  | Rain and the reading horse Author: Gianferrari, Maria | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
When a shy, young girl attends a school program to read to a horse called Snow, she doesn't know what to expect--other than to be nervous about reading aloud. Her words often get stuck but Snow's calm and reassuring company slowly builds her confidence.
| Illustrator: | Salyer, Hannah |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (08/01/25)
School Library Journal (10/01/25)
Booklist (10/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 07/14/2025 It’s with trepidation that bespectacled young Rain, portrayed with pale skin, arrives at a stable to participate in school program Giddy-Up and Read. Rain pictures the jeering faces of classmates who "stare and make her feel small inside," but Snow, the beautiful white horse she reads to, proves an attentive and nonjudgmental listener, "ears twitching, tail swishing." When "the words get stuck," Rain turns to physical activities and sensations-mucking the stall, feeding and grooming Snow-that help to center her. Gradually, she builds confidence and familiarity, repeating the book’s lines while she works, and eventually reading the entire work to her equine companion: "She felt the up and down rhythm of riding and words," writes Gianferrari (Thank a Farmer), and "her heart beat as steady as the sound of Snow’s hooves." Impressionistic colored pencil and chalk pastel artwork by Salyer (Ancestory) echoes the narrative’s empathy as flowing, swirling layers of translucent color evoke healing and growth, deepening the impact of a hopeful story rooted in change slowly wrought. Creators’ notes conclude. Ages 4-8. Author’s agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions. (Oct.) - Copyright 2025
School Library Journal - 10/01/2025 K-Gr 3—Gianferrari's new picture book explores the way a bond with a horse named Snow helps alleviate a child's anxiety. The main character, Rain, gradually overcomes her fear about reading aloud through the care and companionship with a gentle horse in an after-school reading program. Salyer's exceptionally beautiful illustrations enhance the narrative, helping to show Rain's emotional life in visual form; soft pencil and chalk in vibrant colors capture her experience. Spare words, repetition, and measured pacing reveal a child's journey from anxiety to calm and confidence. VERDICT Children will enjoy this sensitive and nuanced story focused on social and emotional themes.—Mari Pongkhamsing - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 10/01/2025 A stressful situation is gradually eased by a bond between a girl and a horse. “Rain had never read to a horse before—but this was a new school program, Giddy Up and Read.” Rain makes repeat visits to the barn, and, while Snow—a gentle, white mare—is a patient listener, when “the words got stuck” in Rain’s throat, she turns from reading to caring for Snow instead. Mucking, combing, and feeding Snow is calming, unlike reading aloud; it “unwound Rain’s worries of being on display.” As Rain becomes more comfortable, she both reads to and rides the speckled white horse. Building upon themes from the author’s Hello Goodbye Dog (2017) to spotlight an emotionally supportive variation on a paws to read program, the sensitive text is patient with Rain’s read-aloud progress and setbacks. Fluid full-page colored pencil and chalk pastel drawings in mostly cool, pastoral shades make emphatic use of occasional angry lines and warm tones to convey Rain’s palpable spikes in anxiety. A wonderfully reassuring pick for introverts and equine enthusiasts, with notes and resources appended. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
