s signature mixed-media compositions of soft hues and bright details that draw the eye to moments in the brothers’ trek through the serene setting in search of wild animals. Ghostly outlines of wildlife long gone, cleverly hidden in each scene, appear as figments of the brothers’ imagination and inspire the boys’ large snow creations at story’s end.