Hush, Little Horsie

September 1, 2010

The opening stanza—"Hush little horsie, / Asleep on the farm. / Your mama is near / And will keep you from harm"—sets the tone for a soothing bedtime hymn featuring horses. A variety of different mother horses and ponies in different settings (plain, islands, moor, stable) protectively watch fuzzy foals run, play and sleep. The text emphasizes the idea of the all-protective parent who will always provide support and a safe place to dream. At the end, the narrative switches to a human "mama" putting her daughter (who holds a stuffed horse) to bed. This functions as a nice point of interest for little ones to connect themselves to the book. The theme is as sweet as sugar, and it's hard to imagine this not being a source of comfort for any young child, but it's still not as fresh as one would expect from such an established writer as Yolen. Sanderson's lush, incredibly precise portraits of the horses are also high in glucose. Simple and cuddly, but we've seen this before. (Picture book. 2-5)

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December 1, 2010

PreS-In this gentle picture book, a variety of mares stand guard as their foals and fillies play, run, leap, and finally sleep. From farmyards to the plains to the seashore to the moors, the horses are introduced in simple rhyme. In each case, readers are reassured that the mothers will always take care of their babies and the final lines, "she'll watch when you leap/And when you are tired, /She'll watch as your sleep," are repeated at the end of each section. The book ends with a human mother and her daughter nestled beneath blankets at bedtime, reading stories and preparing for sleep. The girl drifts off, content with the knowledge that her mother is close and will always stand watch as she sleeps. Sanderson's lush and lovely paintings are an ideal match for the reflective text. With text and illustrations as tender as a lullaby, this picture book is ideal for bedtime sharing.-Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI

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