Published: June 22, 2009
Are You A Horse?
by Andy Rash
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (March 1, 2009)
What to expect: Animals, Horse, Comedy, Birthday party
Andy Rash’s Are You A Horse? is a very witty original, yet, perfectly reminiscent of the classic book by Dr. Suess’ protegé P.D. Eastman, Are You My Mother?. Roy receives a saddle for his birthday and we discover that he does not know what it is for. In fact, he doesn’t even know what a horse is! So the journey begins, Roy sets out to find a horse. The artwork, created using gouache and india ink on Arches watercolor paper, sets a “yee-haw” vibe and effortlessly depicts a “country and western” tone. It’s a lively adventure full of guesswork that is so absurdly obvious to preschoolers — a foolproof way of achieving fits of laughter. The ending is pertinent and priceless. Too funny!
Publisher’s synopsis: For his birthday, Roy’s Friends give him a saddle and some very specific instructions:
1. Find a horse.
2. Enjoy the ride!
But there’s a problem; Roy doesn’t know what a horse IS! So he sets off to find out with hilarious results: A snake tells him to look for a creature with legs. A crab has six legs, but he’s too unfriendly to be a horse. A chameleon smiles at Roy, but horses don’t change color… What’s a horseless cowboy to do?
Add this book to your collection: Are You A Horse?
You may also like: Boo Hoo Bird by Jeremy Tankard, or Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman