We recently finished a unit on horses. My kids love horses, so this was a really fun one. If fact, we did this unit at their request.
As I always do, I got tons of picture books to read and talk about during our circle time. I found some really wonderful, beautiful horse books, and we had such a great time learning and imagining about these beautiful animals. As usual, I learned a lot while teaching it.
We read a total of 23 horse books, both fiction and nonfiction.
Here’s a list of what we read. The ones with links were our favorites.
Fiction:
Black Beauty retold by Sharon Lerner – This is such a classic story and this book has beautiful illustrations. My girls loved it. So did I.
The Wild Little Horse by Rita Gray – Sweet story of a little horse going off to explore.
Clip Clop by Nicola Smee – This was such a fun book to read with a really cute story about several animals taking a ride on a horse. My girls were laughing and asked to read it many times.
Are You a Horse? by Andy Rash – I LOVE this one. It’s a cute story about Roy, who gets a saddle for his birthday with the instructions: “1. Find a Horse, 2. Enjoy the Ride.” Roy doesn’t know what a horse is, so this is about his process of finding one. I love the twist at the end that had my girls (and me) surprised and laughing.
Where Horses Run Free: A Dream for the American Mustang by Joy Cowley – Gorgeous illustrations. My girls loved the main horse in this story.
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble – Lovely story, beautiful illustrations. I loved this one, though my girls weren’t super impressed with it.
Hush, Little Horsie by Jane Yolen – A sweet book about mama horses watching over their babies.
The Story of Black Beauty retold by Susanna Davidson – Another great retelling of this classic. My girls just seemed to like the other one a little better.
Cowboy Ned and Andy by David Ezra Stein
A Blue Ribbom for Sugar by Elaine Clayton
Everything but the Horse by Holly Hobbie
Fiction and Nonfiction:
A Field full of Horses by Peter Hansard – I couldn’t categorize this as fiction or non. It has a little storytelling with lots of facts included.
Nonfiction:
Horses: Trotting! Prancing! Racing! by Patricia Hubbell – This book has catchy rhymes and good information about breeds of horses, caring for them, and different jobs horses do.
Horses (Naturebooks Farm Animals) by Mary Ann McDonald – This one had a bit more detailed information than (and wasn’t as fun to read as) “Trotting! Prancing! Racing!” but it wasn’t too wordy.
Horses by Sheri Doyle – Short and sweet.
I Love Horses and Ponies: Over 50 Breeds by Nicola Jane Swinney – This is a beautiful book that my mom just gave to the girls. It’s not one for sitting down and reading start to finish, at least not at their age, but they love to look at it and learn about all the different horse breeds.
Horses (Animals Animals) by Steven Otfinoski – This one was a little too wordy for my girls, though I skimmed over it and they still earned some cool new stuff. My favorite thing about this one is the photos. It goes beyond the standard photos of horses standing in a pasture or looking over a stable gate or carrying a rider… This book has photos of horses nibbling each other, making funny faces, showing their teeth and more.
Horses and Ponies by Anna Milbourne
Girls and Their Horses (American Girl Library) by Camela Decaire
Horses (Farm Animals) by Rachael Bell
Horses (Great Pets) by Gail Mack
Horses! by Gail Gibbons
Poetry:
Gallop O Gallop by Sandra Alonzo – I didn’t actually read this whole book for my girls. I just don’t enjoy reading them a book of poetry. A few poems is good, but not a whole book of this length.
What’s your favorite horse book?
As you know I am a horse lover so I had to comment on my favorite horse books. As an adult Seabiscuit and Secretariat are my favorites and as a child Flicka (I remember it as My Friend Flicka) was one of my favorites. I am thrilled that my angels share my love of horses, however I must tell you that for me it did not turn out to be “puppy” love but rather a lifelong love affair.
I wrote a post on our 10 favorite horse books for girls, too! One I’d recommend is the Billy and Blaze series …. wonderful!
So happy to see my book among your “likes”!
I celebrated my 85th birthday on July 10 –and
I like horses as much as ever!
Wow, Happy Birthday! My girls enjoyed “Pig Picnic” as well, and we have “Firefighters: Speeding! Spraying! Saving!” and “Police: Hurrying! Helping! Saving!” on our list for an upcoming unit on jobs. Thanks for your comment.