Please welcome my guest author, Maria Gianferrari, today. She has a book list featuring horses in celebration of her newest picture book, Rain and the Reading Horse!
Rain and the Reading Horse by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Hannah Salyer
Rain is very shy, and words get stuck in her throat when she tries to read aloud. Snow is a reading horse in a new program designed to get kids reading. Snow is non-judgmental, waiting patiently for Rain to feel comfortable enough to read out loud. As Rain takes care of Snow by mucking, feeding, and grooming the horse, she starts to read more comfortably. Finally, when Rain is riding Snow, the words flow out of her mouth. This book is a heartfelt tribute to the profound connection between animals and humans. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
To celebrate the release of Rain and the Reading Horse, stunningly illustrated by Hannah Salyer, saddle up for some whinny-ing horse books for horse lovers of all kinds! We’re giving away a copy of Rain and the Reading Horse. To enter, please leave a comment below.
Nicker & Neigh & Hooray for Horses Book List
If You Want to Ride a Horse by Amy Novetsky, illustrated by Gael Abary
Novetsky’s language has a lovely, lilting rhythm reminiscent of riding, and Abary’s art has a classic, nostalgic feel that enhances the text. Informative and lyrical as well as meditative: “the scent of a barn is a balm” that will calm. Remember, “You are sitting/atop a dream,” Novetsky’s love of horses oozes off each page. With back matter on markings, patches, stockings, manes, and more. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
If I Was a Horse by Sophie Blackall
Imbued with Blackall’s signature folksy and whimsical art, a child’s imagination runs as wild and free as a horse’s in this playful and humorous horse “tail.” [picture book, ages 3 and up]
If I Had a Horse by Gianna Marino
Marino’s gouache art stuns with silhouetted spreads, giving it universal appeal—child readers can imagine themselves reflected in the book’s pages. The impressionistic images are in motion, with flowing lines and soothing colors that reinforce the child-horse bond: “together … we could do anything.” [picture book, ages 4 and up]
I Love You, Little Horse by Gianna Marino
Spend the day with an equine mother and child as they experience the natural world, from soft earth to prickly grass, racing clouds, and chasing the day’s end, where they “watch leaves spin around the slipping sun,” echoing a human parent-child bond of warmth, safety, and love. [picture book, ages 3 and up]
The Little Book of Lore for Horse Lovers: A Round Up of Equine Facts, Myths, and History by Mary Frances Budzik
Full of fun facts for horse enthusiasts from flehmening to farriers, myths of Pegasus, unicorns, and centaurs, to famous horses like Clever Hans and Beautiful Jim Key, gallop along through horse talk and history in this book for the true hippophile. [nonfiction middle grade, ages 8 and up]
My Book of Horses and Ponies: A Fact-Filled Guide to Your Equine Friends from DK Publishing
Jump into the world of horses in this guide covering equines from all around the globe. From the extra-large Shires, Schleswigs and Percherons, to the pint-sized Shetland and Sandalwood ponies, to the miniature Falabella horse, fact-loving kids will love poring over its informative pages for all things horse. [nonfiction picture book, ages 5 and up]
Brave Old Blue by Colleen Musky, illustrated by Christopher Thornock
A heartwarming story of horse rescue and healing as Old Blue arrives at the farm, first uncertain, then receiving whinnies of welcome from the resident rescue horse herd. Over time, Old Blue relaxes into a friendship with caretaker Bobby. Thornock’s soft, muted color palette is as peaceful and serene and cozy as Old Blue’s straw-lined stall—Old Blue is finally home. [picture book, ages 5 and up]
What’s your favorite horse book and GIVEAWAY?
Thanks to the generosity of Clarion Books, we’re giving away a copy of Rain and the Reading Horse to a lucky Pragmatic Mom reader (US addresses only—sorry!). To enter, please leave a comment below. This giveaway ends in one week.
–> Congrats, Gina! You won a copy of Rain and the Reading Horse!
We hope our book will become one of your favorites!
Thanks, Mia!
As a shy, animal-loving kid, Maria Gianferrari wishes she could have read to a horse like Snow. As a shy, animal-loving adult, she now gets to write about all kinds of creatures and the bonds that they share with humans in books like Be a Tree!, You and the Bowerbird, and To Dogs, with Love. Maria lives in Massachusetts with her family and dreams of reading Rain and the Reading Horse to a horse! You can learn more at her website: mariagianferrari.com.
Hannah Salyer’s work, including Packs: Strength in Numbers and Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave Art, has been recognized by American Illustration and the Society of Illustrators and featured in various exhibitions in New York City. Her books have been deemed Gold Standard Selections by the Junior Library Guild. She teaches art to students of all ages, including those at Parsons School of Design, has a ceramics practice, and is co-founder and co-director of Underland Gallery.
p.s. Related posts:
The Year of the Horse: Chinese New Year Crafts and Children’s Books
15 Favorite Duck Picture Books
20 Hamsters & Guinea Pigs in Early Chapter Books
10 Books on Helping Endangered Animals
10 Books that Invite Falling Asleep with Animals
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
- ⭐ Starred review from Kirkus Reviews!
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
The Traveling Taco:
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Thanks for helping us share Rain & the Reading Horse, Mia!
Working in a rural farm town, my students are ALWAYS asking me for horse books :^) fingers crossed 🤞🏻 🐎
Excited to read Rain and the Reading Horse. Thanks for sharing the others, too.