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Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Long ago, a lone little burro roamed the high cliffs of the Grand Canyon and touched the hearts of all who knew him: a grizzled old miner, a big-game hunter, even President Teddy Roosevelt. Named Brighty by the prospector who befriended him, he remained a free spirit at heart. But when a ruthless claim-jumper murdered the prospector, loyal Brighty risked everything to bring the killer to justice.
Brighty's adventures have delighted generations of readers, and he has become the symbol of a joyous way of life. Some people say that you can even see his spirit roving the canyon on moonlit nights—forever wild, forever free.
Brighty's adventures have delighted generations of readers, and he has become the symbol of a joyous way of life. Some people say that you can even see his spirit roving the canyon on moonlit nights—forever wild, forever free.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1953
128 people are currently reading
2269 people want to read
About the author
Marguerite Henry
124 books748 followersMarguerite Henry (April 13, 1902–November 26, 1997) was an American writer. The author of fifty-nine books based on true stories of horses and other animals, her work has captivated entire generations of children and young adults and won several Newbery Awards and Honors. Among the more famous of her works was Misty of Chincoteague, which was the basis for the 1961 movie Misty, and several sequel books.
"It is exciting to me that no matter how much machinery replaces the horse, the work it can do is still measured in horsepower ... even in the new age. And although a riding horse often weighs half a ton and a big drafter a full ton, either can be led about by a piece of string if he has been wisely trained. This to me is a constant source of wonder and challenge." This quote was from an article about Henry published in the Washington Post on November 28, 1997, in response to a query about her drive to write about horses.
Marguerite Henry inspired children all over the world with her love of animals, especially horses. Author of over fifty children's stories, including the Misty of Chincoteague series, Henry's love of animals started during her childhood. Unfortunately, Henry was stricken with a rheumatic fever at the age of six, which kept her bedridden until the age of twelve. Born to Louis and Anna Breithaupt, the youngest of the five children, Henry was a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Because of her illness, Henry wasn't allowed to go to school with other children because of her weak state and the fear of spreading the illness to others. While she was confined indoors, she discovered the joy of reading. Soon afterward, she also discovered a love for writing when her father, a publisher, presented her with a writing desk for Christmas. On the top of stacks of colored paper her father wrote, "Dear Last of the Mohicans: Not a penny for your thoughts, but a tablet. Merry Christmas! Pappa Louis XXXX."
Henry's first published work came at the age of eleven, a short story about a collie and a group of children, which she sold to a magazine for $12. Henry always wrote about animals, such as dogs, cats, birds, foxes, and even mules, but chiefly her stories focused on horses.
In 1923, she married Sidney Crocker Henry. During their sixty-four years of marriage they didn't have children, but instead had many pets that inspired some of Marguerite's stories. They lived in Wayne, Illinois.
In 1947, she published Misty of Chincoteague and it was an instant success. Later, this book—as well as Justin Morgan had a Horse and Brighty of the Grand Canyon—were made into movies.
She finished her last book, Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley, just before her death on November 26, 1997 at the age of 95.
"It is exciting to me that no matter how much machinery replaces the horse, the work it can do is still measured in horsepower ... even in the new age. And although a riding horse often weighs half a ton and a big drafter a full ton, either can be led about by a piece of string if he has been wisely trained. This to me is a constant source of wonder and challenge." This quote was from an article about Henry published in the Washington Post on November 28, 1997, in response to a query about her drive to write about horses.
Marguerite Henry inspired children all over the world with her love of animals, especially horses. Author of over fifty children's stories, including the Misty of Chincoteague series, Henry's love of animals started during her childhood. Unfortunately, Henry was stricken with a rheumatic fever at the age of six, which kept her bedridden until the age of twelve. Born to Louis and Anna Breithaupt, the youngest of the five children, Henry was a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Because of her illness, Henry wasn't allowed to go to school with other children because of her weak state and the fear of spreading the illness to others. While she was confined indoors, she discovered the joy of reading. Soon afterward, she also discovered a love for writing when her father, a publisher, presented her with a writing desk for Christmas. On the top of stacks of colored paper her father wrote, "Dear Last of the Mohicans: Not a penny for your thoughts, but a tablet. Merry Christmas! Pappa Louis XXXX."
Henry's first published work came at the age of eleven, a short story about a collie and a group of children, which she sold to a magazine for $12. Henry always wrote about animals, such as dogs, cats, birds, foxes, and even mules, but chiefly her stories focused on horses.
In 1923, she married Sidney Crocker Henry. During their sixty-four years of marriage they didn't have children, but instead had many pets that inspired some of Marguerite's stories. They lived in Wayne, Illinois.
In 1947, she published Misty of Chincoteague and it was an instant success. Later, this book—as well as Justin Morgan had a Horse and Brighty of the Grand Canyon—were made into movies.
She finished her last book, Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley, just before her death on November 26, 1997 at the age of 95.
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September 2, 2025
Brighty of the Grand Canyon is a children’s novel from 1953, written by Marguerite Henry. Now viewed as a classic of American children’s literature, it tells the adventures of a little donkey (or as the Spanish say, burro) who blazed trails through the Grand Canyon, had many adventures and met many famous people in the process. It is loosely based on a real life donkey, who was first seen around 1890.
The novel begins as Brighty, a wild donkey, made friends with a prospector, “Old Timer”, who was searching for copper in the Grand Canyon. The grizzled old man named him, “Bright Angel” after a creek that flowed into the Grand Canyon from near his summer dwelling on the North Rim. The two of them had a special bond, but Brighty remained a free spirit, roaming the high cliffs of the Grand Canyon.
The prospector was a honest old soul, and freely told others where he thought he had located a seam of valuable copper ore, and early in the novel he was murdered by Jake Irons, a ruthless claim-jumper.
We read of all the adventures Brighty went through over the years. He touched the hearts of all who knew him, and made other friends with mapmakers, prospectors, naturalists, game hunters, and had another special relationship with “Uncle Jim”, a man who was trying to track down the murderer of his old friend. Brighty also made enemies of those who wanted to catch him and put him to work. More than once when he was captured, he was beaten with sticks, and once he was put into a cage and almost hanged, when the captor (whom he knew from before) tried to force him across the canyon. Another time Brighty barely escaped with his life, was in a fight with a mountain lion.
Brighty gladly helped those with whom he felt a loyal bond, and spent some summers carrying water from a spring below the rim, for the tourists coming to the Canyon. He was gentle and popular with children, even allowing children to ride on his back sometimes. He never allowed adults to do this however, and would kick, bray, and run off into the distance. Brighty was a wily donkey.
He also became the leader of a herd of wild donkeys, fighting for his position as their natural chief, until he was finally supplanted by a younger and fitter donkey.
Brighty’s trails across the Grand Canyon eventually were the base for the suspension bridge, over the Colorado River at the base of the canyon. He watched the rock being carved out and assisted with the construction and building of the bridge. Brighty was the first to cross the suspension bridge, alongside “Uncle Jim” Owen. At the opening ceremony, he was honoured by President Theodore Roosevelt, who admired Brighty very much. Brighty had often gone along with the president when he was hunting for mountain lions. Teddy Roosevelt was known to be a very keen hunter.
A couple of the chapters tell of Brighty’s bravery during these episodes. I must admit to not enjoying this part of the novel. Times have changed of course. Big game hunting still goes on, but is perhaps not so widely accepted as “sport”. I tell myself too, that these locals were trying to protect the sheep and cattle they farmed, from attack by the hungry mountain lions. But still … I feel it dates the book, I feel the context needs to be explained and discussed, should it be read by a child. (The book is most suitable for children of about 8 to 12). In the same way some aspects of 19th century literature, where our perceptions have moved on, lead naturally to thoughtful discussion.
The beauty of the Grand Canyon is everpresent, and there are lovely descriptions of Brighty enjoying the natural world, which are welcome in a children’s novel. There are 36 shortish chapters, interspersed with many pencil drawings, which perfectly convey Brighty’s mischievous spirit - and conversely, when he is facing great troubles. There are just a few colour plates.
The skilled illustrations in this largish book (it is the first edition, from 1953) are by Wesley Denis, an American illustrator who studied horse anatomy in France. He wrote and illustrated his own novel “Flip” in 1941, and followed this with “Flip and the Cows”, “Flip and the Morning” and “Tumble”. During his lifetime he illustrated over 150 books, including Anna Sewell’s “Black Beauty” and John Steinbeck’s “The Red Pony”. However, he is best known for the fifteen children’s books about horses which he created in collaboration with Marguerite Henry.
Marguerite Henry had sold her first story at the age of 11, in response to a magazine’s request for articles by children, about the four seasons. She often wrote about animals, including dogs, cats, birds, foxes, and mules, but most of her stories are about horses. She eventually wrote fifty-nine books, all based on true stories of horses and other animals, some of which won awards. Perhaps her most famous books are about “Misty of Chincoteague”, a chestnut and white (pinto) wild horse.
She says:
“I had just finished writing, “Justin Morgan Had a Horse”, and wanted the best horse artist in the world to illustrate it. So I went to the library, studied the horse books, and immediately fell in love with the work of Will James and Wesley Dennis. When I found out that Will James was dead, I sent my manuscript to Wesley Dennis.”
The duo were to go on to collaborate on nearly 20 books. After Marguerite Henry died, her agent told “Publisher’s Weekly” that she had “shared all royalties from the books with Dennis, which is highly unusual”. In her will she left her money to the Assateague nature preserve and Chincoteague town.
Interestingly, Brighty may have originally been Wesley Dennis’s idea. In 2001, there was an exhibition of the Art work by Wesley Dennis. According to a contemporary biographical sketch by one librarian, Wesley Dennis had been in New Mexico a year before his first book, “to gather material for a book idea he called Brighty of the Grand Canyon”. Purely by chance he met the children’s book editor May Massee there, and this proved to be the crucial starting point of his career.
There is a film of Brighty of the Grand Canyon, made in 1967. Parts of it were shot at the Colorado River in Utah and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It must be stunning.
The “Brighty of the Grand Canyon” we know, which follows Brighty’s wanderings and escapades, is an exciting yarn, telling a tale of murder and survival, as Brighty risks everything to help to bring the murderer of his old friend to justice. Brighty’s adventures have proved popular for generations of readers, and he has become a symbol for a joyous, free-spirited way of life: forever free. Unfortunately, the real-life Brighty did come come to a sad end, at the hand of some travellers in about 1922. But his spirit lives on in people’s minds, and some say that you can even see him roaming the canyon on moonlit nights.
There is a bronze statue of Brighty, in the lobby of Grand Canyon Lodge, a National Historic Landmark, located near Arizona State Route 67. The monument of stone walls and timbers has a memorial inscription written by Marguerite Henry:
“the artist captured the soul of Brighty, forever wild, forever free”.
The novel begins as Brighty, a wild donkey, made friends with a prospector, “Old Timer”, who was searching for copper in the Grand Canyon. The grizzled old man named him, “Bright Angel” after a creek that flowed into the Grand Canyon from near his summer dwelling on the North Rim. The two of them had a special bond, but Brighty remained a free spirit, roaming the high cliffs of the Grand Canyon.
The prospector was a honest old soul, and freely told others where he thought he had located a seam of valuable copper ore, and early in the novel he was murdered by Jake Irons, a ruthless claim-jumper.
We read of all the adventures Brighty went through over the years. He touched the hearts of all who knew him, and made other friends with mapmakers, prospectors, naturalists, game hunters, and had another special relationship with “Uncle Jim”, a man who was trying to track down the murderer of his old friend. Brighty also made enemies of those who wanted to catch him and put him to work. More than once when he was captured, he was beaten with sticks, and once he was put into a cage and almost hanged, when the captor (whom he knew from before) tried to force him across the canyon. Another time Brighty barely escaped with his life, was in a fight with a mountain lion.
Brighty gladly helped those with whom he felt a loyal bond, and spent some summers carrying water from a spring below the rim, for the tourists coming to the Canyon. He was gentle and popular with children, even allowing children to ride on his back sometimes. He never allowed adults to do this however, and would kick, bray, and run off into the distance. Brighty was a wily donkey.
He also became the leader of a herd of wild donkeys, fighting for his position as their natural chief, until he was finally supplanted by a younger and fitter donkey.
Brighty’s trails across the Grand Canyon eventually were the base for the suspension bridge, over the Colorado River at the base of the canyon. He watched the rock being carved out and assisted with the construction and building of the bridge. Brighty was the first to cross the suspension bridge, alongside “Uncle Jim” Owen. At the opening ceremony, he was honoured by President Theodore Roosevelt, who admired Brighty very much. Brighty had often gone along with the president when he was hunting for mountain lions. Teddy Roosevelt was known to be a very keen hunter.
A couple of the chapters tell of Brighty’s bravery during these episodes. I must admit to not enjoying this part of the novel. Times have changed of course. Big game hunting still goes on, but is perhaps not so widely accepted as “sport”. I tell myself too, that these locals were trying to protect the sheep and cattle they farmed, from attack by the hungry mountain lions. But still … I feel it dates the book, I feel the context needs to be explained and discussed, should it be read by a child. (The book is most suitable for children of about 8 to 12). In the same way some aspects of 19th century literature, where our perceptions have moved on, lead naturally to thoughtful discussion.
The beauty of the Grand Canyon is everpresent, and there are lovely descriptions of Brighty enjoying the natural world, which are welcome in a children’s novel. There are 36 shortish chapters, interspersed with many pencil drawings, which perfectly convey Brighty’s mischievous spirit - and conversely, when he is facing great troubles. There are just a few colour plates.
The skilled illustrations in this largish book (it is the first edition, from 1953) are by Wesley Denis, an American illustrator who studied horse anatomy in France. He wrote and illustrated his own novel “Flip” in 1941, and followed this with “Flip and the Cows”, “Flip and the Morning” and “Tumble”. During his lifetime he illustrated over 150 books, including Anna Sewell’s “Black Beauty” and John Steinbeck’s “The Red Pony”. However, he is best known for the fifteen children’s books about horses which he created in collaboration with Marguerite Henry.
Marguerite Henry had sold her first story at the age of 11, in response to a magazine’s request for articles by children, about the four seasons. She often wrote about animals, including dogs, cats, birds, foxes, and mules, but most of her stories are about horses. She eventually wrote fifty-nine books, all based on true stories of horses and other animals, some of which won awards. Perhaps her most famous books are about “Misty of Chincoteague”, a chestnut and white (pinto) wild horse.
She says:
“I had just finished writing, “Justin Morgan Had a Horse”, and wanted the best horse artist in the world to illustrate it. So I went to the library, studied the horse books, and immediately fell in love with the work of Will James and Wesley Dennis. When I found out that Will James was dead, I sent my manuscript to Wesley Dennis.”
The duo were to go on to collaborate on nearly 20 books. After Marguerite Henry died, her agent told “Publisher’s Weekly” that she had “shared all royalties from the books with Dennis, which is highly unusual”. In her will she left her money to the Assateague nature preserve and Chincoteague town.
Interestingly, Brighty may have originally been Wesley Dennis’s idea. In 2001, there was an exhibition of the Art work by Wesley Dennis. According to a contemporary biographical sketch by one librarian, Wesley Dennis had been in New Mexico a year before his first book, “to gather material for a book idea he called Brighty of the Grand Canyon”. Purely by chance he met the children’s book editor May Massee there, and this proved to be the crucial starting point of his career.
There is a film of Brighty of the Grand Canyon, made in 1967. Parts of it were shot at the Colorado River in Utah and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It must be stunning.
The “Brighty of the Grand Canyon” we know, which follows Brighty’s wanderings and escapades, is an exciting yarn, telling a tale of murder and survival, as Brighty risks everything to help to bring the murderer of his old friend to justice. Brighty’s adventures have proved popular for generations of readers, and he has become a symbol for a joyous, free-spirited way of life: forever free. Unfortunately, the real-life Brighty did come come to a sad end, at the hand of some travellers in about 1922. But his spirit lives on in people’s minds, and some say that you can even see him roaming the canyon on moonlit nights.
There is a bronze statue of Brighty, in the lobby of Grand Canyon Lodge, a National Historic Landmark, located near Arizona State Route 67. The monument of stone walls and timbers has a memorial inscription written by Marguerite Henry:
“the artist captured the soul of Brighty, forever wild, forever free”.
February 19, 2020
This was my first chapter book ever. Got it when the scholastic book sale happened through my grade school . . . .I loved Brighty and never thought we'd be reunited when it popped up in Scribd. Dear old Marguerite Henry - she loved all things equus and that's what she wrote about. . .for kiddos.
Ms. Henry says that most of the incidents, including Bright, Teddy Roosevelt, the good cowboys and the bad 'uns are all based on real happenings. Besides being a lovely story about Brighty, who helped forge the trails in the Grand Canyon (along with about a million indigenous citizens) this is a love story about the Grand Canyon, the river that sculpts it, and the natural beauty through most of the seasons and years of Bright Angel's life. It is a darling tale. If you read aloud to someone, young or old, pick this one up. You'll get the chance to see people from a donkey's view. Who doesn't want that???!!!
God Bless that teacher who let us order scholastic books, and parents who let me spend their hard earned nickels on books when the library was 2 blocks away. Oh, yeah, and thanks to all those who decided it was a good thing for men to read, and then finally for women to read. Let's not forget those battles. . . .;)
Ms. Henry says that most of the incidents, including Bright, Teddy Roosevelt, the good cowboys and the bad 'uns are all based on real happenings. Besides being a lovely story about Brighty, who helped forge the trails in the Grand Canyon (along with about a million indigenous citizens) this is a love story about the Grand Canyon, the river that sculpts it, and the natural beauty through most of the seasons and years of Bright Angel's life. It is a darling tale. If you read aloud to someone, young or old, pick this one up. You'll get the chance to see people from a donkey's view. Who doesn't want that???!!!
God Bless that teacher who let us order scholastic books, and parents who let me spend their hard earned nickels on books when the library was 2 blocks away. Oh, yeah, and thanks to all those who decided it was a good thing for men to read, and then finally for women to read. Let's not forget those battles. . . .;)
February 11, 2025
I first discovered Newberry Medal winning author Marguerite Henry when I was in the third grade. You know, shortly after the Ark made landfall. As a dyed-in-the-stable horse lover, I read just about everything this remarkably talented “horse writer” ever wrote: King of the Wind, Black Gold, Justin Morgan Had a Horse, Misty of Chincoteague. To name a few. Last week I came across a recently re-released paperback version of Henry’s well-loved historical novel, Brighty of the Grand Canyon. I couldn’t resist. I picked it up and turned pages I haven’t revisited in over 40 years.
I loved it. Again.
Brighty of the Grand Canyon is the fact-based story of the free-spirited little burro who lived in Arizona’s Grand Canyon. He’s named after the canyon’s Bright Angel Creek. Brighty's hoofs originally blazed the trail from the canyon depths up to the mountain meadows of the Kaibab Forest on the canyon’s rim. Brighty was the first to cross the suspension bridge over the Colorado River, having helped in its construction.
In terms of style, Henry's is easy and engaging. Her pacing and narration are superb, her descriptions of canyon flora and fauna exquisite. From the initial chapters where we meet the burro and his prospector friend, Old Timer, and the dastardly Jake Irons, to the blinding snowstorm rescue at the end, the pages are peppered with rich, three-dimensional characters. We meet the gentle, larger-than-life “lion killer” James “Uncle Jimmy” Owens and water boy Homer Hobbs. They soon feel like lifelong friends. Theodore Roosevelt even puts in an appearance.
Henry has an uncanny knack for bringing non-humans “characters” to life and imbuing them with traits such as kindliness, perseverance and courage. Brighty is a choice case in point. The imaginary dialogue that goes on inside the burro’s head is believable, even familiar. Henry skillfully weaves an ark load of historical, geographical, botanical and biological background about the canyon into the story. Her touch is so subtle that the background enhances the story rather than interrupting or detracting from it, presenting a rich, full-flavored narrative.
Brighty of the Grand Canyon won the William Allen White Children's Book Award in 1956. It's still a wonderful read – at any age.
I loved it. Again.
Brighty of the Grand Canyon is the fact-based story of the free-spirited little burro who lived in Arizona’s Grand Canyon. He’s named after the canyon’s Bright Angel Creek. Brighty's hoofs originally blazed the trail from the canyon depths up to the mountain meadows of the Kaibab Forest on the canyon’s rim. Brighty was the first to cross the suspension bridge over the Colorado River, having helped in its construction.
In terms of style, Henry's is easy and engaging. Her pacing and narration are superb, her descriptions of canyon flora and fauna exquisite. From the initial chapters where we meet the burro and his prospector friend, Old Timer, and the dastardly Jake Irons, to the blinding snowstorm rescue at the end, the pages are peppered with rich, three-dimensional characters. We meet the gentle, larger-than-life “lion killer” James “Uncle Jimmy” Owens and water boy Homer Hobbs. They soon feel like lifelong friends. Theodore Roosevelt even puts in an appearance.
Henry has an uncanny knack for bringing non-humans “characters” to life and imbuing them with traits such as kindliness, perseverance and courage. Brighty is a choice case in point. The imaginary dialogue that goes on inside the burro’s head is believable, even familiar. Henry skillfully weaves an ark load of historical, geographical, botanical and biological background about the canyon into the story. Her touch is so subtle that the background enhances the story rather than interrupting or detracting from it, presenting a rich, full-flavored narrative.
Brighty of the Grand Canyon won the William Allen White Children's Book Award in 1956. It's still a wonderful read – at any age.
August 4, 2010
Okay, this probably only would have gotten three stars from me if I weren't in the middle of a mad love affair with the Grand Canyon, but it's so perfectly evocative of what it's like to be there, with the stark cliffs and rushing river and the way mountain lions leap into your path. I especially appreciated the level of detail given to my nemesis, the bridge over the Colorado River.
August 18, 2020
Brighty is is a mostly wild donkey who lives in the Grand Canyon around the time of Teddy Roosevelt. He is friends with an old prospector during certain seaons, but after the Old Timer dies, he befriends a few other humans, although he spends most of his time in the wild. While we know who killed the Old Timer, others don't, and plenty of adventures befall Brighty before the culprit is finally brought to justice. I wish I'd read this when I was a young child because I would have enjoyed this a great deal back then even though it was written BMT (before my time).
May 23, 2011
I read one book by Marguerite Henry when I was a kid, Black Gold, and loved it. When I was at the Grand Canyon and saw this book for sale I just had to get it as a momento. If I were still a kid I would probably have loved it. As an adult I thought it was cute but certainly not very compelling. Thus, the 3 star rating is halfway between my adult rating and what I suspect I would have given it as a kid.
March 31, 2014
I last read this book as a fourth grader many years ago. When I found it in the Grand Canyon visitor's center last week, I couldn't resist reading it again. Despite its age, this book is such a dear story, and the attention to history, landscape and environment is inspiring. Perhaps I'll rediscover more of Mrs. Henry's books - Misty of Chincoteague, King of the Wind, etc.
June 5, 2022
This was a cute, interesting read. I found Brighty to be fun and courageous.
A quote from the story:
But some animals, like some men, leave a trail of glory behind them. They give their spirit to the place where they have lived and remain forever a part of the rocks and streams and the wind and sky.
Rating: PG
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes
A quote from the story:
But some animals, like some men, leave a trail of glory behind them. They give their spirit to the place where they have lived and remain forever a part of the rocks and streams and the wind and sky.
Rating: PG
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes
July 19, 2011
I love this book and still have my copy that my dad bought me. He got it for me because I loved horses but I owned a burro. It was one of my all time favorite reads. I must have read this book 5 times or more. I even spent a summer reading it to my burro Daniel. Im not sure he appreicated what I was trying to share but he always stayed and listend
May 10, 2015
Light reading about a rascal burro living in the Grand Canyon. Good books compel us to action...this book has sparked an interest in hiking the Grand Canyon. I have added this activity to my bucket list!
March 12, 2023
Loved re-visiting this childhood favourite based on the true story of a cheeky little burro named Bright Angel who lived in the Grand Canyon.
May 21, 2017
I'm not even going to try to come up with a "first read" date because this is just one of those deep childhood favorites that I don't even remember reading for a "first time." It just always was.
Brighty is adorable. I had no idea that he was a real burro, and he really did meet Teddy Roosevelt. Add Brighty to the list my childhood animal heroes who really existed - and who have monuments! One day I'll go on a trek to see Balto's and Brighty's statues.
This book is far more intense than I remember it being. A lot of animal-killing (Roosevelt didn't just come down for suspension bridges, after all) and burro abuse. Poor thing. Not to mention the actual murder case. But still, Brighty is adorable.
Brighty is adorable. I had no idea that he was a real burro, and he really did meet Teddy Roosevelt. Add Brighty to the list my childhood animal heroes who really existed - and who have monuments! One day I'll go on a trek to see Balto's and Brighty's statues.
This book is far more intense than I remember it being. A lot of animal-killing (Roosevelt didn't just come down for suspension bridges, after all) and burro abuse. Poor thing. Not to mention the actual murder case. But still, Brighty is adorable.
June 23, 2016
After I started reading this, I realized I read this before when I was younger. Delightful story of Brighty the donkey that lived at the Grand Canyon!
January 3, 2022
Best adventurous Grand Canyon burro book ever, and first time M. Henry fan. Nice time traveling read to the old days of the canyon. Eager to read more of her past works.
May 23, 2024
What a wild ride!
July 23, 2020
I loved this book about Brighty, the little donkey of the the Grand Canyon! Marguerite Henry has written many books about the beauty and personalities of horses, but this is the only one I know of that she wrote about a donkey. Brighty is the main character, and although told in the 3rd person narrative, Brighty's thoughts, feelings and wishes are clear. He navigates the canyon walls and encounters all kinds of people, some kind, some evil. The descriptions and history of the canyon are well told, and there is even an appearance of Theodore Roosevelt who established the Grand Canyon as a national park. I was privileged to visit the canyon a few years ago but only the South Rim. I really, really want to go back - this time to the North Rim where most of the book took place.
Thank you to my friend, Donna, for recommending this wonderful children's book.
Thank you to my friend, Donna, for recommending this wonderful children's book.
July 20, 2023
Henry is well known for her children’s book focusing on horses and other animals. This was one of my favorites as a child.
Bright Angel was a wild burro named for the creek along which he made his home. In the early 1900s he befriended tourists and naturalists who visited what was to become our 17th National Park – The Grand Canyon. He had a sixth sense about people’s characters and would kick at or run from anyone he deemed unfriendly or a threat. But he was gentle with children and helped carry water and other supplies for those he trusted.
Henry uses the historical facts and embellishes the story to create a murder mystery with some valuable lessons in natural history. Reading it as an adult, I can definitely see why I loved her books as a child. There are some darker moments in this book, including animal cruelty, but the murder occurs off text and Henry keeps the violence to a bare minimum and uses humor and joy to temper any negative images.
Illustrations by Wesley Dennis add to the charm of the book.
NOTE: "Date read" is the approximate time I first read this ... I must have read it 3 or 4 times as a child, as I did with all of Henry's books. Most recent re-read was in March 2013.
Bright Angel was a wild burro named for the creek along which he made his home. In the early 1900s he befriended tourists and naturalists who visited what was to become our 17th National Park – The Grand Canyon. He had a sixth sense about people’s characters and would kick at or run from anyone he deemed unfriendly or a threat. But he was gentle with children and helped carry water and other supplies for those he trusted.
Henry uses the historical facts and embellishes the story to create a murder mystery with some valuable lessons in natural history. Reading it as an adult, I can definitely see why I loved her books as a child. There are some darker moments in this book, including animal cruelty, but the murder occurs off text and Henry keeps the violence to a bare minimum and uses humor and joy to temper any negative images.
Illustrations by Wesley Dennis add to the charm of the book.
NOTE: "Date read" is the approximate time I first read this ... I must have read it 3 or 4 times as a child, as I did with all of Henry's books. Most recent re-read was in March 2013.
November 1, 2016
This may be the book where it all began. To this day, I recall reading along when suddenly, Brighty's own perspective leapt off the page and into my impressionable mind. The burro thought the man who packed his saddle bags a fool — the load woefully unbalanced, all off to one side. Ho ho! The intuitive powers of an intimate understanding trump the know-it-all nature of a grown man! This spoke to me deeply. Instantly in love, I was from that moment forever in search of stories written from an animal's perspective — and ever-so-many I was destined to find. Devoted to horses, I had amassed a herd of figurines — from Bays to Palaminos to Indian Paints — with flowing manes, smooth coats, and regal-to-rearing stances. A perfectionist from an early age, I liked everything to be thematically fitting, pretty, and all of-a-piece. It is testament to how much I loved Brighty that I begged an oddball replica of little long-ears himself, accepting him in all his homely, pebbled-plastic glory. Wish I still had him, but I do have my childhood copy of this grand book. On reading it aloud to my own children, I was astounded to note how small a moment it was that so galvanized my heart. But there is simply no doubt that it did. #MapMyReadingLife
December 8, 2022
We loved this as a family read aloud. A little murder mystery meets old west meets vivid landscapes. It makes you want to go and visit the grand canyon. Also, it's a sign of a great author that we are all smitten with the little burro named Brighty!
March 12, 2020
We just finished reading this and my boys loved it! I’ve been really loving books by this author. It was extra special because we got to go to the grand canyon last year and even hiked a little of the bright angel trail which is what the donkey is named for. True stories too! Besides the fact that it’s written from the view point of a donkey 😅We watched a little documentary about the “plight of the American donkey” last night and we all decided we want one for a pet. I never thought about all the negative stigmas the donkey has to battle and it was cool to think of how important they’ve been to the Wild West. Slightly random/slightly thematic? 🤷♀️ warning: there is a murder mystery (no details but you know there’s a bad guy) and the negative use of the term jackass a few times.
January 4, 2013
I remember a teacher reading this to me when I was a kid, and the book was much better in my memories than it turned out to be when I reread it to my kids. Pretty sappy and over-wrought (the villain being oh so villainous for example). The ending is also silly. Oh well, my kids enjoyed it.
June 19, 2020
A very sweet book. I thought it was going to be too cute and childish, but it wasn’t. The illustrations were great, too — they showed Brighty’s personality very well. Interesting, too, that it was almost all factual!
November 29, 2021
****DNF****
It’s fine, but I didn’t really CARE at all that much and caring about the characters is important to me in a book. It was also very boring and I skimmed the whole thing. This one is just not for me.
Content: an offscreen murder; characters get shot at; a donkey is shot (he survives)
It’s fine, but I didn’t really CARE at all that much and caring about the characters is important to me in a book. It was also very boring and I skimmed the whole thing. This one is just not for me.
Content: an offscreen murder; characters get shot at; a donkey is shot (he survives)
September 1, 2022
Another childhood favorite.
March 26, 2020
This is a fictional account of a real-life burro named Brighty who lived in the Grand Canyon from around 1892 to 1922. His name was Bright Angel, after a creek in the North Rim where he lived.
I would probably have enjoyed this more as a child, because after awhile the anthropomorphizing started to wear on me. The story's pace was up and down, and I was often distracted away from it. Published in 1953, it reflects the time's lack of understanding of the role of large predators in the ecological chain, and I did not like the enthusiastic lauding of the hunting of the lynx. But Brighty was a cute character, and I also enjoyed the parts with Teddy Roosevelt. As an adult the parts with the capture of the murderer came across as rather corny, but I imagine they would be exciting to the target audience of children.
I would probably have enjoyed this more as a child, because after awhile the anthropomorphizing started to wear on me. The story's pace was up and down, and I was often distracted away from it. Published in 1953, it reflects the time's lack of understanding of the role of large predators in the ecological chain, and I did not like the enthusiastic lauding of the hunting of the lynx. But Brighty was a cute character, and I also enjoyed the parts with Teddy Roosevelt. As an adult the parts with the capture of the murderer came across as rather corny, but I imagine they would be exciting to the target audience of children.
January 30, 2025
I read Brighty a couple times when I was a kid, the last time being when I was in 7th grade. I remembered that it wasn't my favorite, but I didn't remember why.
Brighty is loosely based on a real wild burro who lived in the Grand Canyon at the start of the 20th century. Henry's descriptions of the canyon are especially well-researched and vivid, but as a horse story, it's incredibly dark. Brighty endures persistent abuse from men (and there are only men). The bad guy is an archetype without any nuance. The cameos by President Teddy Roosevelt are interesting. Native Americans only get mentioned once, as capturing wild burros. The plot just feels... forced into circularity to make Brighty endure his nemesis again. It's not a light, fun book, by any means. I can see why I didn't want to own this as a kid; I won't continue to own it now, either.
Brighty is loosely based on a real wild burro who lived in the Grand Canyon at the start of the 20th century. Henry's descriptions of the canyon are especially well-researched and vivid, but as a horse story, it's incredibly dark. Brighty endures persistent abuse from men (and there are only men). The bad guy is an archetype without any nuance. The cameos by President Teddy Roosevelt are interesting. Native Americans only get mentioned once, as capturing wild burros. The plot just feels... forced into circularity to make Brighty endure his nemesis again. It's not a light, fun book, by any means. I can see why I didn't want to own this as a kid; I won't continue to own it now, either.
June 5, 2018
Here's a book often passed up for not being about a dog, cat, or horse. I heavily recommend it if you like Call of the Wild, Flicka, Lassie, or any of those classic animal books, not only is Brighty a charming book, it's one that I cannot sum up in words any better than a classic that should be read just like all the others, it has charm, whimsy, and a style that reads as much older than it is.
July 19, 2025
my mom gave me this book many years ago and I've put off reading for reasons I don't even know. with the recent devastating fire at the North Rim, I decided now was a good time to read this book.
it is a children's book with some dark sections but overall it is a sweet story of what Bright must have done in the canyon and the friends he made there.
it is a children's book with some dark sections but overall it is a sweet story of what Bright must have done in the canyon and the friends he made there.
July 18, 2019
Loved revisiting Brighty the burro! Being fresh back from a trip to the Grand Canyon made the backdrop to the story all the more vivid. This also has a legit plot line with the thrill of finding and bringing his prospector buddy Old Timer’s killer to justice! So sweet to slip back into a childhood fave.
February 10, 2023
Ah, Marguerite, and your lovely children's horse yarns.
"Snowbound time has no seconds or minutes. It is an hourglass with snow for sand, and unseen fingers turning it."
She sure knows how to conclude a book. Emotional and poetic.
"Snowbound time has no seconds or minutes. It is an hourglass with snow for sand, and unseen fingers turning it."
She sure knows how to conclude a book. Emotional and poetic.
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