Hush, Little Horsie

by Jane Yolen, Ruth Sanderson (Illustrations)

Hush, little horsie,Asleep on the moor.Your mama is close—That’s what mamas are for.Mama horses around the world promise to watch over their little ones as the foals frolic and play and eventually fall asleep in this soothing bedtime story. Young horse lovers will drift off with Ruth Sanderson’s stunning horses in their minds and the promise of their own parents’ enduring love in their hearts.Award-winning author Jane Yolen has written the New York Times bestselling How Do Dinosaurs . . . series and Owl Moon, winner of the Caldecott Medal. In Hush, Little Horsie, she has dreamed up a lovely rhyming read-aloud for a mother and child to snuggle up with.This gorgeous picture book is perfect for horse lovers big and small—and for mothers in need of a good bedtime story.

Genres: Picture Books, Horses, Childrens, Animals, Poetry, Music, School

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

While Ruth Sanderson's accompanying illustrations are indeed lushly realistic and sweetly expressive, Hush, Little Horsie is really and truly quite majorly and personally disappointing as a story, as a narrative and this mostly due to the salient and unfortunate fact that Jane Yolen's verses, while definitely delightfully lyrical to a point are also and for all intents and purposes decidedly and massively ho-hum and one-sided in content and thematics (and so much so that I actually tend to find the individual poems rather annoyingly and majorly repetitive and monotonous and likely would have found this even if I had encountered Hush Little Horsie as a child, the fact that I have always adored horses, that equines rank amongst my favourite animals quite notwithstanding). And indeed, I guess I kind of did expect rather a bit more narrative and text wise from Jane Yolen as an author, and actually do kind of totally believe that Hush, Little Horsie would actually work much better if there were only one mare/foal combination presented and a longer and more descriptive and detailed lullaby (poem) written about only one of them (as that way, there would be more of an opportunity for expansion and exposition, because as it stands, there are simply too few words for each mare and foal combination lullaby, making Hush, Little Horsie as a whole feel somewhat, no actually exceedingly disjointed and choppy, and really not nearly expansive and interesting enough).

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS
Saunderson's illustrations are just beautiful! I really enjoyed the various settings--I think my favorite was the one by the sea because I love the ocean and I always tend to picture horses in meadows or forests and I forget that some do live by the sea. The text was just okay for me. It seemed a bit uninspired. I'm surprised it was by Jane Yolen, I expected more from her.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful illustrations. This book is filled with nice rhymes about mother and baby horses in a variety of locales...the plain, sea, moor, etc. and how the mother will watch over the baby. Ends with a human mother watching over her child. My 6 year old was really angry when I read this book because it was so short. She said she hated it because it needed to be longer and tell more about the horses. (It was bedtime and I suspect she was quite tired.). My 9 year old, however, thought it was very beautiful. I think it might be especially loved by toddlers and preschoolers as a bedtime story.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

First sentence: Hush, little horsie, asleep on the farm. Your mama is near and will keep you from harm. She'll watch when you run, and she'll watch when you leap. And when you are tired, she'll watch as you sleep.


Premise/plot: Hush, Little Horsie is a bedtime board book. Readers meet several pairs of horses and foals in this one. On the farm. On the plain. By the sea. On the moor. In the stall. In the bed. In the bed?! Yes, the last few pages shift the story entirely. Readers see a mom reading a bedtime story to a little girl as she snuggles a stuffed horse tightly. The theme of this one from start to finish is that mothers are always dependable and loving.


My thoughts: Yolen has written about five or six very short horse-themed poems. I have nothing to say against their rhythm or rhyme. (I can be picky at times). But the poems are also very repetitive. There really isn't much unique about each poem or each pair. For horse lovers, it may still work. And perhaps even the repetitiveness can be seen as being purposefully lulling. I wasn't particularly impressed. Then again, horses have never been my thing.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a repetitive, rhyming narrative and soft, soothing illustrations depicting foals with their mothers, this is a terrific book to read with a young child at bedtime. It really reminds me of the book, Time for Bed, one that we read over and over again when our girls were very young.

I was afraid that our girls would be a bit offended by the 'babyish' nature of this story. So before we read it, I told them that I wanted them to appreciate the book for the illustrations, if nothing else. That advice certainly worked well for this book since our youngest loves horses and the illustrations are so realistic and beautifully detailed.

Overall, it's a very sweet book that celebrates the relationship between a mother and child. We enjoyed reading it together.

This book was selected as one of the books for the September 2014 - Horses discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.

[Ruby Velazquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hush, Little Horsie is a good lullaby book for younger children. The book does a good job at rhyming and going through what parents do you take care of their young ones. As a future elementary teacher, I would like to use this book when teaching students about the different kinds of books we see out there. This would also be a great book for them to learn new vocabulary words as each verse has new words or includes sight words that could be something students are still working with. I really like this book and how it demonstrates differences from other books children more commonly encounter. This will be a good example for them to experience and share with their classmates, siblings, or parents at home. The story is also repetitive and helps students predict what might happen next in the story or what the next line will be.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic Plot: Horse mamas say good night to their colts all over the world, all promising to keep watch while their babies sleep.

This was a very sweet, little rhymer. The art work is gorgeous, with landscapes from many different locales where horses can be found. I liked the basic message, too, that mothers all over care deeply about their little ones. This was a good read for so close to Mother's Day.

[Angee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect bedtime book for a granddaughter who loves horses. The pictures are beautiful, and the text is easy to read or sing. Ahhhh, almost as good as walking out to the barn to wish the horses goodnight...

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a mother of two little daughters who love, LOVE horses, this book was perfect for us. So much fun to read together! It is very sweet and has AhhhMAZING pictures. This is definitely one I will buy to keep on our bookshelf.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not up to the usual standards of Yolen, but I did enjoy the lovely illustrations. A friend who is an artist once mentioned that drawing horses proportionately is very difficult.

If so, then Ruth Sanderson did quite an amazing job.

This is a soft, gentle story of mother horses and their babies.

[Andrés · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calming book, though not effortless for me. It more or less works when sung to the tune of "hush, little baby, don't say a word," though sometimes it's a little clumsy, and the shift to the mom / daughter at the end is unexpected. Repetition and muted illustrations probably make this an effective bedtime book.

[Donna Dow · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this is a children's book, I will rate it based on my 4 year old granddaughter's opinion. She loves horses and loved this book. I borrowed the Kindle version and she was disappointed when our time with the book was over.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rhyming read-aloud story that showcases a mother's love for her children, showcased by various mares with their foals, and ending with a mom reading a book to her daughter. I really enjoyed this gentle, beautifully illustrated book.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exquisitely illustrated--I would hand these drawings in my living room! I love the verses set to the popular lullaby--perfect for horse-crazy kids! You could sing this one. I don't generally think "bedtime stories" work well at library story times, but it's really cute for at home.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful picture book set with many different environments and types of horses represented including Exmoor mare and foal, Chincoteague mare and foal, Mustang mare and foal among others. Beautifully written by Jane Yolen and Ruth Sanderson's illustrations of horses are gorgeous as always.

[Ginny Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are gorgeous! I just didn't like that there wasn't much to the complexity of the story. I get the chorus part, but wish it had been less repetitive.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful gentle rhyming book about different breeds of horses and their babies. Gorgeous, realistic illustrations.

[Mister David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple story in rhyme with beautiful illustrations.

[Tara Milici · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter's second favorite book. I love reading this to her as she hugs me. Definitely a book for bonding.

[Haaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and a simple sweet story.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how the message that this book repeats over and over again is that mothers are always there, watching over us.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cozy little snuggle up rhyming lullaby to read with your little one.

[Kristen Bodin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful graphics! A favourite for our little family. ❤️

[Kathryn (Dragon Bite Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog, Nine Pages .

This was a sort of disappointing read from Yolen because there just wasn’t a lot of substance, but Sanderson, who has illustrated many horse stories before including the cover art for many of Walter Farley’s and the Horse Diaries series, didn’t disappoint. The lullaby of sorts involves four mares reassuring their foals that they will be watching them as they gallop, leap, and sleep. It ends with a human mother reassuring her daughter that she will be here as she sleeps with horses chasing themselves through her mind. As an adult as I suspect a horse-loving child, I do and would have prickled at the term “horsie” as I do at Marguerite Henry’s incorrect use of “colt,” but I think that puts me in a nitpicky minority.

[Jared White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books I can sing. I occasionally use them in storytimes at the public library where I work and I hope to one day read/sing them to my own children. This has been one of my favorite books to sing in storytime and, the three or so times I've used it, the kids tend to settle down to listen.

This is a beautiful take on an old lullaby, perfect for horse lovers. The illustrations are lovely and the words match really well to the old tune (some adapted songs do not).

A library book I would like to own someday.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five horse mother/baby combinations are displayed with peaceful, lulling song-like rhymes. Illustrations are delicate and warm. The last features mother/daughter entry is for a little girl (whose room decor shows a love for horses) on her bed being read by her mother and then asleep dreaming of horses shown in the book. For a horse-loving little one, this is a perfect bedtime book to be read over and over.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take one time-honored lullaby, rework it to feature ponies and horses, and delicately illustrate each verse with different breeds and voila` you have a winner. This would be a wonderful gift book, and a perfect addition to story times and themed kits featuring the ever popular horse.

[Nidia Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

I chose a high rating merely because this book employs an epitomizes the unconditional love. Mother has for her child. I can't put this book down! There is nothing that I don't dislike about this book and have no recommendations.

[Sonia Trujillo Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very sweet with images of baby horses and their moms on every page. Good for toddler bedtime. My 1 year old loved it, but my 3 year old wasn't very into it even though she loves horses.

[Donalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Yolen and Ruth Sanderson collaborating on a book? That sets a high bar. The illustrations were beautiful, but the text was disappointing.