Copyright Date:
2021
Edition Date:
2021
Release Date:
01/05/21
Illustrator:
Chapman, Jane,
Pages:
1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN:
0-593-23204-6
ISBN 13:
978-0-593-23204-0
Dewey:
E
LCCN:
2020027897
Dimensions:
25 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
Bronco the nearsighted dog doesn't feel worthy of a party invitation.All the animals in the forest have been invited to a party at which guests will complete a puzzle with a piece they will "findâ¦when [they] realize [they] are made purposefully." But "because Bronco had terrible vision, he didn't think he was special enough to go to the party. So he'd thrown out the invitation." At Squirrel's urging, Bronco abruptly changes his mind. Putting on his blue eyeglasses, he sets out, on the way meeting other animals who also feel they are unworthy of the invitation for various baseless reasons. He bucks them up so they join him, and they return the favor when he has second thoughts himself. They are all welcomed warmly to the party by Colby, the panda host, who produces Bronco's missing puzzle piece. Bronco fits it into the center of the puzzle, but rather than expanding on the puzzle metaphor, Colby says, "Each creature is born unique. Our differences make us special." (This sentiment is reiterated with a closing epigraph from Ephesians 2:10.) Concrete-thinking children may be distracted from the message by wondering just how Colby got Bronco's puzzle piece. Moreover and troublingly, the story never explicitly dismisses Bronco's disability as a reason to feel worthless, instead simply celebrating Bronco's strengths, including his "gift of sniff." (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.8-by-19.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 21% of actual size.)Well-meaning but muddled. (Picture book. 3-7)
"Wake up!" Squirrel shrieked. "The party is tonight. Do you have your puzzle piece?"
Bronco squinted one eye open.
"I've got mine!"
Bronco patted the soft grass.
Where are my glasses?Suddenly he remembered something important. Days earlier, he'd received a card. It read:
Come find our special party
full of music, fun, and treats.
We'll have a big ol' puzzle,
though it won't yet be complete.
Yours is the missing piece.
That is no mystery.
You'll find it when you realize
you are made purposefully.
Excerpted from Bronco and Friends: a Party to Remember by Tim Tebow
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Heisman Trophy winner, multi-sport athlete, special needs advocate, and positive role model Tim Tebow encourages children to embrace their unique qualities in his first book for children, a winning tale based on his sweet pup, Bronco.
Bronco received an invitation to a party, but he can’t find the puzzle piece everyone is supposed to bring. During his search, he encounters a variety of friends with their own set of worries: a flightless bird, an allergic goat, and a clumsy bunny. The animals team up to find both Bronco's puzzle piece and the party, arriving to discover that the party is in their honor!
This sweet story of animals with different challenges and abilities is core to Tim Tebow’s message to fans and friends of any age who have special needs. Getting invited to the party is exciting—but bringing your own particular gifts makes it more fun for everyone. Tim Tebow wants everyone to know that's how God sees them: special, unique, and essential to the party.