What matters most

In this gentle, unassuming picture book, a mare and her foal walk around their grassy field, converse, stop at a pond, explore equipment for practicing jumps, gaze at a flock of birds and the rising moon, and return to their stable to snuggle in for the night. In the simple text, the writer/narrator asks "What matters most of all to you? / What matters most to me? / Let's take a look around us / and maybe we will see." Is it being big or small? Talking or listening? Feeling brave or fearful? Being alone or with others? In the end, of course, it's love that matters most. The rhyming text reads aloud well, creating an easygoing accompaniment to the illustrations, which depict the two gentle horses with broad, rounded strokes. On certain double-page spreads, the digital artwork includes shiny, reflective elements in gold and silver tones. These are particularly effective when used to represent water's reflective quality and the sun's brilliance. The two characters' mutual affection makes this a comforting choice for reading one-on-one.

PreS-K--In drawings that look as if a coloring book was washed in textures and scrubbed in color, an older horse and younger one ponder what matters: being big or small? Is it having a lot of things? They talk about courage, being alone, staying home, or going out. Somehow, they conclude that love matters most. VERDICT Sweet illustrations try to send the book soaring, but the flat-footed treatment of philosophical questions is earthbound. Additional.