My Bison

As a mother sweetly carries her child through the tall, springtime grass, they spot a recurring guest—the bison. The little girl returns to meet him everyday, slowly getting closer in both distance and emotion as the two become a special sort of friends. She even brings him food she makes, thoughtfully remarking that “he didn’t always like my food, but he always tasted it, which made me happy.” The bison has to leave each year, returning each winter to the girl—listening to her stories, keeping her warm in the snow, and growing old together—until one day, the bison doesn’t return. The woman misses him with a heavy heart, but feels the bison in “every spring flower, every sound in the forest, and every snowflake.” This soothing, yet somewhat peculiar story hosts a unique take on death and growing old while beautifully presenting a fond friendship and a tribute to mothers. Even with a seasonal friendship, when the bison and girl only meet for a while each year, their friendship never falters and picks up right where they left it. The friendly tone of the text pairs charmingly with the spectacular charcoal-and-ink illustrations with magical additions of blue watercolor. The fantastic illustrations and the distinct, unconventional, and multi-dimensional story create a unique, lovely book that grows fonder over time, mimicking the friendship within.