Ludo and the Star Horse

by Mary Stewart

A boy's quest through the fabled star country of the zodiac is the theme of this richly inventive fantasy by a master-storyteller. The boy is Ludo, child of Bavarian mountain farmers, and his love for the aging family workhorse, Renti, is the motive for the dangerous journey that they undertake together.

The tale begins one winter's night when Renti breaks out from the stable and Ludo follows to bring him back. Instead, a falling star points the way to the star country, which the two enter through the House of the Archer, which a being half man, half horse presides over. From him, Renti learns that he must travel completely around the zodiac in order to claim his destiny as a star horse. Ludo, wishing to ease his way, decides to accompany him.

On their mission, Ludo and Renti meet the lords of all twelve houses, and each encounter provides another dramatic test of character. The evocation of this legendary world and the people who inhabit it shows Mary Stewart at her best.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult, Animals, Middle Grade, Speculative Fiction

166 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.

She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.

Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.

Reviews

[Jan-Maat]

A curious story of how a boy must travel through the twelve houses of the zodiac in order for the family horse to become one of Apollo's team pulling the sun through the sky.

Sadly this was never made into a board game as far as I know. I remain slightly surprised that Apollo prefers elderly Bavarian farm horses to move the sun across the sky but maybe it is just like ploughing really.

And in case you are tempted to undertake the journey yourself I advise you to take a snorkel for going through Pisces.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moving at times, overly pedagogical at others. I'm not sure the Zodiac theme and the Christian moral message worked together very well. 3.5 stars

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a while to get hold of this, as I don’t think it’s currently in print. I wasn’t expecting much of it, since I knew it’s a children’s story, but I do love Mary Stewart’s work, and this morning I was feeling moderately dreadful, so something comforting sounded like the perfect plan. And this was just right: a little bit like Seaward, but with more the maturity level of The Dark is Rising; a little bit Narnia, but sans Christian allegory.

It’s a quest story, relatively simply: it goes through the zodiac, to catch up with the sun, to allow Ludo’s old horse Renti to join the horses of the sun now that he’s old and lame and beyond working any more. Ludo isn’t the sharpest tool in the box, in the sense that… well, to borrow the imagery from the book itself: he’s still an unshaped piece of wood, a little rough, not the best quality. But inside that, there’s a shape just waiting to be carved out, one full of life. He’s a plain sort of boy, with no special talent, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worthy, or that he won’t grow up into someone perfectly capable, maybe even very gifted.

Since it’s a Mary Stewart book, I wasn’t surprised at all by the very firm sense of place in the opening chapters in Bavaria. I liked that she didn’t just pick a kid from the English countryside, and that he really was just a plain ordinary boy with some potential, the same potential as anyone else.

It’s not deep, but it is charming; a fairy tale quest through the zodiac and, perhaps, home again.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was bought the audio version of this book (read SUPERBLY by Paul Eddington) when I was about six years old.

The imagery and dialogue have remained with me for over thirty years. It's a lovely story of fantasic adventure, love and friendship which still sends a message to both young and older readers. It speaks of courage, bullying, danger, lust, loyalty and greed. Add to that themes on euthanasia, family, animal welfare, poverty, etc.

[Abigail Bok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ludo and the Star Horse is a suspenseful children’s book that incorporates a whole slew of different mythologies but would give pleasure even to children not brought up with exposure to those tales. It has lively action, a strong moral (but not moralistic) thread, and plenty of emotional punch.

Ludo is the eleven-year-old son of a Bavarian carpenter, probably in the late nineteenth century. He believes he has no value to those around him because he’s not particularly good at anything beyond caring for the family’s animals. His favorite is an aging, lame horse, Renti, but he knows that soon Renti will no longer be able to do his work and will be taken away and killed.

Ludo is left alone for a wintry, blizzarding evening when there’s a crisis in his mother’s family and his father escorts his mother down to the village. Ludo hears a loud bang and realizes the wind has blown open the barn door. He goes to check and realizes that Renti is gone. Ludo blames himself, as kids do (how did Renti chew through his halter? why didn’t Ludo check the barn door?) so he goes out into the blizzard and looks for the horse. This course of action is as disastrous as it sounds, and after Ludo sees Renti get overtaken by an avalanche, both of them fall into a chasm.

In this paragraph I give a few more details about the story, so they’re in spoiler tags. Both boy and horse survive and start exploring for a way out, only to find themselves in a strange world. What follows is a series of adventures through the twelve houses of the Zodiac, infused with classical elements. Renti is identified as a star horse who is on a quest to rejoin his fellows who pull the sun chariot, and he must pass through all the Zodiac houses, facing dangers in each, in order to catch up with the sun. In the first test of Ludo’s character, he is asked whether he wants to go back home or stick with Renti to help him. Of course, he stays with his horse. In each Zodiac house they encounter the ruling spirit of the house—the Bull, the Ram, the Lion, etc.—and face dangers and tests of various kinds.

This is a classic hero’s journey/harrowing of hell story, humanized by Ludo’s unassuming character, his mundane preoccupations, and his unswerving love for Renti. One or two of the chapters stretched the concept to the breaking point, and the ending was poignant but mostly happy. I like stories that are about character and ethical choices, so I loved the underpinnings of the tale as well as the action.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely book - perfect for winter. Stewart's descriptions are poetic and palpable; her description of the bitter cold and snow in the Bavarian winter made me shiver. This is a magical story of a boy, Ludo, who is considered plain and not-so-bright by his family and village, and his family's old beloved horse, Renti, who is soon to be "retired" - you know what that means. Renti breaks out during a blizzard, Ludo chases after him, and an interesting, magical journey ensues. Renti is a "star horse" who can join the sun's team of chariot horses if they can catch him - they must first travel through all twelve houses of the zodiac, some of them with hostile masters. I love the Greek mythology that Stewart throws into the story, and that she leaves a lot unexplained actually worked well - she leaves it up to the reader whether or not to go deeper and research. This books would make a great read-out-loud-at-bedtime book for parents with kids old enough to take the brief, vaguely gruesome description of people and animals dying in blizzards.
I can't wait to check out more Mary Stewart - she has two other children's classics, The Little Broomstick and A Walk in Wolf Wood.

[A.E. Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book. It is my favourite book of all books. It's the greatest children's book, too, but it's never lessened or lost anything, the more I've read it, the older I've got. It makes me cry from the very depths of my heart every time, and it makes my heart stronger and happier every time, too. I genuinely think it's astonishing.

It's written in my very favourite tone, that way that you're being told a story by a sage author, and there's the morality inside it too, character evolution, themes of friendship and death and adventure and myth and wonder. There's so much in such a short tale; you could read it in much less than an hour, and feel as if you, too, have been on a full journey through the zodiac.

I have no fault with this at all. Usually, this kind of thing would be too difficult for me, but it's so perfectly balanced, and it's something I've taken with me since I was six years old, and it's still a joy, every single time I even see it on the shelf. I can't believe it's never been filmed, and I wish I could give everyone I love a copy because it's so important to me.

These are my feelings, and they are strong.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, that was...well.
What starts out as a quest story without a quest ends up as a parable or allegory or something. Yeah, it teaches the zodiac (for whatever reason). Yeah, Ludo learns not to be a self-pitying whiner by having to undertake this confusing voyage, armed only with a knife he never actually uses and his knowledge of how to act around cattle and goats. Oh, and the fairy tale "kid with good manners who is kind to animals and old people wins through" trope.

What does he win? Self-respect, I guess. Confidence in the abilities he does not yet have.
I still can't quite understand why the author broke the fourth wall on three separate occasions to address one "Amelie". It added nothing.

Two and a half stars.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books as a kid! That's why I'm giving it 5 stars. Granted, I was probably like 8 years old at the time. I haven't read it in forever - but I used to try to convince my dad to read it . . .

[LeahBethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounding up. I adore Mary Stewart (one of my all-time favorite authors) so I was excited to read Ludo and the Star Horse, one of the few books she wrote for children. The novel is a gentle adventure that takes the reader through the mythology of the zodiac. The prose was beautiful and as with all Mary Stewart novels, I felt transported to another time and place.

[Pamela Bronson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely story of a Bavarian peasant boy of an earlier time, who believes he isn't clever enough to do anything but look after goats and fetch water and similar menial tasks. In his spare time he carves things out of wood, as his father does, but his carvings lack the life his father's have, and don't sell for much.

When Renti, the family's old Haflinger horse, escapes into the snow, Ludo believes it is his fault and hurries after him to rescue him. This turns into a perilous adventure which sends both of them through all twelve houses of the Zodiac until they catch up with the chariot of the Sun. Ludo keeps faith with Renti and is polite and brave and humble. It gets a bit scary at times, but I was sure there would be a good ending - and there is - at least it seems good to me as an adult.

Note that this book does not discuss or promote astrology. The sun really does appear to move through a circle of twelve constellations through the year and these were used from ancient times through the Renaissance for telling times and seasons. It's in Chaucer, for instance, "Whan ... the yonge sonne/Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne". (In this book, too, Aries is called the Ram rather than Aries, which is just Latin for "ram" anyway.)

There's some interesting mythology. Apollo appears.

Ludo is 11, though the book might be of interest to younger children - however, I suggest parents preread it first. One of my little girls might have found it upsetting at a young age. I found it soothing enough to read myself back to sleep with at 4 AM or thereabouts.

[Angelica Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ludo is an eleven-year-old Bavarian boy who is kind and capable in small tasks, but thought to be not very bright and somewhat clumsy. One night, the family's old workhorse, his beloved Renti, breaks out of his stable and rans out in a snow storm. Ludo goes after him to save him from freezing to death. The delightful tale that follows revolves around the twelve signs of the zodiac.

This excellent children's story reads a lot like any of Lady Stewart's adult novels minus the romantic aspect. The storyline is very strong, and she never dumbs down the narrative, very subtly explaining the less common words, as needed. It is a tale of growing up, acquiring confidence and overcoming daunting obstacles through courage and devotion to an old friend.

I very much enjoyed reading it as an adult and it would be a really good choice to share with a child.

[Mary's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ludo and the Star Horse" is a charming fantasy adventure for children, written by one of my favorite authors. I had forgotten about it and was looking for something to read aloud to my grandchildren (ages 6 and 9) when they came to visit. We ran out of time so we did not finish it together, but I was struck by how eager the kids were to listen to Ludo's adventures. It might be a stretch for American children who do not know where Bavaria is or what an alp is, but a few vocabulary explanations sorted it out for us.
Mary Stewart creates a fantastical adventure that is grounded by Ludo's simple common sense. The more fantastical the creatures he encounters, the more Ludo grows in knowledge and confidence. It is also a good intro to the mythology of the Zodiac.

[hawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute story about how a young boy's love and care for a horse takes them safely through the zodiac houses, in an adventure that crosses 12 months and lasts just one night... in the way that magical realism and young adult fiction can do. 🐴🤎🌟

my glimmer of anticipation at the mention of the forge was happily met by Wayland/Vulcan - the lame smith being a personal mythological favourite of my lame self 🙂

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this charming little book. I tried to buy it several years ago and found I could only get it from England. Done! This book is simple enough for children to understand, but intriguing enough for adults who also enjoy following horoscopes.

[Hilarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An out-of-print book that was a favorite when I was a kid. A Bavarian peasant boy named Ludo is chasing after his horse who has run away, and winds up in a world that is based on the signs of the Zodiac.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the very first book I remember reading, it was purchased through the school bookclub along with a Biggles book that I've yet to identify.

[Milo Carvajal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ludo and the Star Horse is a classic hero’s journey. It tells the story of a poor boy named Ludo and his dying horse, Renti. Upon escaping his stable, Renti falls into a ditch, and Ludo comes tumbling in after. After surviving the fall, the two find that they have ended up in a fantastical land containing different territories, or “houses,” each of which has a “owner.” The goal of the young boy is to escort his horse safely through the houses to reach the sun so that Renti can join the team of horses pulling the sun’s chariot. As they make their way through the houses, Ludo, who was originally a very timid and self-conscious kid, grew in courage and character. In the end, Ludo is able to safely escort Renti to the sun, where he joins the team of horses pulling the chariot. I was given this book as a gift from my mother, and was not expecting much. However, I ended up enjoying the book, as I think it shows good development of the main character and creates a recurring theme which is clear and easy to spot, and develops an interesting plot which is interesting yet easy to understand.
To begin with, Mary Stewart does both an excellent job developing Ludo’s character and creating a recurring theme. In the beginning of the book, Ludo is a timid kid. It’s as if he has never done anything right in his life. He drops breakable things, burns food, and is just an overall clumsy person. In a small town such as Ludo’s where one needs to be good with their hands, Ludo is seen as useless. This has a large impact on his self-esteem, and the criticism from his neighbors and friends goes to his head until he himself believes that he is worthless. As a result, Ludo tends to be as reserved and submissive as possible. However, when he journeys through the strange and fantastical world with his horse, he is forced to grow as a person in the face of danger. When presented with life and death scenarios, submission is simply not an option. Between the first house and the last, Ludo’s transformation is observable. In the first, he hides behind his horse and is willing to do whatever he is told to do. But by the end of his journey, Ludo is willing to deny a powerful head of house in order to save his horse, a decision that takes great courage and assertiveness. Overall, Ludo’s journey through the fantastical realm is not only one of peril and overcoming danger but also one of overcoming self-doubt and finding courage The two themes Stewart creates are connected to Ludo’s character development. These themes are courage and friendship. Mary Stewart is able to incorporate these two themes together very well, as Ludo’s friendship with Renti is what allows him to find his courage. Throughout the story, the theme of friendship shows up time and time again as Ludo is willing to undertake this dangerous journey all for his friend Renti. When, in the house of the Archer, Ludo is told that the Archer will kill his horse but allow Ludo to live. However, Ludo steps in and puts his own life in danger, helping Renti escape from the archer’s clutches. This event does two things. Firstly, it is the turning point in Ludo’s character development, in which he goes from being a timid and submissive kid into one who shows great courage to defend his friend. Secondly, it shows how Ludo’s friendship with his horse allows him to overcome his fears and find courage in the face of hardship, something which Ludo has been unable to do all of his life. The theme and main character develop side by side which I think is both interesting and unique.
Secondly, Stewart incorporates many literary elements to develop an interesting and unique plot. Stewart is able to create a plot which is both interesting (the peril of the journey), and unique (incorporating the zodiac houses into the fantastical world), while also developing the theme and characters side by side. The broad plot of Ludo’s journey with his friend makes it very easy for Stewart to put her own spin on it and develop the characters in whichever way she should choose, and she goes for one of self-improvement. This in turn goes well with the plot as, the further Ludo gets in his journey, the more he develops as a person. Overall, the plot does a good job of keeping the reader entertained while also incorporating many literary devices.
In conclusion, Mary Stewart does an exquisite job connecting the theme, plot and character development. The book shows good development of the main character and creates a recurring theme which is clear and easy to spot, while also developing an interesting plot which is interesting yet easy to understand. As is shown in this book review, these three elements are interconnected, with all of them building off of each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, as I felt that, even though it is directed at young children, it is written well enough to be enjoyed by anyone.

[Capn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been well-reviewed already, so I just wanted to say that I disagree strongly with Mir and Orinoco Wombles' reviews of this one. I did not find it Christian or allegorical in the slightest. I think I read this a different way... I think Ludo (short for Ludwig) represents, perhaps, a slow child or a SEND kid or a neurodivergent person.. maybe. Or maybe he just isn't best at anything and has low self-esteem and lacks self-confidence. He believes himself to be a "good for nothing". When Renti, the horse, escapes into the blizzard, he blames himself automatically (in spite of it not being his fault), and risks his life to save his horse, partly because he loves old Renti, but largely because he can't abide the idea that he'll be further shamed and undervalued and unloved.

Was he, though? Or did he mistakenly have the idea he wasn't especially loved? It's an open question. I don't think it was allegorical. I'm no theologian, but, yeah, I wouldn't stretch it that far. Psychological in an archetypal sort of way, Aesopian, or somewhat fairytale-esque, sure. And yeah, Ludo's a simpleton, but a good and kind one, and that (rare) quality is praised and honoured by mythological creatures. Personally, I don't find that a very threatening or odd theme, especially in children's lit. Maybe because I do believe that good and kind people are, in fact, rare. Talk's cheap, actions aren't. ;)

What I loved most of all about this was the astrology, and PROPER astrology - the Greek / Romanic basis for it, and the 'other' less-titular constellation characters featured within some of the houses alongside the main embodiment of the sign. I was a little worried it would be as assinine as a daily horoscope. Thankfully, no. It is a little pedagogical, sure, but I thought it fit beautifully and was part of the charm. I honestly didn't even know some of the associated constellations, and even the afterword about how the sky was divided into the 12 Houses was slightly illuminating for this old geezer.

I don't know - this book didn't suck for me, and I tend to also be put off by the overly-saccharine or moralistic crap. I thought this was great. I also think The Hounds of the Mórrígan was great, The Princess and the Goblin, and The Dark Is Rising. And recently I quite enjoyed The Nargun and the Stars. All of these are quite old stories now, but I think they're modern classics. You can discuss such wonderful gems of yesteryear with like minded readers here on our group, Forgotten Vintage Children's Books We Want Republished!
(and normally my views are much in line with Mir's and probably with Orinoco Wombles', fwiw. Just not this time) ;)

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

You mean to keep faith with your friend... lead him as best you can along the path the sun is taking, through the good lands and the bad... The sun left my house this very day. If you can catch him before he reaches this spot again, your life's wish will be granted -- or else it will not, and who is to say which of the two will bring more happiness? [p. 54]

Audiobook (read by Paul Eddington) via the Internet Archive, as this childhood favourite seems to be unobtainable in ebook format. I adored this book when I was at primary school, and it holds up pretty well half a century later. 

Ludo is an eleven-year-old boy who lives in Bavaria, probably some time in the 19th century. One winter night, while he's alone at home, the family's elderly horse Renti escapes from his stable. Ludo is sure he'll be blamed, so he sets out through the snow to find Renti, who he's known all his life: who he loves. He falls into a cave and meets the Archer, a centaur, and is told that Renti is a star horse, like the horses who pull the sun's chariot. Ludo and Renti must follow the sun through the twelve houses of the star country, encountering perils and wonders -- not all of them predictable even by a reader who, unlike Ludo, is familiar with the houses of the Zodiac.

Ludo's not the brightest protagonist, but he is loyal, humble and kind -- all traits that stand him in good stead with the creatures and entities he meets. I had forgotten many of the details, such as the archer who restrains the Twins, and the rather dull embodiment of my own birth sign: but I remembered the book's climax, and it was just as compelling this time. I think the text was somewhat abridged for this audio version (which comes in two files, possibly from an LP) but the story remains intact, and Paul Eddington's narration is excellent. (Yes, he does voices, but not silly ones. The Scorpion was really chilling.)

I also noticed aspects of the story that I probably didn't recognise before. When Ludo meets the embodiment of Aquarius, he's a lad named Gula, which is the Babylonian name for the constellation. That archer who hangs out with the Twins, who introduces himself as Lykeios, is Apollo. The Archer is probably Chiron, since his pupils include Peleus. Even at nine, I was familiar with some Greek myths, but I'm not sure I spotted every reference.

An absolutely lovely 'reread', which has tempted me to re-skim a scan of the actual book. (Thanks, Internet Archive!)

[Gail Sacharski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another Mary Stewart book for younger readers, but the message & story can be appreciated by adults. Ludo lives in Bavaria with his parents where he helps his father mind the cow & flock of goats. His father is also a carpenter in his spare time, & Ludo would love to be good at carving wood into beautiful things, but he's very clumsy & sometimes not very smart, & is only good at minding the animals & helping his mother with chores. One cold, snowy night in November while his parents are visiting his sick aunt, Ludo finds their old horse has escaped from his stall into the winter storm. Ludo doesn't know what to do--each decision seems to have a downside & he doesn't feel smart enough to make the right choice. Finally, he spots the horse in the distance fighting through the snow & decides to follow & ferch it back. They are a poor family & can't afford to lose the animal even though he's very old & lame. But once he catches up with the horse, Ludo falls into a crevasse & is buried in snow. He manages to find the horse who leads him into a tunnel & through a door into a very strange place. This is a beautiful story about an old horse who knows his end has come & has one desire left, to die with dignity & become one of the chariot horses of The Sun; about a young boy who loves his horse, but cannot see his own worth or purpose in life, & decides to accompany his horse on his final journey through the 12 Houses of the Zodiac, each with its own lord & challenge, to be sure the horse fulfills that desire. On the journey, Ludo begins to understand who he truly is inside & the possibilities in his future. I loved it.

[C2015 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read it when I was a child and I remembered it always although not all the details. I was struck by the kindness of Ludo, a simple boy Who bravely and simply stepped forward again and again into the unknown. And cared for things around him, particularly animals. As a child he was told he was good for nothing and travelling through the houses of the zodiac with Renti, the old family horse, he found out there is no such thing as good for nothing… "Everyone is good for something, and he, Ludo, would find something which was his own. Dimly, he knew what it would be. But until then he would just be Ludo, who knew all about the goats and the cattle, and who could be trusted to be faithful and small things." I cried when it was time to say goodbye to Renti though I too would have let him go be with the Sun. Interesting that the dangerous ones were Pisces, Gemini, and cancer. And of course the scorpion was death. The bull made me laugh… "What is it? It's not moving?" Lovely children's story.

[Laemy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Необычная для детской история про прощание с другом-питомцем в виде путешествия по зодиакальному кругу. Очень хорошо написано, как будто у костра рассказывают красивую легенду с опасностями и уютностями, и внезапными победами. Представители Зодиака выписаны очень необычно, интересно, морализаторства много, но оно ненавязчивое и не давит, ближе просто к воспитанию характера. Чуточку странно воспринимается сочетание греческой мифологии со скорее христианской моралью помощи ближнему, но это ведь для детей, мой сборник легенд в дестве тоже был сильно адаптирован под возраст. А мораль без явных отсылок к другим религиям воспринимается скорее общечеловеческой, на мой взгляд, очень удачно получилось. Отличная история для зимних каникул.

[Ezis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just spent an hour and a half looking for the name of this book. I was prompted by a post I saw somewhere about books that have made you cry... Then I remembered about this story I read back in primary school, so many years ago in a different country. I could not remember anything other than the fact that a boy meets the Zodiac characters... I remember crying though, and how epic the story was. Don't know if I could possibly achieve the same exaltation as the little me all those years ago, but this is an amazing book for children.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last of the Mary Stewart books that I have been collecting over the years, a surprise gift from my husband. I loved it! Like most of Stewart's books, good always outstrips evil. I won't give anything away, but I really enjoyed the way she played with the Zodiac, using it as a more than just a physical journey for the 11-year-old Ludo.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely tail of Ludo guiding his old Horse Renti through the houses of the zodiac in pursuit if the sun. It has a lovely old fashioned feel and I read it to my sons aged 9 and 8 whom both enjoyed it. Well worth a read

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite childhood reads and I still have a copy I read again whenever 'need' to. It's beautifully written, the story is eternal and it taught me that you don't always get what you want and it's not easy to let things go but love counts.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

👦🏼🐴🪢🚪🏔🏹♐️🔪🐐♑️👦🏻💦🏺♒️☀️🌅🐟♓️🐏☪️🐂👯♊️🦀♋️🦁♌️🙋🏽‍♀️♍️⚖️♎️🦂♏️☀️🐴🏠👦🏼

Ludo and the Star Horse—sweet story centered on zodiac signs (which I didn’t realize until halfway through…🙈). It was a fun adventure, but not my favorite Stewart book or Stewart children's book.

[Paradise Between Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this because my brother and I used to listen to the story on cassette as children. I'm sure it's more magical for children but as an adult it fell flat of my - perhaps slightly influenced by fond childhood memories - the expectations.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ludo goes out into a snowstorm to rescue the family's old horse. Instead Renti shows Ludo the way to the star country and Ludo agrees to help Renti travel around the zodiac and become a star horse.

Touching ending.