Flip

by Wesley Dennis

A colt realizes his desire to jump across the brook following a dream in which he sprouts silvery wings.

Genres: Picture Books, Horses, Animals, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 1941

About the author

(John) Wesley Dennis was an American illustrator best known for his collaboration with author Marguerite Henry, with whom he published 15 books.

He illustrated over 150 books in his lifetime, including Anna Sewell's Black Beauty and John Steinbeck's The Red Pony. He also wrote and illustrated a few books of his own, among which are Flip, Flip and the Cows, Flip and the Morning, and Tumble.

Reviews

[Roxann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the original book published in 1941. So it's not this edition. The story is a nice one to read to young children. Flip is a pony that can't keep up with his mother. He wants to jump a stream like she does. He gets tired of trying and falls asleep. He dreams about getting wings. Children will like this story due to the animals, dreaming, and flying above everyone.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son's favorite book as a tiny two-year-old. A great nap time story. Prepare to reread often.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this when I was a kid. I had a copy when I was a kid. I couldn't hold out and finally bought a replacement copy in 2022. I have the 1977 Puffin paperback edition, but it wasn't any different from the earlier editions.

This is the first book in the Flip series. You do not have to read this book in order to understand the next books in the series. They are all self-contained stories.

Wesley Dennis was one of the most unique of equine artists. His horses still were realistic (more realistic than his people) but often had a slight human or comical quirk to them. A Wesley Dennis horse drawing is like looking at an expertly cut diamond. There is one small flaw purposefully put in to make it look more real than real.

You can appreciate the art, no matter what your age. The story is about overcoming small obstacles. Some might sniff that Flip the Foal has a dream, but it has been proven that horses dream.

Enjoy.

[Sidney McQuade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flip is an old picture book story that is such a good read. It shows that the will and desire to do something comes from within. Flip learned that he was able to jump over the brook all on his own and that the reason he couldn't before was all in his head. I encourage children and parents to read this book together.

[HDST · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this!

[Roxie Fiste]

Flip is a fun book I enjoyed reading as a child. The illustrations are beautifully expressive of the foal named Flip! Wesley Dennis knows horses!

[Shayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young horse who is trying to jump over a river. He dreams about having wings. And when he wakes up he feels like he does, so he jumps over the river perfectly. And he realizes he did it all by himself.
I like this book because of the illustrations. They are very simple, yet so detailed. There are not many colors included in the pictures which makes the book much more interesting.
I would use this book because my children would enjoy it. They would relate with this young horse and learn that they can do anything.

[Mattie Troyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cute short story for kids who are just starting to read. The fun story is about a baby horse who so badly wants to be like his mother and jump over the small creek in the backyard. The story introduces other farm animals to add to the variety of the story. This is a easy read for children because of the vocabulary and big block words on each page. It a very old story with beautiful black and white pictures in it that are very enjoyable. I love the classic and simplicity of the story.

[Hildegart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fun and the illustrations are great!!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fun story of a young horse who overcomes his fear of jumping. This is a great read-aloud for preschoolers and a good beginning reader for 4-7 year olds.