Two brothers learn the value of supporting each other in the delightful picture book The Courageous Forrest Brothers: Sticking Together.

An imaginative suburban boy named Sheldon Forrest is determined to go on an adventure to find the Golden Acorn, a prize which will, in his mind, cement his reputation as the bravest adventurer in the land. Sheldon’s younger brother Milo wants to join the quest, but Sheldon tells him he’s too little and embarks from the treehouse alone.

Milo is depressed, but his mother, calling herself a “woodland fairy,” gives him a special stick, renamed the “Sword of Brotherhood,” and sends him after Sheldon in the woods. When Sheldon falls and gets stuck in a bush, Milo rescues him, reaching out with the Sword of Brotherhood to pull his brother free. The two boys return home without the Golden Acorn, but with a new sense of their importance to each other.

Sheldon, Milo, and their mother are sympathetic characters, and the problem of having—or being—a tag-along younger sibling is easily relatable. Additionally, all three family members demonstrate a charming ability to use their imaginations and adapt to their circumstances. Meanwhile, the writing keeps everything direct and kid-friendly, as in: “The sound made Sheldon’s bravery melt like ice-cream on a summer day.”

The art is also effective, with clear, simple character designs, and the storytelling embellished by visual techniques like a softly out-of-focus mom in the foreground as she watches Sheldon leave Milo at the treehouse, or the exaggerated facial expressions and motion lines that make the action both understandable and enjoyable.

The book also includes some extras, including questions for children and parents about the story and its lessons, plus a maze activity page that allows readers to guide Sheldon and Milo back to their treehouse.

In all, Sticking Together is a cute, clever, colorful book about navigating the give-and-take of sibling relationships.