This was a weekend dominated by horse books! I'm preparing for storytimes at the local A&P show - which has a horse theme this year.
Toes, teeth, and tentacles: a curious counting book.
By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page.
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2025.
Non-fiction picture book.
A different counting book, which counts appendages / body
parts of various animals.
A great early non-fiction for curious animal lovers.
Is it asleep? [Originally published in French as Est-ce
qu'il dort?]
Written and illustrated by Olivier Tallec.
Translated by Anthony Shugaar.
Gecko Press, 2025.
Picture book.
Squirrel and Pock (a mushroom) look forward to seeing the
blackbird every day. One day, the blackbird is unmoving. They test to see if it
is alive / asleep – but the blackbird has died.
A quirky introduction to death, which does look at what it
means – physically – to be dead. And, a bit at life cycles.
All the Hulk feels.
Written and illustrated by Dan Santat.
Abrams Fanfare, 2025.
Graphic novel.
A discussion between the Hulk and Bruce Banner about
feelings and anger – and the importance of having a variety of emotions.
Freya and the snake [originally published in Swedish as Freja
och huggormen].
Written by Fredrik Sonck
Illustrated by Jenny Lucander.
Translated by B.J. Woodstein.
Kids Can Press, 2025.
Sophisticated picture book.
A very different approach to dealing with death.
Freya’s father kills a snake, which could have bitten one of
the family. Freya cannot forgive the snake murder, even after his reasons are
explained. Freya has to deal with her anger at her father, but also her love of
him.
Hilwa's gifts.
Written by Safa Suleiman.
Illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan.
Candlewick Press, 2025.
Picture book.
Set in Palestine, this book looks at olives and their
importance to the people – and how many ways olives are used.
It is also a tale of family and love.
The greedy wolf.
Written by Timothy Knapman.
Illustrated by Jean Jullien.
Walker Books, 2024.
Picture book.
A twisted fairy tale.
Similar to That is NOT a good idea! by Mo Willems,
but not as competently delivered.
The Moon Rabbit: a celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Written by Eva Wong Nava.
Illustrated by Jason Chuang.
Walker Books, 2025.
Picture book non-fiction.
A lush and atmospheric introduction to a traditional festival.
Wash day love.
Written by Tanisia Moore.
Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa.
Scholastic Press, 2025.
Picture book.
I can only imagine the trauma of the hair washing process, as
detailed in this picture book.
Yes, there is trauma – but there is also so much empathy and
love.
Big, little: a book of opposites.
Written and illustrated by Didier Cornille.
Post Wave Books, 2025.
Picture book.
Some unexpected juxtapositions here – and a few pages of
fold outs.
Deceptively simple.
The invisible parade.
Written by Leigh Bardugo.
Illustrated by John Picacio.
Orion Children's Books, 2025.
Sophisticated picture book.
The horseman from the night of Día de Muertos, and a story
of grief, combine in a stunning sophisticated picture book.
The pony club.
Written and illustrated by Gwenda Turner.
Puffin Books NZ, 1998.
Aotearoa.
Picture book.
A Gwenda Turner classic. Every time I re-read one of her
books, I grieve again that we lost her too soon.
There’s something quintessentially New Zealand in her books.
Horse meets Dog.
Written by Elliott Kalan.
Illustrated by Tim Miller.
Balzer + Bray, 2018.
Picture book.
This would be a riot to read as a duo / readers theatre!
It’s also a lesson in assumptions.
Whose poo?
Written and illustrated by Jeannette Rowe.
Lothian Children's Books, 2023.
Lift-the-flap picture book.
I am not a fan of poo / bum / far books. This one is ok – it
could vaguely be educational. Maybe. Around the edges.
If I was a horse.
Written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
Lothian Children's Book, 2023.
Australian.
Picture book.
Imagination, whimsy, and family fuel this story.
A friend for Little Bear
Written and illustrated by Harry Horse.
Walker Books, 1996.
Picture book.
I’m struggling to come up with reasons why this is kept in
our stack collection. It’s slight and a bit meh, really.
There are much better books about friendship and sharing
around these days. Try Mine! a story of not sharing by Klara Persson, Nichola Smalley, and
Charlotte Ramel.
Giddy-up! Let's ride!
Written and illustrated by Flora McDonnell.
Walker Books / Candlewick Press, 2002.
Picture book.
An expansion of the traditional rhyme: ‘this is the way the
lady rides’ – with some great additions, like drummers and fairies.
Unicorn (and Horse).
Written by David Miles.
Illustrated by Hollie Mengert.
Familius, 2018.
Picture book.
Jealousy rears its head, but Horse learns that there’s not
much difference between himself and Unicorn. Deadpan humour means this is more
suitable for older readers / listeners.
More sensitive souls may be upset with the kidnapping of Unicorn.
Lucy and Copper.
Written and illustrated by Mandy Foot.
Lothian Children's Books, 2021.
Picture book.
Lucy doesn’t want anything to do with Copper, the new horse.
She wants to stay riding Smudge, the family’s old pony.
Smudge is old now, and Lucy is too big.
Like Lucy transitioning from childhood pony to big horse,
this is a great book for those wanting a slightly longer, and more storyline-forward,
book.
Noni the pony counts to a million.
Written and illustrated by Alison Lester.
Allen & Unwin, 2021.
Australian.
Picture book.
Noni the pony has appeared in previous books. This is a
story of numbers, and friendship.
I love you, Little Horse.
Written and illustrated by Gianna Marino.
Philomel, Penguin Random House , 2025.
Picture book.
Love throughout the day, including love and enjoyment of the
natural world.
If a horse had words.
Written by Kelly Cooper.
Illustrated by Lucy Eldridge.
Tundra, 2018.
Picture book.
On the day of his birth Red Badger, a foal, is helped by a
boy. When Red Badger bucks the boy off, the boy’s father sells him. The pair
are reunited years later.
There’s beauty in the words, and white space on the page.
But, there’s something unsettling about the story and the underlying message.
Mini Whinny Goody Four-Shoes.
Written by Stacy Gregg.
Illustrated by Ruth Paul.
Scholastic, 2019.
Aotearoa.
The Mini Whinny books do not do it for me, she’s too
much of an obnoxious preschooler-type.
This does show problems with assumptions – Mini Whinny
assumes Goody Four-Shoes is too prissy and perfect, but given a chance, they
are the same and become friends.
Sugarlump and the unicorn.
Written by Julia Donaldson.
Illustrated by Lydia Monks.
Macmillan Children's Books, 2013.
Sugarlump is a rocking horse, whose wishes are granted by
the magical unicorn.
After many adventures, Sugarlump is content with his final
life.
What should a horse say?
Written by Fleur McDonald.
Illustrated by Annie White.
New Frontier Publishing. 2018.
Australian.
Picture book.
A simple picture book, but one that works for younger
readers / listeners.
I cannot draw a horse.
Written and illustrated by Charise Mericle Harper.
Union Square Kids, 2022.
Picture book.
A demanding cat, and a concerned narrator team up in this
quirky tale.
If I had a horse.
Written and illustrated by Gianna Marino.
Roaring Brook Press, 2018.
Picture book.
A young child dreams of what life would be like, if they had
a horse.
The silhouette illustrations mean that you can read into the
characters whatever you wish.
A horse named Steve.
Written and illustrated by Kelly Collier.
Kids Can Press, 2017.
Picture book.
Steve is desperate to be ‘exceptional’ – but his initial
attempt earns derision.
This does not really represent a message or moral I’d want
shared. It tries to be humorous, but comes across more ‘worthy’ and ‘earnest’.
Do you believe in unicorns?
Written and illustrated by Bethanie Deeney Murguia.
Candlewick Press, 2018.
Picture book.
An unreliable narrator, juxtaposition between text and
illustrations – this is a subtle story. Do you believe?
Hello, horse.
Written by Vivian French.
Illustrated by Catherine Rayner.
Walker Books, 2018.
Picture book.
First horse riding lesson.
A luminous and gentle book, in both text and illustration.
Arno and his horse.
Written by Jane Godwin.
Illustrated by Felicita Sala.
Scribble, 2020.
Australian.
Picture book.
A bit confusing, with disconnects between text and
illustrations – but not in a good way.
It’s also a story about death and grief, but that seems
almost an afterthought. Rhyming text.
Unicorns 101.
Written and illustrated by Cale Atkinson.
Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2019.
Sophisticated picture book.
Older readers will appreciate the humour and cartoon-style
illustrations.
The horseback librarians.
Written by Jane Yolen.
Illustrated by Alexandra Badiu.
Albert Whitman & Company, 2023.
Based on the Pack Horse Library Project, this is a tale of
literacy and community.
Wandering Star.
Written by Natalie Jane Prior.
Illustrated by Stephen Michael King.
Scholastic Press, 2019.
Australian.
A dreamlike tale, with suitably dreamy illustrations. How
much is real, and how much is imagination, is left entirely up to the reader.
Rhyming text.
A horse named Jack.
Written by Linda Vander Heyden.
Illustrated by Petra Brown.
Sleeping Bear Press, 2018.
Picture book.
Jack is bored, so breaks free and runs amok. Along the way,
he encounters numbers one to 10, then back to one, as he returns home.
Rhyming text.
Doris.
Written and illustrated by Sarah Jacoby.
Roaring Brook Press, 2023.
Doris escapes life in the circus to explore – only to
question her decision. A friend appears, who helps settle her.
