If You Want to Ride a Horse

Carson Ellis' Home meets Carter Higgins' Everything You Need for a Treehouse in this poetic, open-ended testament to the power of imagination, through the prism of horses.

In lovely, lyrical fashion, If You Want to Ride a Horse introduces young readers to the joys of owning, riding, and caring for horses. It only starts with imagination—from there, the possibilities are endless.

Beginning with a daydream, our young rider goes from dreaming about a horse, choosing the ideal kind of horse, meeting the horse, cleaning the horse, tacking up in preparation to ride, soothing their horse through a hard moment, triumphantly getting on, and finally riding gloriously off down the beach.

Is it the best dream ever or a dream come true? It hardly matters: Gael Abary’s art makes even the most incredible fantasy feel possible, and award-winning author’s Amy Novesky’s unforgettable language is an ode to the power of dreams and self-belief to change any young child’s life. 

The book includes an author’s note, an illustrator’s note, and tantalizing fun facts about horses and horseback riding.

A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection★  "Novesky’s fanciful lyricism teeters on the right side of informed infatuation and continues her trend of crafting adventurous protagonists. . . A terrific addition to all  collections and an absolute must for equine enthusiasts."—Booklist, Starred Review

"A love letter to horseback riding."—Publishers Weekly
 
"A delightful exploration of a child’s imaginative journey into the world of horses. . . A charming and informative book that will resonate with young horse enthusiasts, this title is ideal for educators looking to inspire a love for reading and an appreciation for horses in children."—School Library Journal

"Horse lovers, take note: This is a sweet, tender book to ride off into the sunset with."—Kirkus Reviews

"Although the text covers many of the topics explored in introductory horse books, the dreamlike nature of this gentle, occasionally rhyming picture book allows expansion into related areas. . . The speckled mixed-media illustrations in muted tones of rose, peach, and champagne extend the imaginative atmosphere. . ."—The Horn BookAmy Novesky is an award-winning author and book editor. Her picture books include GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE; CLOTH LULLABY, THE WOVEN LIFE OF LOUISE BOURGEOIS; ME, FRIDA; MARY BLAIR’S UNIQUE FLAIR; GEORGIA IN HAWAII; IMOGEN, THE MOTHER OF MODERNISM AND THREE BOYS; MISTER AND LADY DAY; ELEPHANT PRINCE; and LOVE IS A TUTU and LOVE IS A TRUCK. 

Amy began making books at Chronicle Books in San Francisco. Twenty-five years and hundreds of books later, she has worked with authors, agents, packagers, publishers, book stores, toy companies, and film studios, including Creative Editions, Disney Press, Ever After Studio, Harcourt, National Geographic Kids, Paper Hat Press, Pixar, and Princeton Architectural Press. Currently, Amy is the Editorial Director for Cameron Kids, a division of Abrams Books.

Gael Abary is a Filipino American illustrator living in Kailua, Hawaii with her partner, their daughter, a cat called Stella, and a retired racing greyhound called Storm. She is also the illustrator of Crow Spirit, written by Debra Bartsch.