Hello, Horse

A gentle introduction to horses will draw both committed horse lovers and those who need a little reassurance before jumping into the saddle.

I have a friend named Catherine, and she has a horse named Shannon. “Come and meet her,” Catherine says.

A little boy isn’t sure if he likes horses, but his friend Catherine assures him that her horse will like him. Shannon is very big, but she’s beautiful, throwing her head up and looking at him with her dark eyes as if she knows everything there is to know. Catherine patiently teaches the boy how to talk to a horse quietly, how to feed her carrots, how to lead her across a field, even how to blow at her softly to show that he likes her. But is he really ready to climb up on Shannon’s back and take a ride? Facts about horses are sprinkled throughout to satisfy inquisitive readers.

Vivian French has written more than 250 books for young readers, including Growing Frogs and T. Rex, both illustrated by Alison Bartlett, as well as the Tales from the Five Kingdoms series. She lives in Scotland.

Catherine Rayner is the illustrator of many books for young readers and has won many awards for her artwork, including a Kate Greenaway Medal. The horse in this book is based on her own horse named Shannon. Catherine Rayner lives in Scotland.