👯‍♀️ Sisters and Horses 🐎

MBH no. 38

When I was younger, I wanted two things: a sister and a horse. I wanted a sister because I had brothers😉, but I’m not quite sure where the horse dream came from. Growing up in a suburb of Chicago, horses were definitely not part of everyday life! Still, I remember riding a horse on vacation that had once appeared in Dances with Wolves, and I adored the Thoroughbred book series. (Do other 90’s kids remember this one!?) For our anniversary a few years back, my husband gave me a few gorgeous horse photographs by the talented Drew Doggett, so I guess I’m still kind of a “horse girl” after all.

And while I really do love having brothers, I still find myself drawn to stories about the unique bond between sisters. Both of today’s books explore those relationships, with the second also capturing the healing connection between a girl and a horse.

I’d love to hear about what kind of books you loved as a kid. Stories about sisters, horses, or something else? Do you still find yourself gravitating to those types of books today? Would love to hear from you.

I’ll see you next month! As always, thank you for reading. ❤️

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Stella and Marigold, by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall (2024)

“I’m Stella. I’m your sister. I’m going to tell you all the secret things I know. I would never tell them to anyone else, but I’ll tell them to you. Forever and ever.”

Marigold had only been in the world for 35 hours, and she had only known Stella for one of them, but she knew right away that Stella was saying something very important. She stared at Stella and decided she loved her.

It’s hard being a baby. Everyone knows more than you do. But from that moment on, Marigold knew one thing for sure: Stella.

Stella kept her promise. Of course, Mom and Dad taught Marigold important things too. They loved her and took care of her, and Marigold loved them back. But it was Stella who told her secrets. It was Stella who explained the world to her.

The instant Marigold was born, she and her older sister Stella became each other's whole world. Their warm, loving bond is at the heart of this book–whether one of them is sick, struggling with friendship, or mad at their parents, they share stories and secrets that help them navigate childhood together.

This isn’t a story of siblings vs. parents (though Marigold does suggest they run off to Japan without them!), but one that celebrates close family relationships and the power of imagination to make sense of the world.

This book really reminded me of the Ramona series, with characters who navigate the frustrations and misunderstandings of childhood in ways that feel honest and relatable to readers of any age.

Parents will appreciate the positive portrayal of family relationships, and I think this book makes a perfect gift for any child with a sibling. Like I mentioned above, I don’t have a sister, but I do have brothers, and one in particular who makes me feel the same way Stella feels about Marigold.

(I also wanted to highlight that the author/illustrator duo Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall of Ivy and Bean fame created this book. I know Ivy and Bean can be kind of polarizing, but my daughter read these over and over, so if your reader hasn’t, I highly recommend checking them out!)

Recommended for ages 5-9

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Bea and the New Deal Horse, by L.M. Elliot (2023)

The horses were still asleep–except for the chestnut. He was gazing out his stall’s back window, away from the sunrise toward the dark, toward the mountains. If I were a poet, I could explain it better–but there was a what-the-heck-will-this-darn-day-want-of-me apprehension about him, a bring-it defensiveness. If a horse could have a proverbial chip on his shoulder, his was the size of a barn.

Somehow, seeing his angst, his desolation, in a moment all the other horses were sleeping blissfully-just like I had snuck out into the night, twitchy with disappointments and questions, while my sister and Mrs. Scott slumbered–made my heart ache. For him. For me. It’s as if that horse embodied all the fury and fear and loneliness, the self-doubt and what’s-coming-next anxiety I was feeling that morning. Heck–had felt every second since Daddy disappeared.

Virginia, 1932: With the US in the midst of the Great Depression, thirteen-year-old Beatrice and her eight-year-old sister Vivian are abandoned by their father in the hayloft of a horse farm. The owned by Mrs. Scott, a respected horse trainer and a longtime family connection the girls have never met.

Before the sisters are discovered, Bea tends to a dangerous horse with colic, saving his life and revealing herself to Mrs. Scott. Desperate to make herself useful around the farm, Bea works with Mrs Scott to train as a competitive rider, helping the skittish, fearful horse become a powerful jumper. Before long, Bea’s bond with the chestnut horse helps them both heal and learn to trust again.

Award-winning author L.M. Elliott blends this touching narrative with vivid historical context, communicating the effects of the stock market crash, the hopelessness felt around the country, and the eventual promise of FDR’s New Deal. Although this book is aimed at a middle grade audience, I learned so much that I had forgotten (or may have never learned in the first place!)

I don’t often come across a middle grade novel where the secondary characters are as well developed as the protagonist, but this book does that beautifully. As a result, readers care about these characters—including the horses!—as much as they care about Bea.

An emotionally fulfilling, hopeful novel.

Highly, highly recommended for ages 10-13

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✨Wishing you hours and hours of reading magic,✨

Katie

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