How to Love a Pony

by Michelle Meadows, Sawyer Cloud (Illustrator)

A rhymed Beginner Book about a young girl and her pony, perfect for animal-lovers and budding equestrians!

Meet Lily, a seven-year-old girl who lives with her parents, grandparents, and two brothers on their horse farm in the country. Lily has a Welsh pony that she adores, and in this charming Beginner Book, we see how Lily and her family work together to care for the pony throughout the changing seasons of the year. With vibrant illustrations, this is the kind of story that young riders--or kids who dream of riding--will want to read over and over!

Originally created by Dr. Seuss himself, Beginner Books are fun and easy to read. These unjacketed hardcover early readers encourage children to read all on their own, using simple words and illustrations. Smaller than the classic large format Seuss picture books like The Lorax and Oh, The Places You'll Go!, these portable packages are perfect for practicing readers ages 3-7, and lucky parents, too!

Genres: Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Michelle Meadows is the author of many acclaimed books for children, including MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR: One Girl Can Make a Difference, MAXIE WIZ AND HER DRAGON, HOW TO LOVE A PONY, FLYING HIGH: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles and BRAVE BALLERINA: The Story of Janet Collins. Michelle also contributed research and writing to BLACK BALLERINAS: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland. Michelle graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in journalism and literature. She is represented by literary agent Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio. Michelle grew up in Washington D.C. and now lives near the beach in Delaware with her husband.

Website: www.michellemeadows.com

Reviews

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's early reader, realistic fiction told in rhyme. The last page of this story sums it up well: "full of love and country charm." A young Black girl lives on a horse farm with her family. In gentle rhymes she tells of a year in their life-- Pony day in the fall, wrapping the horses and walks around the frozen pond in the winter, spring baking, and the birth of a new foal. Interspersed are details of caring for the horses, such as braiding their hair, washing and brushing them, and helping when a pony is hurt. The whole story feels like the best kind of nostalgia with soft illustrations. Though the family that runs the farm is Black, the side characters feature a variety of skin tones and it is refreshing to see that diversity in a rural setting.

[Rachel Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to receive this book from both Goodreads & author Michelle Meadows (who signed it how awesome!) for my honest review.
I am a children’s librarian and am always on the look out for books that represent all of my students, this book made my heart so happy because it showed a young black girl living life on a farm riding horses! Where has this representation been!? It’s wonderful! Not only that but the pages show boys & many other underrepresented cultures too! THANK YOU!! I love the easy to read format for our beginner readers, the sound words included in the story “clip clop” which all kids love! This is what we need to see more of!

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young Black girl describes how she takes care of her horse on the family’s farm in the country. Simple four line stanzas make this a lilting, easy read. Lily and her extended family are shown as a close-knit, multi-generational household – “full of love and country charm.” Lily shows and tells the reader all the ways that horses are cared for throughout the four seasons. The illustrations, reminiscent of Gyo Fujikawa, are softly colored and depict the family and their farm in an idyllic glow. It’s great to see a book about a horse farm that features Black folks, as the preponderance of books on the subject depict farmers and equestrians as white.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

👧🏻 review: Another blockbuster! I enjoyed this one with some riddles and rhyming verses. I love animals and this engaging children’s book has beautiful illustrations, characters and colorful themes. I love all the “I Can Read Beginner Books” because they make the books attractive and fun to read while little ones will attempt to read them. This book offers an excellent guide on why and how Pony can be an amazing resource to help beginner readers enjoy and learn how to care and love this beautiful animal.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love ponies, right? This sweet little story is perfect for reading aloud to young kids—or letting them showcase their own reading skills! With just a few words per page, it’s simple yet full of heart, teaching gentle lessons about love, friendship, and responsibility. The vintage-style illustrations are absolutely adorable, and I really appreciated the touch of diversity with a main character who’s a person of color. It’s a cozy, feel-good read that’ll have everyone smiling—ponies included!

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book is aggressively cozy in all the best ways! Each page is full of snuggly illustrations, and the progression of seasons contributes to all the ways to find cozy. Love that the protagonist is a brown girl who loves and owns ponies, and that her race is tangential to the story, but still speaks to those who care.

Easy read for little kiddos, would highly recommend.

[Wade Huggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to love a pony is the story of a little girl and her family that have family farm and they take care of horses. The family that owns the horses presents as African American. The book has secondary characters of differing races. The text is rhyming on each page. The illustrations are detailed and colorful and will appeal to primary children. The book is a beginner reader.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using rhyme verse, Meadows tells this story of a young girl and how she cares for her pony. The book moves through the four seasons to show how care and activities change. A very accessible book for young readers and an especially good match for those interested in horses.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young horse lovers will embrace this. Experience the four seasons with a young girl, her pony and her family. After reading this, you might be left for a longing to live in the country or wide open spaces.

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

obsessed w the illustrations in this one!! what a sweet book i wish my life looked like this hehe <333

also loved the diverse rep and the main character being a woc - so often the equestrian world is overwhelmingly white so it was nice to know black girls can read this and see they belong also

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice to see the representation of a Black family on a farm, and the book includes details about horse care that will appeal to kids who are interested in the animal.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early elementary reader about one year of a girl and her pony including adventures and care.

[AF · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book with a very sweet message about caring for animals. My daughter loves the illustrations.