Picture Book

The Shape of Things: How Mapmakers Picture Our World by Dean Robbins, Illustrated by Matt Tavares

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The Shape of Things: How Mapmakers Picture Our World
Author: Dean Robbins
Illustrator: Matt Tavares
Published August 20th, 2024 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary: How did the first people explore the land they lived on? How did civilizations expand their boundaries and chart courses into new lands? Learn about the history of cartography across cultures in this ode to mapmaking through the ages.

Join history’s first mapmakers as they explore the wonders of the world! In these pages, you’ll find the tools ancient people used to depict their surroundings, methods different cartographers developed to survey new lands, and how we’ve arrived at modern mapmaking today. Above all else, the thread that runs throughout thousands of years of civilization is the spirit of exploration that helps us measure the shape of things around us, the world we all share.

About the Creators: 

Dean Robbins is a journalist and children’s book author. His previous books include, The Fastest Girl on Earth!, Two Friends; Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, Miss Paul and the President, and Margaret and the Moon. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his family. To learn more, visit https://deanrobbins.net/.

Matt Tavares is a New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of over twenty titles. His books have been featured in: ALA Notable, Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, and twelve were chosen for the Society of Illustrators Original Art exhibit. His artwork has been exhibited at the Brandywine River Museum, the Eric Carle Museum, and the Mazza Museum. Matt lives in Maine with his wife, Sarah, and their two daughters. Visit his website: matttavares.com.

Instagram:
Dean Robbins: @deanprobbins
Matt Tavares: @tavaresbooks
Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blue_slip_media

Facebook:
Dean Robbins: @deanrobbins
Matt Tavares: @tavaresbooks
Random House Children’s Books: Random House Children’s Books
Blue Slip Media: @blue-slip-media

Twitter/X:
Dean Robbins: Dean Robbins
Matt Tavares:  Matt Tavares
Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blueslipper & @barbfisch

Review: The informational, yet lyrical text, by Dean Robbins mixed with Matt Tavares’s beautiful art brings this massive idea to a level that any reader can connect with, understand, and will find interest in. And man, is it a fascinating history, and it is wonderful how The Shape of Things does an introduction to the full history of cartography in a way that doesn’t seem overwhelming but is so informative. I also appreciate the sharing of different strategies of different cultures when mapmaking.

Tools for Navigation: While reading, I couldn’t help but think of all the ways social studies teachers could use this text. This text, in addition to being entertaining, is a summary of cartography through world history which makes it perfect for social studies to look at human history, exploration, and technology over time. And educators, don’t forget about the backmatter which includes even more information.

Discussion Questions: 

  • How did maps change over time?
  • How did technology change map making?
  • How did exploration change map making?
  • What different abilities does a cartographer need to have to accurately create maps?
  • Why is mapmaking essential to humanity?
  • What is the future of maps?
  • Why do you think the author included a timeline in the back of the book?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Maps, Geography, Cartography, History

Recommended For: 

classroomlibrarybuttonsmall 

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**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post: “A Walk in Nature: Science for the Very Young” by Julie Downing, Author of Hello, Sun

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“A Walk in Nature: Science for the Very Young”

Hello, Sun celebrates a day in the life of a busy forest. From dawn to dusk, the forest is full of animals, birds and insects, waking up, playing, building a nest, and resting in the shade. When the sun goes down, the animals cuddle up and fall asleep. Hello, Sun teaches the youngest reader about diurnal animals in a simple and poetic way.

One of the powers of a picture book is the way facts can be conveyed. By looking closely at the illustrations, children learn as much from art as they do from words. As the author/ illustrator, I spent a great deal of time researching animal habits and what a “normal” day was like for each of the different characters. The challenge was thinking about how to present the information in a way that resonates with the youngest readers.

Some of the scientific facts appear in the text, and other information is shown in the illustrations. For example, I discovered that hummingbirds use spiderwebs to construct their nests. The text describes the nest:

Wisps of hay,

silky thread.

Sticky heat,

mossy bed.

On the other hand, some spreads show information in the art. For example, I learned that hummingbirds sleep upside down. The “Stars peek out”  as readers see the male hummingbird asleep on a nearby branch. Looking carefully at the art,  readers discover a bear habitat, which insects fly near a pond and come upon turtles sleeping in stacks.

Hello, Sun is a companion book to Hello, Moon, published in 2021.  Hello, Moon, shows the same forest at night. Hello, Moon is full of nocturnal animals and illustrates what happens while most of us are asleep. I didn’t really intend to do two books, but after Hello Moon came out, I thought about that same forest and what was different in the daylight. It took some time to find my way into the second book. Two things helped me. One July day, I took a walk in Marin. It was a VERY HOT day (of course for a San Franciscan anything over 65 is hot.)  The forest literally shimmered. I thought about how different the feeling was between the forest in the daytime and the same cool forest at night. I thought about what type of activities diurnal animals do throughout the day. As the temperature rises, animals slow down, nap, and keep cool in the shade.

What is the best way to show the difference? Color is one way to show time of day as well as changing temperature. Color became an important element in Hello, Sun. However, I discovered it was much easier for me to paint a forest at night. All the blues and purples are my colors.

It was challenging to shift my normal palate for Hello, Sun. One day, I was at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco and discovered a painting by the artist, Richard Mayhew. He was an African American artist who painted the most beautiful landscape paintings. What struck me was his color palette. He did not paint a green tree against a blue sky but instead painted these amazing purple, rust, and turquoise trees against orange and yellow skies. His landscapes captured the feeling of a forest on a hot, sticky day. I realized that color was my way into this book. When I painted the art for Hello Sun, I literally had a book of the Richard Mayhew’s work on my desk and borrowed some of his palates, the intense yellow that runs throughout the book was inspired by Mayhew’s paintings.

Children are naturally curious and eager to learn, and picture books are the perfect way to connect to the world around them. I hope Hello, Sun and Hello, Moon inspire families to take their own nature walks and think about the animals that share their space. Are they asleep? Are they awake? What might you see, hear or feel if you took the same walk at a different time of day?

Published April 16th, 2024 by Neal Porter Books

About the Book: Follow the sun and the creatures it shines on from dawn to nightfall in this companion to Hello, Moon, from Parent’s Choice Award Winner Julie Downing.

Hello, sun!
Goodbye, night!
Sunrise chill,
pale dawn light.

Julie Downing’s signature artwork washes each page in a symphony of blue, green and purple foliage; the sky shifts from amber to pink, buttercup-yellow, or darkest indigo. Sleepy bears, rabbits, deer, and other animals rise from cozy dens and burrows to greet the day.

From the award-winning creator of Hello, Moon and Night in the City , Hello, Sun features short and simple sentences perfect for a bedtime story or for children building confidence in reading on their own. Whether you’re starting the day or ending it, don’t miss this engrossing walk with the sun and the creatures it shines on.

About the Author: Julie Downing is the illustrator of more than forty-five picture books and a professor of watercolor and children’s book illustration. She lives in California.

Thank you, Julie, for this reminder to play into the curiousness of children!

Author Guest Post: “Integrating Storytelling with Science Education” by Serene Chia, Author of Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon?

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“Integrating Storytelling with Science Education”

How do we use children’s picture books to spark our kid’s interest in science? As a children’s author and a fan of kids’ books, I’ve discovered that storytelling can be a magical tool to engage young minds. Combining stories with science is a great way to keep little ones excited about learning.

Here are 3 ways to start their scientific journey through the power of stories and child-led inquiry.

  • Making Science Simple. Science doesn’t have to be complicated. Stories can make tricky ideas easy for kids to understand. In Charlotte the Scientist Finds a Cure, Charlotte’s journey to find out what is making the animals sick captures children’s interest and teaches them about the scientific method to ask questions and form a hypothesis. Charlotte’s determination and problem-solving skills are depicted in a way that children can easily grasp.
  • Encouraging Curiosity. One of the best ways to teach science is through student-led inquiry. Encourage your students to ask questions and explore answers. In Ada Twist, Scientist, Ada’s relentless curiosity to find out what is causing a smelly smell drives the story, prompting kids to ask their own questions and seek answers. This book is fantastic for teaching children the value of persistence and inquiry in science.

    Similarly, in If I Built a School, Jack’s imaginative ideas about what a school could look like encourage students to think creatively and ask “what if” questions. Jack’s wild ideas, like a library where books come alive, can inspire kids to dream big and explore how their own creative solutions could be realized. These books collectively show that curiosity is the starting point for scientific exploration.

  • Mixing Different Subjects. Stories can seamlessly blend different subjects like science and reading. In Over and Under the Pond, the narrative combines scientific facts with beautiful storytelling, helping kids improve their reading while learning about nature. This multidisciplinary approach makes learning more interesting and helps kids see the connections between different subjects. It encourages them to think critically and creatively, integrating knowledge from various fields.

Recommended Books for Starting Children on Their Scientific Journey

Charlotte the Scientist Finds a Cure by Camille Andros

The story emphasizes the importance of family support in scientific endeavors, with Grandpa Bunny telling Charlotte, “Charlotte, you are going to make a real difference in the world.” My 3-year-old son loved the bunny family and the grandpa who wasn’t well, while my 6-year-old daughter was fascinated by finding out what was making all the animals sick. She learned new words like quarantine and experiment.

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

This book encourages kids to start asking questions when they encounter problems. Ada’s journey to discover what was causing a stink in her house shows how persistent inquiry can lead to scientific discovery. The story highlights the importance of family support in encouraging curiosity and problem-solving.

Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner

The book paints a beautiful picture of an afternoon spent exploring the ecosystem of a pond. Living in Singapore, we learned about animals we don’t have here, like the mink, moose, and American goldfinch. The illustrations, such as a view from above the trees looking down at the mother and son rowing their boat, add an immersive visual element that helps kids learn about different species and their habitats.

If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen

This imaginative book follows a boy named Jack with the wildest imagination as he describes to his teacher, Miss Jane, how he would design a school. His ideas include puppies, a zoo, a robot that makes lunches, and hover desks that glide around. My kids especially loved the part where the library had books that came alive, like Jack and the Beanstalk, with a beanstalk that grew when you opened the book. This story sparks interesting discussions and encourages kids to think creatively about their learning environment.

Conclusion. Storytelling is a powerful tool for teaching science. It makes learning easy, fun, and engaging. You don’t need complicated setups to spark curiosity in your students. Use storytelling to create a rich, engaging learning environment. Books like Charlotte the Scientist Finds a Cure, Ada Twist, Scientist, Over and Under the Pond, and If I Built a School are excellent starting points. By incorporating these stories into your lessons, you can inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers!

Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon?
Author: Serene Chia
Illustrator: Sinem Kilic Rabito
Published June 3rd, 2022

About the Book: Few things in life are as precious as the bond shared between a mother and her daughter.

Kaitlyn loves spending her nights lying beside her mother as they search the sky for the Moon. Sometimes they find it. Sometimes they don’t! That doesn’t stop them from laughing and talking about cool moon facts like why it changes shape and hides sometimes. Like Neil Armstrong, Kaitlyn believes she can also fly to the Moon!

Beautifully illustrated and filled with inspiration, Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon is a must-read for every child.

Parents and educators, this book is great for:

IMPROVING PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP – Engage your child and improve the parent-child relationship.

INTRODUCING SCIENCE AND STEM CONCEPTS – Introduce your child to science and STEM concepts in a fun and easy-to-understand way.

ENCOURAGING IMAGINATION – Encourages your child to dream big and use their imagination.

For a free lesson plan and activity sheets for preschoolers, visit serenechia.com/moon

About the Author: As a children’s author, Serene Chia has always been passionate about creating stories that educate and inspire young minds. Her book, Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon?, was inspired by her daughter’s fascination with the moon. One of their favorite things to do was to spend time looking for the moon every night. Sometimes they found it, other times they didn’t. Along the way, they pick up cool moon facts like why the moon changes shape and sometimes hides.

This book combines the warmth of a mother-daughter bond with bits of science sprinkled within. It also comes with a lesson plan for 6-year-olds, a read-aloud video, and coloring sheets that make it easy to incorporate into your home or classroom lessons. Visit serenechia.com/moon.

Website: serenechia.com
Instagram: instagram.com/serenechiaauthor

Thank you, Serene, for these science-focused activities and books!

Stay Angry, Little Girl Inspired by Madeleine L’Engle, Illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan

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Stay Angry, Little Girl
Inspired by: Madeleine L’Engle
Illustrator: Michelle Jing Chan
Published August 6th, 2024 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) / Macmillan

Summary: An empowering message inspired by a beloved quote from Madeleine L’Engle’s enduring classic A Wrinkle in Time.

“Stay angry, little Meg,” Mrs. Whatsit whispered. “You will need all your anger now.”

This picture book encourages girls everywhere to proudly share their ideas and emotions, even if those traits will be met with resistance. Because being brave, sensitive, stubborn, curious, loud, kind, and playful helps them build strength and stay true to themselves.

Michelle Jing Chan’s bright artwork welcomes girls of all backgrounds to use these important affirmations.

“[This book] gives girls a full-throated endorsement to be true to themselves… Empowering.” —Kirkus

About the Creator: Michelle Jing Chan is a queer Chinese American illustrator who grew up in Colorado and lives in the Pacific Northwest. Inspired by nature, cultural folklore, and fantasy, Michelle aspires to illustrate diverse, empowering stories her younger self would have loved. When she’s not drawing, she can be found attempting new recipes, reading, or watching spooky TV shows.

Review: This book takes everything that misogynists pin on little girls as negative and shows how they are powerful traits that make us better people. As a woman who was told as a young child that she was too big, physically, emotionally, and vocally, I give this book a standing ovation because there are so many girls who are told not to be angry or kind or curious or loud or stubborn or… or… or… This book truly illustrates that these traits can be the superpower within us to be a better person or to make the world a better place. What makes the book even more powerful is the illustrations because they take very scarce text and show the how and why all while including characters that will connect with every reader.

Tools for Navigation: Read this book aloud and have it lead to amazing conversations to help end misogynistic thoughts!

Also, free coloring sheets can be downloaded here (provided by the illustrator)!

Discussion Questions: 

  • What is a trait that you have been told is negative about you? How is this trait something that makes you a better you?
  • Think of a trait that is often seen as negative. How can this trait be reframed to be positive?
  • What do you think the author’s purpose was in creating this book? The theme of the book?
  • How can someone being told that something about them is “bad” affect them over time?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Affirmations, Girl Power books, Any reminder to be true to yourself

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Nicole Banholzer PR for providing a copy for review!**

When Beavers Flew: An Incredible True Story of Rescue and Relocation by Kristen Tracy, Illustrated by Luisa Uribe

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When Beavers Flew: An Incredible True Story of Rescue and Relocation
Author: Kristen Tracy
Illustrator: Luisa Uribe
Published July 23rd, 2024 by Random House Studio

Summary: This fascinating picture book tells the unique, quirky, and true story of how one man in Idaho saved 76 beavers from destroying a town by parachuting them into uninhabited wetlands.

In 1948, the town of McCall, Idaho was growing rapidly. World War II was over, and the little town tucked away in the mountains began to boom. There was only one problem. As the town expanded, they found beavers everywhere. A beaver here, a beaver there, and it didn’t take long to realize that humans and beavers weren’t great cohabitators. But one clever and resourceful Fish and Game Warden named Elmo Heter had an idea.

Heter knew that the beavers were integral to the wetlands, so keeping the well-being of the beavers in mind he set out to find a way to relocate them. After a few failed attempts, he finally landed on a wild idea… parachutes. Using a surplus of parachutes left over from WWII and creating a special box with air holes designed to pop open when it hit the ground, Heter devised a way to parachute the beavers into Idaho’s backcountry, an area that beavers hadn’t inhabited in decades.

Kirsten Tracy’s fascinating and playful nonfiction text pairs beautifully with Luisa Uribe’s detailed illustrations to bring this compelling true story to life.

“A celebration of an early environmental success.”—Kirkus Reviews

About the Creators: 

Kristen Tracy grew up in a tiny town in Idaho near Yellowstone Park surrounded by untamed and fascinating animals. She is a poet and YA author and has recently started writing picture books. Her debut picture book A Cub Story was published in 2021. Kristen Tracy young adult novels include Lost It, Camille McPhee Fell Under the Bus, Hung Up, and Project Unpopular. She won the Emily Dickinson First Book Award from the Poetry Foundation for her collection Half-Hazard. To learn more, visit kristentracy.com.

Luisa Uribe is the illustrator of Areli is a Dreamer, which was named a best book of the year from Kirkus, NYPL and Booklist, and My Brother is Away that received three starred reviews and was a Charlotte Huck honor book and a Charlotte Zolotow honor book. She lives in Bogotá, Colombia, with her partner and two cats.

Instagram:
Kristen Tracy: N/A
Luisa Uribe: @lupencita
Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blue_slip_media

Facebook:
Kristen Tracy: N/A
Luisa Uribe: N/A
Random House Children’s Books: Random House Children’s Books
Blue Slip Media: @blue-slip-media

Twitter:
Kristen Tracy: @kristen_tracy
Luisa Uribe: @lupencita
Random House Children’s Books: @randomhousekids
Blue Slip Media: @blueslipper & @barbfisch

Review: This is such a fascinating story. Too often, animals “in the way” of humans are killed or relocated with no thought, so I was so happy to read this story about Elmo Heter and all the thoughtfulness he put into the beavers in Idaho and the success of his endeavor. I think this story allows for the reader to see that there can be successes in these incidences; however, it also shows how humans impact is negative on animals/the environment. It is going to be a great conversation book and a new aspect of history to most.

The full page illustrations are the cherry on the sundae of this book for me. Uribe’s additions bring the story to life and shows the reader important aspects that would be missed without their inclusion. I, personally, really liked that additions of the aspects of the scientific method that are shared in the illustrations. It makes it clear that Heter had a hypothesis, asked questions, did research, until he figured out a conclusion to be successful. 

Tools for Navigation: This book will be a perfect read aloud to cross disciplines when discussion ecology and the environment or animals/humans impact.

Discussion Questions: 

  • How did humans cause the situation that they and the beavers were in?
  • How does human expansion affect the animals and environment?
  • Why did the location where the beavers were relocated to work? What could have caused a relocation like this not to work?
  • How did relocating 75 beavers help with the success of the relocation?
  • How to beavers help out ecology and the environment?
  • We don’t learn much about Elmo Heter as a person but we see his actions. What do these actions tell you about him?
  • What type of questions did Heter ask when he was determining how to relocate the beavers?
  • How did Heter use the scientific method when planning his rescue and relocation?
  • How did the illustrator utilize illustrations to add to the narrative?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Beavers, the Environment, Ecology, National Parks

Recommended For: 

classroomlibrarybuttonsmall 

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**Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post & Giveaway!: “Crafting Multi-dimensional Characters” by A. Kidd, Author of Yasuko and the Dream Eater

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“Crafting Multi-dimensional Characters”

When I visit schools, part of my presentation includes a character sketch activity with students. Not only is it fun and interactive, but building a character forms the basis on which the rest of your story revolves around. Even with an intriguing plot, you still need a dynamic character to follow. Someone you can relate to and root for. We all know the cliches: the princess, the knight, the dragon. But sometimes it’s good to mix it up a little. The princess knight or, better yet, the princess dragon is far more interesting.

This concept works well with my new picture book, Yasuko and the Dream Eater, which is inspired by a Japanese legend about the dream eater, who eats bad dreams when called 3 times. What makes this character so unusual is that traditionally it is made up of five different animals. It has the head and trunk of an elephant, the eyes and ears of a rhino, the tail of an ox, the arms and legs of a tiger, and the belly of a bear. It also has a curly mane that looks like a lion, although it isn’t part lion. Some kids think it is part unicorn, because the mane has blue and pink colors shimmering within it.

We talk about culture and diversity, and how having multiple backgrounds makes you unique. Just like my main character, Yasuko, is both Japanese and American, the dream eater is made up of many different animals.  And just like a character can be a cat or a dog or a mouse, it could also be made up of all these animals, which would be unique indeed! In the story, Yasuko feels different when visiting her grandmother in Japan. Making the origami crane is not the same as making paper airplanes at home in America. She also misses her goodnight hug from her parents. In Japan, family members often pat children on the head to show affection rather than offer a hug at bedtime. By the end, Yasuko learns that she can connect to her grandmother in other ways, and that clasping hands together can also feel like a tiny hug. So with our own stories, we can seek to not only show how our characters are unique but why that makes them special.

Try this with your students: Using a large pad of paper or wipe board, ask your students to name 5 creatures (including animals, mythical beings, robots, aliens, etc.) List those on the board, then talk about at least one defining trait for each. Then it is your turn (or perhaps another student can volunteer) to make up a new animal or creature based on all 5 listed. This is where it gets interesting! But kids love to see the results. They can also each draw one on their own. Or for younger children, you can provide puzzle piece cutouts of different animals, split in 3 pieces. Children can take turns making new, mixed up animals, by rearranging the animal parts.

Take it one step further: You can also talk about the basic elements of story. Students often ask me where to start when writing. All they really need to know is who their character is, what they want, and what gets in the way. You can often accomplish this by establishing what your character’s interests are as well as what scares them. One group of students said their character, who looked like a dust bunny, liked to play with Barbies but was afraid of cheese. Now this may sound silly, but the basis of many great stories starts with asking the question, What if? What if the dust bunny wanted to play with her Barbies, but a hunk of sharp cheddar cheese left by a mouse was guarding the dolls. How can she surpass the obstacle to get what she wants?

Creating dynamic characters goes beyond physical traits. They can have brown hair and blue eyes or blue hair and brown eyes, but we also need to know their personality. That is where learning their likes and dislikes comes in, as well as how they behave and why. It’s especially important to move beyond the cliché. You can have a main character who wants to be in the talent show, but the villain or antagonist is a bully preventing them from joining. What if you turned it around and made the main character the bully instead? Or try giving your character two opposing qualities that they are battling with throughout the book. We can go back to the princess knight who wants to fight dragons but also wear fancy dresses. Maybe she isn’t allowed to go to the ball unless she puts down her sword and forgoes her helmet. Or the dragon princess who isn’t accepted because she’s green and has scales and doesn’t fit the stereotypical look of what a princess should be. This would form an internal struggle as well as an external struggle. Just like Yasuko in my book, how can your characters learn to accept both parts of themselves?

I think the key is to teach kids that we’re all basically complex characters in our own lives. And none of us wants to be judged, liked, or disliked based on just one trait. So if we create more interesting and complex characters in our stories, we’ll be representing a more diverse and realistic picture of the world. The more intriguing and unique our characters are, the more fascinating their stories will be, and the more likely readers will want to turn pages to find out what happens to them. Especially because the stories we read can help us learn something about our own lives and how to move about and thrive in a complex world.

GIVEAWAY!

A. Kidd author would be delighted to give away one copy of her new book, Yasuko and the Dream Eater. To participate, simply leave a comment on this blog post and a contact email. One lucky winner will be chosen at random. You must reside in the US.

Published April 11th, 2023 by Quiet Storm Publishing

About the Book: Yasuko has the same bad dream every night while visiting her grandmother in Japan, so her grandmother suggests she call the dream eater for help. When the dream eater is still hungry after devouring Yasuko’s nightmare, Yasuko must stop it from gobbling up her good dream too.

Inspired by a Japanese legend, Yasuko and the Dream Eater will help kids dealing with nightmares as well as celebrate what it means to be part of a bicultural family. The book is fully illustrated and includes an author’s note, cultural note, and instructions for making origami.

About the Author: A. Kidd lives in the US but has travelled to Japan many times to visit family and for sightseeing. Japan feels like her second home. Although she dreams often, she hasn’t needed to call the baku yet. She is also the author of the middle grade fantasy, The Healing Star.

A. Kidd is available for author visits! For more information, please email her at a.kiddwrites@gmail.com or visit her website at www.akiddwrites.com. She loves to inspire young writers. Her motto is, if A. Kidd can do it, so can they!

Thank you for this fun activity, examples, and the GIVEAWAY!

Author Guest Post: “How to Read a Horse” by Amy Novesky, Author of If You Want to Ride a Horse

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“How to Read a Horse””

My picture book IF YOU WANT TO RIDE A HORSE is about the dream of riding a
horse. It’s also about writing one. I am a rider and a writer. (If you say them aloud they sound alike!)

I’ve been writing and riding—and dreaming!—since I was kid. Writing and riding both are rich in metaphor. Whether one wants to ride a horse or not, IF YOU WANT TO RIDE A HORSE can be read as a book about dream making of all kinds.

What do you want to do? What’s your dream? Name it, call it into being.
What does your dream look like? Imagine it, the big stuff and all the pretty little details.

This is the fun part. Write it down and/or draw it. Tell it to someone you trust. What do you need for your dream? Learn about it, ask for help, gather all the tack and tools.

Take care of your dream. Shelter it, feed it, groom it ‘till it shines. How do you keep your dream alive? How do you care for it?

Where does your dream live? Where is it? How will you get there? What is the first
step?

Dreams are hard work. You might have to chase after it, wrangle it, tame it a bit, find the right fit. With grace and grit you’ll wear it.

Okay, it’s time to give this dream a try. Are you ready?

Show up. This is the hard part. Facing your thousand-pound dream. What are you
feeling? Is your heart galloping? It’s natural to feel many things all at once, even—and
maybe especially—fear. What do you fear most? Failing? Falling off? You are not alone.

If you fall off your dream, and you might, will you walk away, hang up your hat? Or will you get back in the saddle, bruised butt and ego, take hold of the reins again and ride on?

Whatever you dream, be brave. Calm. Remember to breathe and have fun! You can do this. Before you know it, you will have your dream eating out of the palm of your hand.

Published March 12th, 2024 by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House

About the Book: What’s the most important first step to riding a horse? Simply closing your eyes . . . and dreaming.

If You Want to Ride a Horse introduces young readers to the joys of owning, riding, and caring for horses. It only starts with imagination—from there, the possibilities are endless.

Beginning with a daydream, our young rider goes from dreaming about a horse, choosing their ideal kind of horse, meeting their horse, cleaning their horse, tacking up in preparation to ride, soothing their horse (and themselves) through a hard moment, triumphantly getting on, and finally galloping gloriously off into the sunset.

If You Want to Ride a Horse celebrates the imagination, the most powerful steed of all.

The book includes an author’s note, an illustrator’s note, and fun facts about horses and horseback riding.

About the Author: Amy Novesky’s award-winning picture books include IF YOU WANT TO RIDE A HORSE; GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE; and CLOTH LULLABY, THE WOVEN LIFE OF LOUISE BOURGEOIS. THE POET AND THE BEES will follow in 2025 and TO WANDER, thereafter. Amy writes and rides in the Marin Headlands, just north of San Francisco. To learn more, visit www.amynovesky.com and follow @amynovesky.

Thank you, Amy, for sharing the power of dreams!