Riding Magic

The empowering story of a little girl overcoming a big fear with the help of her family and a horse named Magic

Dom wishes she were brave enough to ride a horse—if only horses weren’t so huge and intimidating! Momma says it’s normal to have the jitters at first, but Dom isn’t sure she’ll ever feel ready. She spends time with Magic, her favorite horse, and he seems to understand her worries, and even lets her brush him. This gives Dom the boost she needs, and sure enough, when she finally does get in the saddle, she’s thrilled to discover the frightened ba-bum, ba-bum of her heart transforming into a happy beat in rhythm with Magic’s steady clip-clop, clip-clop.

Lyrical text and stunning light-filled paintings beautifully capture the touching bond between Dom and Magic as Dom gains the confidence to ride, reassuring readers that everyone tries new things at their own pace.

Kelly Starling Lyons (KellyStarlingLyons.com) is the award-winning author of more than thirty books for young readers, including Sing a Song: How “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Inspired Generations, Ellen’s Broom, and Tea Cakes for Tosh. Her chapter books include the Jada Jones and Miles Lewis series, She Persisted: Dorothy Height, and She Persisted: Coretta Scott King. She is a teaching artist and one of the founding members of The Brown Bookshelf. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

E. B. Lewis (EBLewis.com) is the acclaimed illustrator of more than seventy picture books, including Each Kindness, The Other Side, and Caldecott Honor Book Coming On Home Soon (all by Jacqueline Woodson); the New York Times Best Illustrated Award winner Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis (by Jabari Asim); and several Coretta Scott King Award winners, such as Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman and The Bat Boy and His Violin. He taught art in public schools for many years and at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He lives in Folsom, New Jersey.