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Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse
Adrian Simcox tells anyone who will listen that he has a horse--the best and most beautiful horse anywhere.
But Chloe does NOT believe him. Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse?
The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn't get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important.
But Chloe does NOT believe him. Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse?
The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn't get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important.
34 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
March 11, 2019
The title tells the truth: Adrian Simcox does NOT have a horse, but then again, he also does have a horse. Chloe tells the tale and she knows that Adrian does not have a horse, and is annoyed by it, because this is a lie. But what she doesn't fully understand is poverty, and why it is an underprivileged kid like Adrian might lie about what he does and does not own. So she visits his house and sees what he and his family do and do not have, they become real to her.
And then, as she talks to Adrian, and Adrian repeats his detailed and elaborate fantasy, and she gets to know him a bit, she begins--in the last panel--to really see the horse in its wonderful, imaginary and fantastical surroundings. Sometimes, Chloe realizes, through imagination you create the world you need. And sometimes a friend can understand that process, too. What can you really begin to see when you get to know someone whose life experiences are so different than your own? You have to see them through their eyes.
I read this book because I had read the other two books Corinna Luyken had illustrated/written, The Book of Mistakes and My Heart and have become a fan of her delicate, assured illustration work.
I like the simple, efficiently wonderful ending (which is to say it doesn't go on and on about it; it leaves you with one image to remember), which comes about in part because Luyken has used color to distinguish the two different worlds Chloe and Adrian live in, and then she blends the worlds of these two main characters through that use of color. Subtle, but powerful illustration of that old adage: "You have to walk a mile in someone's moccasins."
And then, as she talks to Adrian, and Adrian repeats his detailed and elaborate fantasy, and she gets to know him a bit, she begins--in the last panel--to really see the horse in its wonderful, imaginary and fantastical surroundings. Sometimes, Chloe realizes, through imagination you create the world you need. And sometimes a friend can understand that process, too. What can you really begin to see when you get to know someone whose life experiences are so different than your own? You have to see them through their eyes.
I read this book because I had read the other two books Corinna Luyken had illustrated/written, The Book of Mistakes and My Heart and have become a fan of her delicate, assured illustration work.
I like the simple, efficiently wonderful ending (which is to say it doesn't go on and on about it; it leaves you with one image to remember), which comes about in part because Luyken has used color to distinguish the two different worlds Chloe and Adrian live in, and then she blends the worlds of these two main characters through that use of color. Subtle, but powerful illustration of that old adage: "You have to walk a mile in someone's moccasins."
June 22, 2020
Story: 5 stars
Illustrations: 5 stars
This book gets me emotional. I love the way it speaks about empathy, especially through the lens of a privileged peer who doesn’t know better. Opens up lots of opportunities for conversation about how to treat others, even if what they’re doing isn’t necessarily the right thing. We as readers only know as much about Adrian Simcox as Chloe does and shouldn’t judge him or speculate about his situation anymore than she should, which is to say not at all. The illustrations are stunning, particularly the color palette.
Illustrations: 5 stars
This book gets me emotional. I love the way it speaks about empathy, especially through the lens of a privileged peer who doesn’t know better. Opens up lots of opportunities for conversation about how to treat others, even if what they’re doing isn’t necessarily the right thing. We as readers only know as much about Adrian Simcox as Chloe does and shouldn’t judge him or speculate about his situation anymore than she should, which is to say not at all. The illustrations are stunning, particularly the color palette.
July 29, 2018
This story carries you along as Chloe tells it. She doesn't believe Adrian Simcox has a horse, the one he's always talking about. He couldn't have a horse. He lives in their no-horses town and he doesn't have the money and it irks Chloe to no end to hear him telling stories about a horse that doesn't exist.
Until...she goes on a walk with her dog one evening and ends up at Adrian Simcox's house. Does she find a horse there? Sort of.
And that last line and illustration are so beautiful and all about Chloe seeing Adrian's perspective and her own mind opening about what's real and not real and what matters. Plus, Corinna Luyken does it again with gorgeous illustrations and a wonderful take on using color to distinguish and then blend the worlds of the two main characters.
Until...she goes on a walk with her dog one evening and ends up at Adrian Simcox's house. Does she find a horse there? Sort of.
And that last line and illustration are so beautiful and all about Chloe seeing Adrian's perspective and her own mind opening about what's real and not real and what matters. Plus, Corinna Luyken does it again with gorgeous illustrations and a wonderful take on using color to distinguish and then blend the worlds of the two main characters.
March 21, 2019
Adrian Simcox pretends to have a horse and Chloe finds this really annoying. Adrian lives with his grandparents and as the story progresses you begin to see why Adrian feels the need to pretend he has a horse. I like the joke that Chloe says her pet is perfectly normal (a breed that you could argue is far from perfectly normal) The illustrations are beautiful and a lovely message that is reminiscent of The Hundred Dresses.
February 20, 2019
A young girl learns the value of kindness in this immensely moving picture-book, starting out with a concern for the facts, but ending up with an appreciation for the truth. Convinced that her classmate, the eponymous Adrian Simcox, could not possibly have a horse - after all, he lived in a small house in the middle of town, and came from such poor circumstances that he always had holes in his shoes - Chloe insisted to anyone who would listen that the horse Adrian was always describing was fictitious. Then one evening her mother led her and her pet pooch Chompers on a walk past the Simcox house, and Chloe, through playing with Adrian, and considering his feelings, came to see things from a different perspective. She came to understand that "Adrian Simcox had just about the best imagination of any kid in our whole school..."
Like Jacqueline Woodson's excellent Each Kindness , another of my rare five-star picture-books, Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse is a powerful exploration of childhood social dynamics, and the importance of showing kindness to others. It drives home the all-important idea that sometimes (many times!) it is more important to be kind than to be right. This is a lesson many adults could benefit from as well! More subtly, it contrasts the ideas of factuality and truth. Factually, it's pretty clear that Adrian Simcox doesn't have a horse. But truthfully? Such is the power of his imagination, such is the strength and comfort it gives him, that perhaps he does have a horse, after a fashion. How lovely that, in a roundabout way, that horse brought him a real friend, in the form of his erstwhile taunter, Chloe. Just like Marcy Campbell's narrative, Corinna Luyken's artwork here, done in ink, colored pencil and watercolor, is absolutely beautiful, expressively capturing both Chloe and Adrian's emotional states.
It's astonishing to think that this is Campbell's debut, and only Luyken's second (her first being her own The Book of Mistakes ). Well done to both - I will await their next projects eagerly! As for this one, I highly recommend it, to anyone looking for children's stories about the imagination, and about the importance of empathy.
Like Jacqueline Woodson's excellent Each Kindness , another of my rare five-star picture-books, Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse is a powerful exploration of childhood social dynamics, and the importance of showing kindness to others. It drives home the all-important idea that sometimes (many times!) it is more important to be kind than to be right. This is a lesson many adults could benefit from as well! More subtly, it contrasts the ideas of factuality and truth. Factually, it's pretty clear that Adrian Simcox doesn't have a horse. But truthfully? Such is the power of his imagination, such is the strength and comfort it gives him, that perhaps he does have a horse, after a fashion. How lovely that, in a roundabout way, that horse brought him a real friend, in the form of his erstwhile taunter, Chloe. Just like Marcy Campbell's narrative, Corinna Luyken's artwork here, done in ink, colored pencil and watercolor, is absolutely beautiful, expressively capturing both Chloe and Adrian's emotional states.
It's astonishing to think that this is Campbell's debut, and only Luyken's second (her first being her own The Book of Mistakes ). Well done to both - I will await their next projects eagerly! As for this one, I highly recommend it, to anyone looking for children's stories about the imagination, and about the importance of empathy.
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November 30, 2018Mixed feelings. Critical girl learns empathy, decides to be kind. Also, the illustrations are so nice. That last spread where the horse becomes visible in the bushes is beautiful.
But here's the thing. This happened to me when I was in elementary school. I had a friend who lied about her family's wealth and status. She would say anything that she thought would make other people like her more. I was friends with her before she started lying. Sure it was fun to imagine the cool things we could do. But when I would ask, "can you take us all to Disneyland?" and she said yes, I believed her. Eventually the things she lied about became so outlandish that gullible me became suspicious. I investigated, and I found that she had lied about everything. What she didn't understand was that I didn't like her because of the cool stuff I thought she could do. I liked her as a person, I liked her because she was my friend. But that dishonesty did damage to both me and her.
So the author portrays Adrian Simcox as a boy with a great imagination. But through the lens of my own experience, I also see a boy who lied to Chloe and his classmates. So while I think the moment where Chloe decides not to say, "I told you so" is a poignant moment, there is the unaddressed lying which mars the story for me.
But here's the thing. This happened to me when I was in elementary school. I had a friend who lied about her family's wealth and status. She would say anything that she thought would make other people like her more. I was friends with her before she started lying. Sure it was fun to imagine the cool things we could do. But when I would ask, "can you take us all to Disneyland?" and she said yes, I believed her. Eventually the things she lied about became so outlandish that gullible me became suspicious. I investigated, and I found that she had lied about everything. What she didn't understand was that I didn't like her because of the cool stuff I thought she could do. I liked her as a person, I liked her because she was my friend. But that dishonesty did damage to both me and her.
So the author portrays Adrian Simcox as a boy with a great imagination. But through the lens of my own experience, I also see a boy who lied to Chloe and his classmates. So while I think the moment where Chloe decides not to say, "I told you so" is a poignant moment, there is the unaddressed lying which mars the story for me.
July 14, 2018
Lots to think about and discuss with this one! I could see it being paired with Each Kindness and used with upper elementary to have some good conversation around empathy.
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March 11, 2019I'm not sure what to make of this book, honestly. It made me incredibly uncomfortable, as someone who is poor and who works with poor children in a high poverty area. So I guess I'll say a couple of things.
1) Children lie. Rich children, poor children, middle class children, children lie. Sometimes they lie to get out of trouble, sometimes they lie because they are testing reality, sometimes you have no idea why they lie. Sometimes they lie well, sometimes they lie incredibly poorly, but lying is incredibly typical. If you work with children, you get used to this. If you can't handle lies, working with children is going to be a struggle. The fact that Adrian Simcox was making up fantastical lies could have stemmed from any number of causes, not just his poverty, although we are to believe that's what's going on here. While that's not impossible, it's also not necessary. A rich child could also lie and say they have a horse.
2) As per above, teaching children not to lie is part of interacting with children. You don't necessarily come down on them like a pile of bricks (you teach them that maybe what they're doing is make believe, and that's okay, but it's not real, etc), but "don't lie to others" is an important part of being an adult in a child's life, and poor children deserve that interaction just as much as middle class children and rich children. You aren't doing anyone any favors if you say, "Oh, I feel sorry for them, so I won't teach them this important life lesson." Adrian Simcox does have a beautiful, wonderful imagination, but if adults don't teach him to channel it appropriately because they hold him to a lesser standard (because they don't feel he is as capable of everyone else because of his poverty), that's going to cause him massive problems as he gets older. At some point in his life (certainly when he gets a job, maybe a lot sooner), people are going to stop putting up with his fictions, and if he hasn't somehow managed to pick up this lesson without adult intervention (whereas everyone else got the benefit of adult teaching), he's going to be screwed.
So Adrian Simcox is being robbed in this story of the opportunity to develop typical and crucial life skills because he is poor. He has holes in his shoes and the adults in his life aren't teaching him how to interact in society so that he can succeed. Great injustices are being done to him.
Which brings me to the hard part that this book is ultimately about Chloe, not Adrian. We don't find out about how Adrian feels about anything, what he sees or thinks or experiences. We see Chloe having some pretty intense judgments and being upset that Adrian is saying things that aren't true and then changing her mind about the whole situation (and I have mixed feelings about her reactions the whole way through; I think her initial attitude towards him reaction seemed pretty judgmental, but she was correct that he wasn't telling the truth, and he should have been corrected on that), but ultimately Adrian ended up being a tool in her personal growth.
1) Children lie. Rich children, poor children, middle class children, children lie. Sometimes they lie to get out of trouble, sometimes they lie because they are testing reality, sometimes you have no idea why they lie. Sometimes they lie well, sometimes they lie incredibly poorly, but lying is incredibly typical. If you work with children, you get used to this. If you can't handle lies, working with children is going to be a struggle. The fact that Adrian Simcox was making up fantastical lies could have stemmed from any number of causes, not just his poverty, although we are to believe that's what's going on here. While that's not impossible, it's also not necessary. A rich child could also lie and say they have a horse.
2) As per above, teaching children not to lie is part of interacting with children. You don't necessarily come down on them like a pile of bricks (you teach them that maybe what they're doing is make believe, and that's okay, but it's not real, etc), but "don't lie to others" is an important part of being an adult in a child's life, and poor children deserve that interaction just as much as middle class children and rich children. You aren't doing anyone any favors if you say, "Oh, I feel sorry for them, so I won't teach them this important life lesson." Adrian Simcox does have a beautiful, wonderful imagination, but if adults don't teach him to channel it appropriately because they hold him to a lesser standard (because they don't feel he is as capable of everyone else because of his poverty), that's going to cause him massive problems as he gets older. At some point in his life (certainly when he gets a job, maybe a lot sooner), people are going to stop putting up with his fictions, and if he hasn't somehow managed to pick up this lesson without adult intervention (whereas everyone else got the benefit of adult teaching), he's going to be screwed.
So Adrian Simcox is being robbed in this story of the opportunity to develop typical and crucial life skills because he is poor. He has holes in his shoes and the adults in his life aren't teaching him how to interact in society so that he can succeed. Great injustices are being done to him.
Which brings me to the hard part that this book is ultimately about Chloe, not Adrian. We don't find out about how Adrian feels about anything, what he sees or thinks or experiences. We see Chloe having some pretty intense judgments and being upset that Adrian is saying things that aren't true and then changing her mind about the whole situation (and I have mixed feelings about her reactions the whole way through; I think her initial attitude towards him reaction seemed pretty judgmental, but she was correct that he wasn't telling the truth, and he should have been corrected on that), but ultimately Adrian ended up being a tool in her personal growth.
August 24, 2018
A sweet and thoughtful children's book that gently hammers home the point that sometimes it is better to be kind than right.
April 27, 2021
Thank you, Tanny McGregor, for tweeting about this one. Oh my - didn't expect to get teary at this one, but that ending... This is an important book to share with children. Poverty and financial struggles are something we don't often think about when we think of diversity, but with more and more children experiencing it, to leave it out of our repertoire of windows and mirrors in our classroom and school libraries, we are missing an opportunity. Chloe transforms, thanks to her wonderful and insightful mother (great ah-ha moment for signpost followers), and Adrian tugs at your heartstrings. I would also share it as an example of underrepresentation in gifted identification. Adrian might be overlooked as gifted - messy, a daydreamer, a seemingly outrageous storyteller. He has creative thinking ability written all over him! But will anyone realize that? I have added "poverty" and "financial struggles" bookshelves in Goodreads. By the way, I was fortunate enough to actually have a horse when I was growing up, but if I hadn't, I certainly would have conjured one up in my imagination! GORGEOUS and compelling illustrations
November 5, 2018
This strongly reminded me of THE HUNDRED DRESSES by Estes. I thought it was really well done and pleasure to read aloud. The illustrations are wonderful, especially the twist at the end where you have to look carefully to understand.
Pair with EACH KINDNESS by Woodson to start a conversation about empathy.
Update: The more times I read this book, the more impressed I am by the first-person narration. Even without the gorgeous illustrations, the text stands alone as an exploration of literal truth versus meaning. Chloe is such a great character because she's the narrator *and* the villain. I think most readers will sympathize with her and at the same time realize she's being a bit of a bully.
I love picture books that leave spaces for the young reader to fill in. They invite children to make meaning from story. Does Adrian Simcox have a horse? I'm excited to share this with kids and ask that question at the end.
Pair with EACH KINDNESS by Woodson to start a conversation about empathy.
Update: The more times I read this book, the more impressed I am by the first-person narration. Even without the gorgeous illustrations, the text stands alone as an exploration of literal truth versus meaning. Chloe is such a great character because she's the narrator *and* the villain. I think most readers will sympathize with her and at the same time realize she's being a bit of a bully.
I love picture books that leave spaces for the young reader to fill in. They invite children to make meaning from story. Does Adrian Simcox have a horse? I'm excited to share this with kids and ask that question at the end.
August 26, 2018
A beautiful book about looking beyond ourselves and recognizing that while we are different, we are also alike. I appreciated the way the teacher and Chloe's mother encouraged her come to an understanding and appreciation of Adrian's perspective.
December 15, 2018
We were big fans of Adrian Simcox. ❤️🐴
November 27, 2018
This would be a good book to share with students who come from more affluent backgrounds to open up a discussion about empathy.
Picture book, fiction
by Marcy Campbell; illustrated by Corinna Luyken
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2018
2 out of 5 stars
There are things to like about this book -- gorgeous illustrations, message of empathy and understanding, and the change in heart a child goes through as they learn about people who are less privileged. The point of view of the story, that of the more privileged child, makes the story problematic for me though.
Chloe is extremely annoyed by a boy in her class named Adrian Simcox. Adrian tells everyone he has a "beautiful horse with its white coat and golden mane [and]...the biggest, brownest eyes of any horse, anywhere." Chloe knows this cannot be true because Adrian can't afford a horse--he gets free lunch at school and has holes in his shoes. After complaining about Adrian and his lie, her mother takes her on a walk where they go to Adrian's home.
Chloe sees his neighborhood that is full of trash, and realizes that Adrian's house is about half the size of hers. As she is forced to interact with Adrian, she comes to realize that his talk about a horse is how he copes with poverty and shows he has an active imagination. Suddenly Chloe sees Adrian's horse in a new light and believes it is beautiful.
To me, this story is about a privileged child being seen as a hero. She has transformed from the unfeeling person who can't wait to humiliate Adrian into someone who is now his understanding friend. I agree with many reviewers who see this book as a good way to open discussions about privilege and empathy, but it has a very narrow readership. This is not a book that I think should be shared with students who receive free school lunches, for example.
We never get to see things from Adrian's point of view. How does he feel about this girl who tormented him for so long coming into his yard? Why can she only see the beauty of his imagination after she sees what it's like to live in poverty?
For students with lives like Chloe, this could be a good window book that might expose them to lives that are different from their own. This book would not make a good mirror book, as it tends to show less-privileged children as subordinate to the privileged--understandable only by acknowledging they have less. This book does not celebrate the talents and abilities of Adrian Simcox, but is meant to exalt Chloe.
Picture book, fiction
by Marcy Campbell; illustrated by Corinna Luyken
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2018
2 out of 5 stars
There are things to like about this book -- gorgeous illustrations, message of empathy and understanding, and the change in heart a child goes through as they learn about people who are less privileged. The point of view of the story, that of the more privileged child, makes the story problematic for me though.
Chloe is extremely annoyed by a boy in her class named Adrian Simcox. Adrian tells everyone he has a "beautiful horse with its white coat and golden mane [and]...the biggest, brownest eyes of any horse, anywhere." Chloe knows this cannot be true because Adrian can't afford a horse--he gets free lunch at school and has holes in his shoes. After complaining about Adrian and his lie, her mother takes her on a walk where they go to Adrian's home.
Chloe sees his neighborhood that is full of trash, and realizes that Adrian's house is about half the size of hers. As she is forced to interact with Adrian, she comes to realize that his talk about a horse is how he copes with poverty and shows he has an active imagination. Suddenly Chloe sees Adrian's horse in a new light and believes it is beautiful.
To me, this story is about a privileged child being seen as a hero. She has transformed from the unfeeling person who can't wait to humiliate Adrian into someone who is now his understanding friend. I agree with many reviewers who see this book as a good way to open discussions about privilege and empathy, but it has a very narrow readership. This is not a book that I think should be shared with students who receive free school lunches, for example.
We never get to see things from Adrian's point of view. How does he feel about this girl who tormented him for so long coming into his yard? Why can she only see the beauty of his imagination after she sees what it's like to live in poverty?
For students with lives like Chloe, this could be a good window book that might expose them to lives that are different from their own. This book would not make a good mirror book, as it tends to show less-privileged children as subordinate to the privileged--understandable only by acknowledging they have less. This book does not celebrate the talents and abilities of Adrian Simcox, but is meant to exalt Chloe.
November 15, 2018
It's clear to anyone who is observant that Adrian Simcox could not possibly have a horse. Chloe is infuriated that he keeps talking about the horse, describing it in vivid detail, and one day, she's simply had enough and calls him out as a liar in front of their classmates. After Chloe tells her mother what happened, her mother--wise woman, she!--takes Chloe and their dog on a walk to Adrian's place. At first, Chloe feels vindicated because the house and yard are small and in no way is it possible that a horse is living there. Although she wants to seize this moment of triumph, something stops her. Instead of hurting his feelings, she asks about the horse. This book packs a powerful punch at the end as readers see that Chloe has changed and realizes that there is more than one way to "have" a horse. As the story concludes, "And then I thought Adrian Simcox had just about the best imagination of any kid in our whole school. I also thought, he had the most beautiful horse of anyone, anywhere" (unpaged). This one is a sure bet for developing empathy in students and for discussing differences in class, family compositions, and how someone views the world. How very differently the story would have turned out had Chloe stuck to her insistence that Adrian did no have a horse. What does it harm anyone to allow him to save face and to dream of the horse he would have, the most beautiful one in the world? And who's to say but that all his daydreaming about that horse isn't what keeps him going? The black ink, colored pencils, and watercolor illustrations contain plentiful white space and several images show just how lonely and isolated he is as the other youngsters group together and chat at the lunch table and he sits all along. Even his body language and facial expressions when Chloe accosts him speak volumes. I might suggest pairing this with Jacqueline Woodson's Each Kindness and having students consider the very different ways the two Chloes in the two books treat an outsider.
June 29, 2018
A very spare and effective story about acceptance and understanding the root of people's behaviour. The narrator is deeply frustrated by her classmate, Adrian- he's messy, he's irritating, and he lies- specifically about having a horse. There is a subtle message here about poverty and class, but it in no way feels didactic. The illustrations are earthy and gorgeously rendered, particularly the doublespread in which the narrator can "see" Adrian's horse, built from shadow, space, and plants.
January 18, 2019
Much is left unsaid in Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse, which is why I love it. Not only is there an honest lesson on empathy and kindness here, but the lesson itself is unraveled as the characters interact. Clues are given along the way, both in the ink-and-watercolor illustrations and the dialogue; attuned young readers will enjoy collecting scraps for why and how. It's a picture book ripe for teaching inference. Highly recommended for grades 2-5.
April 9, 2018
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse by Marcy Campbell is an absolutely stunning story that allows young people to consider ideas like class, poverty, and imagination. This one is due out in August, and I suspect it will be well-loved by readers.
September 27, 2019
This is beautiful and stunning and can start an important conversation about assumptions and kindness and empathy.
January 22, 2019
Loved the story and its ending!
November 14, 2021
Look more carefully at the pictures, especially the cover, title page, last text page, and final endpapers.
I always wonder how kids with such wise parents raise such bratty children, but at least Chloe does learn what matters, which is not always the literal truth but sometimes is True nonetheless.
I appreciate the other reviewer's comparison to The Hundred Dresses, which I should have seen but admit that I did not.
I always wonder how kids with such wise parents raise such bratty children, but at least Chloe does learn what matters, which is not always the literal truth but sometimes is True nonetheless.
I appreciate the other reviewer's comparison to The Hundred Dresses, which I should have seen but admit that I did not.
November 21, 2019
Incredibly illustrated story about kindness, understanding, and the immense lengths one goes to truly believe.
April 19, 2019
This book has left me with mixed feelings since I requested and read it a couple of months ago.
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse evoked a lot of emotion. A child's imagination is often a tremendously beautiful thing. I loved the illustrations. I was emotionally moved.
There's this other feeling that won't go away, though. I don't think it's ok to lie, and I think it's our job as caretakers and adults to teach children the importance of telling the truth. I've been challenged by this thought anytime I think back to the book.
I'm ALL for encouraging imagination. I was the imaginative kid of my own family growing up, with the imaginary friends who sat at the dinner table. I have fostered imagination in five children of my own. I believe a healthy imagination is a valuable asset that bears benefits throughout our entire lives.
Healthy being the key word, though. I feel strongly the importance of helping kids understand the difference between what is real and what is pretend.
Intentional dishonesty is not a good thing. When we go out and interact socially, it's important that we understand that difference.
I knew children who told tall tales when I was in elementary school, and it wasn't because they were any less fortunate than I was. It was simply a bad habit, uncorrected by the adults in their lives. It seems there's a proven pattern that kids who get away with telling lies tend to think they'll continue to get away with telling lies. Dishonesty in children is best addressed.
So the book toes a wiggly line for me.
I love the message relating to Chloe, fostering empathy, understanding WHY Adrian Simcox might imagine for himself a most marvelous horse. Fantastic growth for Chloe and win in the empathy column.
But I don't like the message for Adrian. Dishonesty is perhaps glorified in the end. I'd like to see growth for Adrian, too, especially given his age. I want Adrian to know that trust and friendship are built on honesty.
I've wondered what child psychologists think of this book. Reading on the topic of encouraging imagination WHILE encouraging honesty, I found this:
It is the caretaker responsibility to guide the child into reality and teach that honesty is expected and personal responsibility upheld..
Giving children approval for their imagination is a great tool in stimulating it, and teaching children to value honesty and personal responsibilities will help draw the line between fantasy and reality.
I feel the book falls short of what it has the full potential to accomplish.
For the Chloes of the world - wonderful.
For the Adrians - it leaves something to be desired.
Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse evoked a lot of emotion. A child's imagination is often a tremendously beautiful thing. I loved the illustrations. I was emotionally moved.
There's this other feeling that won't go away, though. I don't think it's ok to lie, and I think it's our job as caretakers and adults to teach children the importance of telling the truth. I've been challenged by this thought anytime I think back to the book.
I'm ALL for encouraging imagination. I was the imaginative kid of my own family growing up, with the imaginary friends who sat at the dinner table. I have fostered imagination in five children of my own. I believe a healthy imagination is a valuable asset that bears benefits throughout our entire lives.
Healthy being the key word, though. I feel strongly the importance of helping kids understand the difference between what is real and what is pretend.
Intentional dishonesty is not a good thing. When we go out and interact socially, it's important that we understand that difference.
I knew children who told tall tales when I was in elementary school, and it wasn't because they were any less fortunate than I was. It was simply a bad habit, uncorrected by the adults in their lives. It seems there's a proven pattern that kids who get away with telling lies tend to think they'll continue to get away with telling lies. Dishonesty in children is best addressed.
So the book toes a wiggly line for me.
I love the message relating to Chloe, fostering empathy, understanding WHY Adrian Simcox might imagine for himself a most marvelous horse. Fantastic growth for Chloe and win in the empathy column.
But I don't like the message for Adrian. Dishonesty is perhaps glorified in the end. I'd like to see growth for Adrian, too, especially given his age. I want Adrian to know that trust and friendship are built on honesty.
I've wondered what child psychologists think of this book. Reading on the topic of encouraging imagination WHILE encouraging honesty, I found this:
It is the caretaker responsibility to guide the child into reality and teach that honesty is expected and personal responsibility upheld..
Giving children approval for their imagination is a great tool in stimulating it, and teaching children to value honesty and personal responsibilities will help draw the line between fantasy and reality.
I feel the book falls short of what it has the full potential to accomplish.
For the Chloes of the world - wonderful.
For the Adrians - it leaves something to be desired.
August 24, 2018
Adrian Simcox is always talking at school about the horse that he owns. But Chloe knows he is lying, since he lives with his grandfather in a small house in town. There is no room there for a horse. She also knows that Adrian’s family isn’t wealthy and a horse costs a lot of money to keep. So Chloe complains to her friends, her mother and eventually to the entire class about Adrian lying. When Chloe’s mother takes her to Adrian’s house, Chloe knows she is going to be proven right. But she doesn’t bargain for what she is actually going to find there.
This beautifully told story will have readers siding with Chloe from the beginning, since her reasons for not believing Adrian are clear and logical. Still, as the story unfolds readers will start to understand what Adrian is doing long before Chloe does and will begin to feel for him and relate to Adrian. The book does this without becoming didactic at all, instead naturally leading children to an empathy before Chloe gets there. The prose is strong and the pacing is just right in this quiet book.
The illustrations by Luyken are done with lots of white space around Chloe and then riotous plants and gardens around Adrian. Even on the playground, there is a sense that Adrian can create his own world out of imagination, filling the white space in a way that the others can’t. It’s an ideal analogy for the story line itself.
A great book to discuss lying and imagination, friendship and support. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
This beautifully told story will have readers siding with Chloe from the beginning, since her reasons for not believing Adrian are clear and logical. Still, as the story unfolds readers will start to understand what Adrian is doing long before Chloe does and will begin to feel for him and relate to Adrian. The book does this without becoming didactic at all, instead naturally leading children to an empathy before Chloe gets there. The prose is strong and the pacing is just right in this quiet book.
The illustrations by Luyken are done with lots of white space around Chloe and then riotous plants and gardens around Adrian. Even on the playground, there is a sense that Adrian can create his own world out of imagination, filling the white space in a way that the others can’t. It’s an ideal analogy for the story line itself.
A great book to discuss lying and imagination, friendship and support. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
June 5, 2019
Chloe has had enough of Adrian Simcox telling everyone he has a horse. Adrian sits alone at lunch, he has a messy desk, he gets the free lunch at school, and he even has holes in his shoes. He lives with his grandfather in a very small house with barely any yard. So why in the world is Adrian Simcox telling everyone has has a horse?! Thank goodness Chloe discovers the truth before the end of this one! I must say, I got chills and teared-up as I turned the very last page — a very important story for empathy and imagination! The illustrations were created using black ink, colored pencils, and watercolor. I LOVE the artwork and felt like I could just step right into some of these scenes. You don't want to miss this one -- HIGHLY recommend!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
December 31, 2018
Love the conversations that this book will cause. One to add to your “builds empathy” list.
43.1 million Americans (as of 2016) live below the poverty line. Adrian Simcox represents one of those kids while Chloe represents too many peers. But what made this book for me was Chloe’s transformation. It wasn’t Adrian who needed to change! Adrian is a wonderful kid that too many people judge based on his circumstances when really it is all about who he is, and I am so thankful for Chloe finding the truth out in the end. This book will make kids rethink how they judge others and really does emote empathy and kindness. And I couldn’t review this book without giving a shout out to the beautiful illustrations. They are ART.
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
43.1 million Americans (as of 2016) live below the poverty line. Adrian Simcox represents one of those kids while Chloe represents too many peers. But what made this book for me was Chloe’s transformation. It wasn’t Adrian who needed to change! Adrian is a wonderful kid that too many people judge based on his circumstances when really it is all about who he is, and I am so thankful for Chloe finding the truth out in the end. This book will make kids rethink how they judge others and really does emote empathy and kindness. And I couldn’t review this book without giving a shout out to the beautiful illustrations. They are ART.
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
December 21, 2018
Adrian Simcox tells everyone he has a horse and goes into great detail talking about it. But it makes Chloe mad. She knows Adrian lives in a tiny house and doesn't have a lot of money, so there is no way Adrian has a horse. She just wants to out this liar. But when her mom takes Chloe to visit Adrian at his home, Chloe discovers something.
Chloe learns an important lesson about jumping to conclusions without having all the details. She also learns a little about compassion and understanding along the way. See if readers can spot Adrian's horse. I'm sure this will generate a spirited debate among some kids about whether Chloe was right to call Adrian a liar or not, which can lead into a great discussion if guided by a wise adult. The illustrations in this are striking.
Chloe learns an important lesson about jumping to conclusions without having all the details. She also learns a little about compassion and understanding along the way. See if readers can spot Adrian's horse. I'm sure this will generate a spirited debate among some kids about whether Chloe was right to call Adrian a liar or not, which can lead into a great discussion if guided by a wise adult. The illustrations in this are striking.
September 17, 2018
Beautiful images and a beautiful story. This is my favorite "be kind to kids at school" story, and I love that it is all from the perspective of the girl who is unkind. Chloe is extremely irritated with Adrian Simcox - she KNOWS he does not have a horse because he is too poor, and she calls him a liar in front of other kids. But with a little direction from her mom, and a little time with Adrian, she comes to realize he has an incredible imagination. Seeing her anger change to acceptance is incredibly sweet, and the horse is realized entirely in negative space, which is just lovely and so appropriate.
August 14, 2018
I've grown somewhat weary of books championing the messages of Empathy! Compassion! Kindness! Not that I find any of those ideas bad. The problem is there seems to be an overkill of such fare in the current kids' lit market. However, Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse won over even this curmudgeon's heart. The story is relatable, the illustrations soothing, and the message is clear without delving into the realm of sap.
November 4, 2019
The main character, Chloe, knows that Adrian Simcox doesn’t have a horse, and the more he talks about his horse, the more upset she gets, until she screams that he’s lying in front of other children. Adrian’s feelings are hurt. Chloe gets an opportunity to get to know Adrian better, and discovers the rewards of kindness.
The kids enjoyed the story.
Chloe has a strongly developed voice and character so this book is great mentor text for voice & character development.
The art is lovely.
The kids enjoyed the story.
Chloe has a strongly developed voice and character so this book is great mentor text for voice & character development.
The art is lovely.
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