Good Luck Chestnut: and other lucky colors of the World by Linda Gruenberg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Beautifully illustrated, this book introduces you to the different hues and patterns that characterize horses. While portraying children engrossed in their play, Linda skilfully blends colours with simple rhymes to create an effect that is both sensitive and endearing. There's Chestnut, Dapples, Palomino, Roan and many more, but what makes it particularly interesting for a child to follow and remember, are the little associations that connect each horse with a story.

Appaloosas look like they have a blanket with spots covering their backs, and as the author intricately connects words together to describe this, one can see it reflected in the watercolour alongside, two little boys sitting on top of a horse with a white spotted rump. Socks are, as the name suggests, horses with white on their legs till the joints and this is accompanied by a wonderful depiction of four legs wearing imaginary socks. Words tumble forth page after page like unstoppable giggles, there is a sense of blissful happiness in the phrases that is almost contagious. Diversely represented, one can find children of all kinds of colours and ethnicities here, smiling and laughing with joy.

The play of light and shadow through the leaves, or a child holding a horse's mane softly caressing, or the tiny tummy peeking underneath the shirt of a girl as she lies comfortably horseback, shows the amount of love and tenderness that has gone behind the making of this book. If you are a stranger to horses like me, you would feel a yearning to be among these animals, wishing to enjoy their company like these carefree children. But if you happen to be someone who grew up with animals, this is still bound to make you feel nostalgic. Recommended for everyone, especially for parents who enjoy reading aloud to their children.

(Note: Obtained as ARC on Reedsy Discovery)



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