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appaloosa05's review against another edition
4.0
This book speaks to the little girl me who loved Billy and Blaze. It speaks to the tween me who was discovering Marguerite Henry's lovely tales, falling in love with Wesley Dennis' illustrations, and riding in exciting races with Alec Ramsey and The Black Stallion. I was the girl who had a name for her bike (Shooting Star) and pretended that bike was a horse as I whizzed along the sidewalk of our city block. My childhood friend and I had stables full of imaginary horses; complete with pedigrees. We would walk to the neighborhood park and canter around the baseball diamond; holding our hands at waist level. Sometimes I could almost feel the reins between my fingers. Most of my drawings from childhood were of horses, and doodles of horses, jumps, and tack filled the margins of my college notes. I was the little girl who bristled when someone told me it was "just a phase", the teen who shoveled stalls in exchange for lessons my family could not afford, and the grown woman who still dreams of a horse of her own, someday. Beautifully illustrated, this picture book teaches a lesson about believing, even when it seems impossible.
ironicallylovely's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kristenremenar's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great one, especially for the beginning of the school year. The narrator can't believe that Adrian Simcox, a boy who lives in town and has holes in his shoes and gets free lunch, keeps telling everyone that he has a horse. So she calls him out on the playground. Later, her mom takes her over to Adrian's house. It's tiny and not well kept. Adrian is outside and tosses the ball to her, even after she's been kind of a jerk. And they begin to play catch. And the narrator realizes that maybe Adrian has the best imagination in school.
This is honest and lovely. There's no overt explaining, no forced apology. It's how lots of life gets handled. Great for discussion.
This is honest and lovely. There's no overt explaining, no forced apology. It's how lots of life gets handled. Great for discussion.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Love the conversations that this book will cause. One to add to your “builds empathy” list.
43.1 million Americans (as of 2016) live below the poverty line. Adrian Simcox represents one of those kids while Chloe represents too many peers. But what made this book for me was Chloe’s transformation. It wasn’t Adrian who needed to change! Adrian is a wonderful kid that too many people judge based on his circumstances when really it is all about who he is, and I am so thankful for Chloe finding the truth out in the end. This book will make kids rethink how they judge others and really does emote empathy and kindness. And I couldn’t review this book without giving a shout out to the beautiful illustrations. They are ART.
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=17080
43.1 million Americans (as of 2016) live below the poverty line. Adrian Simcox represents one of those kids while Chloe represents too many peers. But what made this book for me was Chloe’s transformation. It wasn’t Adrian who needed to change! Adrian is a wonderful kid that too many people judge based on his circumstances when really it is all about who he is, and I am so thankful for Chloe finding the truth out in the end. This book will make kids rethink how they judge others and really does emote empathy and kindness. And I couldn’t review this book without giving a shout out to the beautiful illustrations. They are ART.
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=17080
swtmarie's review against another edition
4.0
This is a beautifully illustrated story of a boy who claims to have the best horse in the world but is questioned by a fellow schoolmate of his credibility due to his small house and shoes with holes. This is an important tale of kindness and importance of not judging one another. My whole family enjoyed hearing this lovely story.
readwithpassion's review against another edition
5.0
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse by Marcy Campbell is an absolutely stunning story that allows young people to consider ideas like class, poverty, and imagination. This one is due out in August, and I suspect it will be well-loved by readers.
librariandest's review against another edition
5.0
This strongly reminded me of THE HUNDRED DRESSES by Estes. I thought it was really well done and pleasure to read aloud. The illustrations are wonderful, especially the twist at the end where you have to look carefully to understand.
Pair with EACH KINDNESS by Woodson to start a conversation about empathy.
Update: The more times I read this book, the more impressed I am by the first-person narration. Even without the gorgeous illustrations, the text stands alone as an exploration of literal truth versus meaning. Chloe is such a great character because she's the narrator *and* the villain. I think most readers will sympathize with her and at the same time realize she's being a bit of a bully.
I love picture books that leave spaces for the young reader to fill in. They invite children to make meaning from story. Does Adrian Simcox have a horse? I'm excited to share this with kids and ask that question at the end.
Pair with EACH KINDNESS by Woodson to start a conversation about empathy.
Update: The more times I read this book, the more impressed I am by the first-person narration. Even without the gorgeous illustrations, the text stands alone as an exploration of literal truth versus meaning. Chloe is such a great character because she's the narrator *and* the villain. I think most readers will sympathize with her and at the same time realize she's being a bit of a bully.
I love picture books that leave spaces for the young reader to fill in. They invite children to make meaning from story. Does Adrian Simcox have a horse? I'm excited to share this with kids and ask that question at the end.