Review by Booklist Review
Hubbell, the author of more than 30 picture books, celebrates horses in her latest, and it's a lively rhyming story that takes readers on a journey of discovery as they learn about different breeds, how to care for them, as well as the different jobs horses may have. From police horses to polo horses to cattle herders, a variety of horses and their occupations are introduced in merry succession: Circus horses bow and prance, / pirouette, rear up, and dance. / Police ride horses on their beats / clip-clop-clop down city streets. The pleasant text is accompanied by Mathieu's illustrations rendered in watercolor and pencil, all of which are textured, warm, and inviting. Young equine fans will enjoy this fun introduction to horses presented in a story form, but readers still left wanting more should check out Gail Gibbons' Horses! (2003) and Holly Hobbie's Everything but the Horse (2010).--Sawyer, Linda Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-A simple, rhyming text introduces readers to horses-the different breeds, their abilities in providing transportation, and all else they do. "Police ride horses on their beats,/clip-clop-clop down city streets..They swim a stream./Jump a wall./Gallop after a polo ball." The animals are depicted working on farms, eating, and being cared for. Lovely, action-packed illustrations done in watercolors and colored pencils highlight the different hues and patterns found on the horses' coats. White space is generously used to highlight scenes with jockeys racing horses and children enjoying riding. Other pages show horses decorated in circus and parade regalia, which will resonate with many youngsters who have not been exposed to their important presence and work on a farm. One enchanting spread illustrates horses pulling a red sled with smiling children through a snow-filled Christmas scene. This is an excellent addition for any collection, and it will extend knowledge about transportation that isn't man-made.-Anne Beier, Clifton Public Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In rhyming couplets, this horse-celebrating volume touches on care, horse behavior, and jobs horses do, though the random arrangement is awkward ("Horses buck and roll and snooze. Some of them wear iron shoes"). Gentle watercolor and pencil illustrations show chunky, oddly-proportioned horses, but the soft colors and textures and the subjects' good humor will appeal to a child's eye. Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Rollicking rhyming couplets keep the pages turning as readers learn how to care for a horse and the many jobs that horses help humans complete in this latest from Hubbell."Clean their stall! Fill their pails! / Brush their bodies, manes, and tails! / Wipe their ears. Shine their feet. / Give them apples for a treat." From the tasks of caring for a horse, Hubbell goes on to describe the different colors horses can be and what they do. The real strength of this book, however, lies in its descriptions of how horses and people work together. Horses help cowboys herd cattle and farmers plow their fields. They perform in circuses and help police officers get around. Horses can haul wagons and sleighs, carry people, swim, jump and race. A final page presents 12 labeled thumbnails of popular horse breeds (including one that is a color rather than a true breed: palomino). Mathieu's watercolor-and-pencil artwork captures the beautiful lines of each horse. By contrast, the people are more cartoonish, making for a disparity that sometimes detracts from the scene as a whole.Meant for the youngest audiences, this rough overview won't hold the interest of those who are already horse crazed, but it just may start the uninitiated down that path. (Informational picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
