Customer Reviews

A Horse Of Course

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Was their ever a child that didn't dream of owning a pony or horse? Sharon Lyle Soffe breathes life into that dream in her picture book A Horse of Course. Aaron's wish comes true when Horace comes to live with him. To make things even better Horace will live in his house. Discover with Aaron that some 8ideas need to be readjusted. A horse in the house turns out to be a bit different than he imagined. Eugene Ruble draws the hilarity of Horace, the horse living in Aaron's house. Sharon's prose melds with the artwork to create a picture book sure to find a place in a child's heart.

Grandpa Roy gives Aaron what he always wanted for his birthday-a horse! Little do Aaron, Mom and Dad know what they are in for. Horace the horse eats all the cake and ice cream, he hogs the television remote, uses Mom's toothbrush, and even takes over Aaron's bed. What will Aaron do?

In this hilarious adventure, poor Aaron learns the meaning of the phrase, "be careful what you ask for". Here he is all excited to finally have a horse, and he soon discovers that maybe a horse won't be so easy to take care of at his house. Faced with a decision, he chooses a way that everyone can be happy.

I haven't laughed so hard over a children's book in a long time. Between the storyline and the comical illustrations provided by Eugene Ruble, I laughed until my sides ached. I've had the opportunity to read a few books that Ruble has illustrated, and his imagination and ability to bring a story to life through his pictures never ceases to amaze me.

"A Horse of Course" is another excellent addition to the list of titles from Shari Lyle-Soffe. She is also the author of the popular "Rooter and Snuffle" series and "Nothing Stops Noah". Her love of nature and the fuzzy creatures that often stop by her yard, inspire her stories.

Learning about right choices and how to make difficult decisions has never been so much fun.

Aaron bursts with excitement over the best birthday gift ever from his Grandpa. Much to Aaron's mother's dismay the best birthday gift ever is a live horse named Horace. Aaron's enthusiasm is quickly dashed with Horace's antics. But what can Aaron do to fix the situation without hurting Grandpa and Horace's feelings? Journey along with Aaron in this laugh out loud adventure of discovering that everyone should have their own space to call home.

Aaron is thrilled when Grandpa Roy gives him a horse for his birthday. After all, that's what Aaron wanted more than anything in the world. However, living with Horace the horse isn't as easy as Aaron predicted. To start with, Horace eats Aaron's strawberry cake and is incredibly messy. He spills food and drink all over the place. To make matters worse, Aaron has to clean up after him. But that's not all... Since Horace has the remote control, now they're all stuck watching horse racing. Aaron would rather watch cartoons! But sweet Horace pushes this further, stealing Mom's toothbrush and even Aaron's bed. Poor Aaron must now sleep on the floor!

Perhaps keeping a horse at home isn't such a good idea, after all. Or is it? You'll have to read the book to see all of Horace's naughty antics and to find out what Aaron decides.

A Horse of Course is the latest children's picture book by talented Oregonian author Shari Lyle-Soffe. Soffe really knows what appeals to young children and this is portrayed in her delightful books. The story is cute and quirky and will keep children's eyes glued to the pages as Horace's antics grow from silly to outrageous. I loved the artwork in this book, it just goes so well with the story. The illustrations, done in colored markers, pens and crayons, have a cartoonish style and are as whimsical as the tale. This book will not only be enjoyed by children who love horses, but by all, young and old, who love a good humorous story.

This book is just the sort of humor that should appeal to young kids. It might also be a good discussion starter for children dealing with sibling rivalry or a new baby in the family because they'll identify with Aaron's problems when the horse manages to take over all the good stuff. The humorous illustrations capture the feeling of the story perfectly. However the book is recommended for kids from one to twelve years old and I think that age range is a little too wide.