If I was a horse by Sophie Blackall

Blackall has created a wonderful story around a not uncommon childhood dream of being someone or something else. With the girl imagining herself to be a horse, we hear of all the things she most loves in the world, and the things she is not too keen on or thinks less of. If she was a horse, she would  gallop all day, going anywhere she wanted to, but come home for a meal. She would let her little sister ride on her back to school, where everyone would welcome her onto their team, but her older brother would not believe her. In the rain she would stay outside, rolling in the mud, laughing all the while.

As a horse no one could force her to take a bath or wear clothes, unless of course when she goes to a parade. As a horse she would stay up until she wanted to sleep, she would sleep standing up and have wonderful galloping dreams.

Each of the things she would love to do as a horse are things that she finds restrictive in the real world, so make a wonderful contrast between one life and the other. Younger readers will love pointing out that yes, they too do not like having a bath or wearing clothes, and yes they would love to gallop all day and go to sleep when they want to sleep. Children will readily identify with the young girl, wanting the restrictions to be lifted. The freedom the horse has is most attractive to her but she also wants some of the good things that life in her family offers; a meal, a sister to take to school, even a brother who is hardly aware of her. The family unit is presented in the beautiful illustrations as a supportive group of people who love each other, despite some of the odd things they wish to do.

The fine ink and watercolour illustrations are unforgettable, and readers will love looking at the horse on each page, wondering what it is thinking. The detail through the book is enticing, while the endpapers with the images of the horse will encourage young readers to drawn one for themselves. But most of all they will laugh at the idea of being a horse, thinking about its restrictions and the warmth of the family home and freedoms, turning each page to see an image that will enfold them with laughter. Now living in Brooklyn, Sophie Blackall has written over fifty books, several of which have won awards, Hello Lighthouse, and Farmhouse amongst my favourites.

Themes: Family, Relationships, Horses, Humour.

Fran Knight