  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 04/01/2013 When Maggie attempts to saddle and bridle her horse, Bramble, she finds her uncooperative until they reach a solution she sees as give-and-take. Later, Bramble creates a bit of trouble with neighbor Mr. Dingle. The man’s unconventional solution involves some neighborly giving and taking, but it leaves everyone happy in the end. The second book in the Bramble and Maggie series offers more intriguing insights into the horse’s mind. Portraying human and animal characters empathetically, the narrative features moments of humor as well as insight. Expressive watercolor artwork will draw horse lovers to this highly satisfying book for beginning readers. - Copyright 2013 Booklist. Bulletin for the Center... - 05/01/2013 After finding a new home with Maggie (in Bramble and Maggie, BCCB 6/12), Bramble is now settling in nicely and teaching Maggie the importance of partnership (“Neither of them should be boss all the time. There should be some give-and-take”). In this easy reader’s short chapters, Bramble gets bored when Maggie goes off to school, enjoys her first visit to an ocean beach, and finds a buddy in a neighbor’s chicken, who’d rather live in the barn with Bramble. More focused on Bramble than the first title, this is really an early horse book, with Bramble’s quirky and authentically equine point of view permeating the story; Haas’ short, accessible sentences (“Bramble sneaked up. She blew her breath under the hen’s feathers”) are an inviting and achievable success for readers just moving beyond formal beginner series. Friend’s gouache illustrations combine soft, sunny realism with a touch of bulbous cartooniness in Bramble herself, whose wide-eyed expression always seems to be questioning the world. Horse lovers who’ve moved past Bang-Campell’s Little Rat Rides (BCCB 4/04) will enjoy Bramble and Maggie’s company. DS - Copyright 2013 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 06/01/2013 K-Gr 3—Bramble and Maggie return in this delightful tale about a girl and her horse. In soft gouache tones, the natural colors depict life on a farm, at the beach, and in the backyard where Maggie introduces Bramble to new places in their neighborhood. The illustrations provide support to the text, chapters are concise, and the narrative is developed well for comprehension and reading fluency. Maggie learns that by offering her horse a carrot, it is much easier to get her bridle on. Bramble is unhappy when Maggie and her family leave for the day and there is no one to apply bug spray or to keep her company. It is only when she ambles over to Mr. Dingle's fence and starts eating the neighbor's roses that she meets his hen and things start to change for her. The horse discovers that the hen eats all the bugs nearby, and she uses Bramble's back for a perch so the animals are much happier together. Full spreads and realistic artwork convey the characters' emotions well, helping emerging readers understand that friendships are often about give-and-take. Equine fans and those ready to progress to more substantial plots will enjoy this early reader.—Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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