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THE ORANGE HORSE: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

carolbaldwin

 Although The Orange Horse written and illustrated by Hsu-Kung Liu (Reycraft: 2019) was published four years ago, the theme and message of the book are timeless. Written and illustrated with simple language and child-friendly illustrations, this book is playful yet simultaneously touching and serious.

REVIEW


I love the believability of how the story opens:

Every child knows that horses aren’t orange, they don’t walk on two legs, and they don’t carry suitcases through the city. But none of that matters. The child reader suspends disbelief and is immersed in the story world.

Unfortunately, the only clue he had to find his brother was half of a photograph of an orange horse just like him.  

So, he did whatever any normal orange horse looking for his brother might do. He placed an ad in the newspaper. 


He received an answer!

But, it was from a HOUSE. Not a HORSE.

He decided to make his ad more specific:


Notice how each part of orange horse’s thought process would make sense to a child. 

After a race car shows up, orange horse decides his third ad needs to be even more specific and he rewrites the ad. “My brother should have a black mane and a black tail.” (Notice the classic pattern of three obstacles!)

His third try flops and the orange horse feels ready to give up. He goes to an art gallery, meets a brown horse, and begins to enjoy his company. They chat, run, and eat together. 

Notice the wrong conclusion that the orange horse comes to because of the way he is thinking. What a wonderful discussion point in preschool and K-first-grade classrooms!

After the brown horse mentions that he also had a long-lost brother and half an old photograph, they tried to match their photographs up. “But no, their half-photographs were not a match.”

Both horses were upset. The orange horse wished the half-photos didn’t exist so they could still hope they were brothers. Angry and upset, the brown horse trimmed the two half-photographs. 


Then he stuck the two halves together. “Don’t cry,” he told the orange horse. “See? From now on, we are brothers.“

The beautiful conclusion is shown on the last page:

I think it is easy for writers to want to moralize and teach a lesson in their story. The Orange Horse is a great mentor text to show us all how NOT to do that. After all, there is more than one way to be a friend. Right?

GIVEAWAY

Thank you to Reycraft Books for generously supplying the illustrations and the giveaway. It will make a wonderful holiday present for a young child on your gift list or for your child’s teacher. Just leave me a comment if you wish to enter (with your email address if you are new to my blog) or send me an email. U.S. addresses only. The giveaway ends November 30. If you sign up for my blog, share this on social media, or are a teacher or librarian, you will get additional chances to win this book. 

YOUTUBE TIME!

In this video, Wiley Blevins, editor at Reycraft, reads The Orange Horse. 


Congratulations to Barbara Cantor who won THE LUCKY DIAMOND. 







Published by carolbaldwin

Carol enjoys teaching writing and has presented at many educators' and writing conferences. She has published widely in newspapers and magazines and along with Rebecca Wheeler, co-publishes Talking Story, a newsletter for educators and media specialists. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you’ll find her walking with friends, golfing, or gardening.

43 thoughts on “THE ORANGE HORSE: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway”

  4. As a writer, reviewer, AND artist, I very much enjoyed this peek at THE ORANGE HORSE!! Thank you Mrs. Baldwin for all the cool books you broadcast on your blog :)

    Reply

  5. This is amazing mentor text and will make a great read aloud and discussion book too. Finding friends is universal. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this beautiful book. I shared on tumblr and Twitter.

    Reply

  11. This sounds like a very different approach to an recurring challenge/concern. I love books that invite us to think outside the box. This looks like a great one!Best,Linda Trott Dickman

    Reply

  12. I thought my comment went through, but apparently it did not. This looks like a unique approach to finding one's family. I love books that take a different view and come up with a different ending, This book looks like a sweet addition to any library!Linda Trott Dickman

    Reply

  13. Yes, Linda, your comment went through. I have to approve it first and I'm not always on my computer. But your name is in the giveaway! And yes, it is a unique book. Thanks for your comment!

    Reply

  25. As a writer, reviewer, AND artist, I very much enjoyed this peek at THE ORANGE HORSE!! Thank you Mrs. Baldwin for all the cool books you broadcast on your blog :)

    Reply

  26. This is amazing mentor text and will make a great read aloud and discussion book too. Finding friends is universal. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this beautiful book. I shared on tumblr and Twitter.

    Reply

  32. This sounds like a very different approach to an recurring challenge/concern. I love books that invite us to think outside the box. This looks like a great one!Best,Linda Trott Dickman

    Reply

  33. I thought my comment went through, but apparently it did not. This looks like a unique approach to finding one's family. I love books that take a different view and come up with a different ending, This book looks like a sweet addition to any library!Linda Trott Dickman

    Reply

  34. Yes, Linda, your comment went through. I have to approve it first and I'm not always on my computer. But your name is in the giveaway! And yes, it is a unique book. Thanks for your comment!

    Reply

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