Come along for a spirited ride as Bramble - a horse with interesting "little ways"- and her devoted girl, Maggie, make their debut in this inviting early reader.
Maggie wants a pony to ride and take care of, and to prepare she's been reading a big book on horse care. Meanwhile, Bramble is bored with giving riding lessons and walking in circles. She's looking for just the right person to take her away from her routine. Is it a perfect match? Maggie loves Bramble as soon as she sees her, but there are some things Bramble has to be sure of. Will Maggie let Bramble venture into new places? Will she protect Bramble from strange objects in the yard? Will she, most importantly, know when Bramble needs her undivided attention? This charming and funny early reader is an ideal match for young animal lovers and anyone who has ever longed for a friend who truly understands.
- Used Book in Good Condition
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Perfect book for horse lovers who dream of owning one!
By Deborah Sandford
There are four chapters in this early reader book, ideal for young students who yearn to advance into chapter books. Every page splays a colorful illustration to engage a beginning reader's delight. Maggie wants her own horse, and the book explores the ins and outs of achieving such a pet. The story is cute and entertaining, particularly the last chapter where Bramble doesn't want to sleep in the barn alone on the first night. Sentences are compact with plenty of dialogue in the mix; the text includes italicized and capitalized words. Compound words are limited to two syllables, except for one, Bramble's owner, Mrs. Blenkinsop, which is a deft addition for a young reader's practice. I am a big fan of Jesse Haas--she writes horse stories for readers of all ages.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.Perfect for a horse lover!
By Si&C'sMommy
My six year old daughter fell in love with this book after checking it out from the library. Humorous, fun and sweet story will capture the heart of any horse lover. The pictures in the book are absolutely adorable! We ended up buying the book for as a Christmas gift for my daughter as I know this is one she will read over and over again.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Good horse book, best read with an adult
By Picky Reader
Darling illustrations decorate every page in this valuable, educational girl-and-pony story. The girl does everything right, most importantly by learning about horses, by reading a book. The pony is realistically bored with going around and around the arena during riding lessons, willful, disobedient, and scared of strange objects, yet gentle and safe.The authenticity and plausibility of the equine's behavior are refreshing. Most valuable is the fact that the girl handles the pony in ways that reflect correct horsemanship.At the end, when the pony kicks her stall, the girl consults her book--a valid, authoritative source, and yet not an adult who might act as a deus ex machina and take the power away from the girl. Then the girl, on her own, figures out what the problem is and solves it, all in ways that are plausible and squarely in the realm of little girls' pony dreams. This is masterful story crafting!The reason why I recommend that an adult discuss this book with young readers is that they might think that every time a horse kicks its stall, it's a good idea do whatever it takes to make the kicking stop. However, the most common kicking scenario I've witnessed is riding-school horses kicking or banging when kids appear with treats, and kids promptly giving treats to the next horse who kicks or bangs--a very bad idea because it rewards and reinforces an unacceptable horse behavior. That horse might kick that kid through the pipe corral, or accidentally kick that kid (or some other kid) the next time it's handled. Unfortunately, there isn't always an adult around to supervise. Making sure that young readers realize that they must never feed or reward a kicking horse is vital for safety's sake.
