If I Had a Horse

by Gianna Marino

If I Had a Horse is an inspiring picture book with simple text and gorgeous, impressionistic artwork from acclaimed author-illustrator Gianna Marino about a girl imagining what life would be like with a horse.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Horses, Childrens, Friendship, Storytime, Fiction

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Gianna Marino was born in San Francisco and spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park. Her explorations expanded after graduating from high school and in order to afford her many journeys, Gianna had several jobs at once: apprenticing a muralist, a jewelry designer, a product designer and driving horse carriages through the park. Gianna explored many corners of the world, from Africa and Asia, to the South Pacific and Europe, to crewing on sailboats in the high seas. At work and school, she became known as “Boomerang”.
Gianna finally landed a full-time freelance gig designing toys for children, but after several years in a corporate box with no windows, she left for good and began writing and illustrating books for children.
Though she still wanders the world, Gianna now lives in Northern California and works full-time writing and illustrating.

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a little confusing, and I'm not sure I'm entirely on board with the idea. It's one thing for a kid to want a horse... but it's another for them to want a wild horse to tame and ride and use as a pet. I wasn't a fan of that.

However, the watercolour illustrations are just lovely, and convey the sense of freedom and adventure that I'm sure the story was trying to give the reader. The pictures are likely where this book will pick up most of its fans... because I'm not sure if even horse-crazy little girls will be that interested in the idea of trying to tame wild horses.

Quotable moment:

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in a grandma reads session.

The art in this beautiful picture book is what first grabbed me and made me think hard. . . .I had a very all-consuming horse wish at a particular point in my young life. It was a wish never granted, mind you, and then roundly downgraded to donkey, artic fox, koala, to finally feral kitten. If wishes were . . .oh yeah. Still, that first wish never completely goes away. Luckily, I found in my early teens that I am not the type of person horses like to transport, and we agreed, me and the-one-ridden-horse, that I would never, ever, ever do that again. Still the beautiful horse and little girl in profile, against sumptuous watercolor backgrounds took me back to my earlier hopeful wishscape.

We started with this one tonight. . .a great place to start. Riding off into a world of our own making for an hour or so.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I Had a Horse is the story of a young child musing about all the things they could do if the child had a horse. The pictures are lovely silouettes, with bright painted color, which emphasize the universality of the love of children and horses.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If I had a horse," the young girl-narrator of this lovely picture-book begins, going on to describe the ways she and her equine companion would interact, the ways they would be the same, and the ways that they would differ. Eventually, she concludes, they would be able to do anything together...

The first title I have picked up from author/illustrator Gianna Marino, If I Had a Horse is a gorgeous picture-book! The text is simple, with no more than a phrase per page, and captures the longing that a young child might have, for a horse. The artwork, done in gouache, is colorful and full of immense energy and movement. It perfectly captures the vibrancy, the excitement that the idea of a horse evokes in the narrator. Recommended to all young children who have longed for a horse, imagining the adventures they could have.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep thinking about this book and its gorgeous illustrations weeks after I finished it. I was lucky enough to have horses around to ride as a kid growing up in rural Texas but they were never my own, and I can't count the number of imaginary horse pals I pretended to have -- Marino really captures that same feeling of magic and longing. In fact, every year at Christmas when my dad (the reason I love horses) would unwrap his gifts, he'd ask "Is it a pony?!" and I wish I could share this book with him because I think he'd have a soft spot for it, too.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends. Our book today is If I Had A Horse by Gianna Marino, a stunning imagining of a child’s dream.

A young child imagines a common dream: what if they had a horse? If they had a horse, they would bring it the biggest apple they could find. They would need to be patient, and approach with caution and calm. The horse may be shy at first, like the child often is. But once it horse was within reach, they could give it a hug, and become its friend. From there, it will take, not only patience, but courage and determination to tame the horse enough to ride. The horse will need to learn gentleness, and the rider will need to learn strength. But with the right attitude, and a trusty friend by one’s side, nothing is impossible.

This was just so lovely. The stunning paint-and-pencil illustrations are simply breathtaking: charged with energy and emotion, yet by using solely the silhouetted forms of the horse and child, they are made all the more relatable to young readers. The horse could look like any little one’s dream horse, and the genderless, windswept child could be any reader. It’s perfectly fitting for the story, which is both an ode to the childhood love of horses and an apt allegory for chasing one’s dreams. The length is also great, and JJ adored the colorful horses, but this is a book that can leave readers of any age awed and inspired by its art and message. Absolutely gorgeous and Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[L. M. Ransom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book perfectly encapsulates the feelings I had when I received my first pony, Misty. She was a chestnut and white pinto Welsh-cross, and I rode her bareback with a simple bridle that had binder twine reins because we had broken the real ones. We raced (at a trot, because any faster than that and she'd buck me off) across the pasture, chasing the young steers my grandpa kept with her, and every wild fantasy I'd ever had about owning a pony came true.

The colors in this book are gorgeous, and the small illustration beneath the author's bio in the back reminds me of the picture "End of the Trail," with the Native American and his war pony. The book captures the emotions of those who know what it feels like to have a horse or pony of their own. There is nothing like it in the world. I've owned several horses by this point in my life (Misty, Promise, Dipper, Romeo, Billy, and BlackJack) and the love for them just continues to grow. They are majestic and strong and wild (at times, when free in the pasture), and one of the truest expressions of joy that the Lord God created.

Thank you, Ms. Marino, for writing and illustrating a book that so perfectly explains the love between a girl and her horse.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl yearns for a horse and this story implies with a friend for a horse one can do anything.

I'm not sure if they horse is a metaphor for something/someone else, but I'm not totally sold that anyone needs a pet to help them achieve their dreams. Yet it is a lovely story with unusually colored abstract illustrations.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning picture book about dreams & identity & bravery. Gianna Marino is one of my favorite #kidlitwomen illustrators, & her watercolor art in this one is gorgeous and wistfully evocative with shadowy silhouettes that draw the reader into the story.

[Jessica Furtado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text didn't grab me, but the illustrations are stunning, and the relationship between the girl and her imaginary horse is quite endearing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

GORGEOUS!!

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful watercolor illustrations. The style really adds to the imaginative aspect of the story. This one just made me happy.

[Rena Sherwood]

I can't think of a star rating for this.

Visually, it's quite nice, with illustrations of very colorful silhouettes. I think it was done in watercolors, but I could be wrong.

It does stir up a lot of emotions in me. I was like the girl -- and my dream of having my own own never came true. Since I'm too physically handicapped, as well as currently unemployed (to care for my mother), there's no way I can ever have a horse.

And horses aren't exactly the first animals that come to mind when thinking of the word "brave."

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really sweet and almost 5 stars for me.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If I had a horse, we would be brave together.”

Beautiful illustrations

[Pug · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was more a piece of art, than a book: there wasn't much to the story, but the watercolor pictures of the horses in silhouette were gorgeous! Beautiful colors, and a striking animal!

[Katie Kothenbeutel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning illustrations, beautiful story.

[Cloud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very beautiful artwork. It consistently read as a horse and girl. Baby understood as much as she did about the story/plot and was a fun book to read.

[Ro Menendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is beautiful both in its words and illustrations. If I Had a Horse is not just about this little girl's fascination with horses, moreover, it's about how her personality, what she needs, and what she is looking for in a friend is akin to a horse's strength and lore. The illustrations are gouache silhouettes of the girl, her horse, the countryside and the situations she is describing. This book is a gift to the soul!

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable picture book for preschoolers. I enjoyed the beautiful water-colored pages. Would work well for a horse or pet themed storytime.

[Brooke Loewen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I Had a Horse takes the reader on a stunning journey as a young girl uses her imagination to dream of what owning a horse would be like. The story describes the personable and vulnerable way in which the horse and child would interact, building an unbreakable bond between the horse and child. This book is filled with stunning watercolor illustrations that leave the reader feeling dreamy. Although this story is about the special bond between a horse and a child, the reader can relate to the story using their own experiences with any animal. I have never owned a horse, but I related to how the child felt using my own attachment to my dog. I really enjoyed this heartwarming story. Because I was able to relate to this story, even though I do not have a horse, any reader can use their personal bond with a beloved animal instead of the horse in the book, and the story will still be endearing to the heart.

[Danielle Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from the perspective of growing up around horses and having them. This little book speaks to my heart. Most girls always dream of having a horse sometime in their lives. I was grateful enough to have one.
The hopes of this girl in "If I had a Horse" are simple wishes. What girl doesn't dream of being wild and free? What girl doesn't dream of being fearless and strong? Or going out and being adventurous?
The illustrations are gorgeous in my opinion. She is wishing she had a horse and the drawings reflect that. Dreamlike and colorful.

The text is simple but the illustrations speak where the words stop. I don't think without them the text would not fit.

I would recommend this to people who have horses or at one point that did that have little girls. My niece will be getting this book for her birthday.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poetic picture book dreams of having a horse. The entire book is dreamy and soft, a more spiritual and sense-filled look at horses than the reality of barns and saddles. In the images, the little girl meets a horse in a field and offers him the largest apple she can find. There are moments of shyness and quiet as the two meet. They admire one another’s qualities of strength and gentleness. The little girl does ride the horse but not so easily until they become better friends. Then they head out together to meet other horses. The illustrations are done entirely in silhouettes filled with rich watercolor washes. The hair of the little girl mirrors that of the horse’s mane and also the blades of grass in the field around them. A beautiful dream of a picture book. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Marino, Gianna If I had a Horse. PICTURE BOOK. Neal Porter (Macmillan), 2018. $18. 9781626729087

A little girl meets a horse –she feeds it an apple, hugs it until it lets it ride her, learns to ride, and together they can do anything. Filled with extra large and bright watercolor illustrations.

I was SO excited to see a book in my pile by this author/illustrator (one of my favorites) –but I didn’t care for this one. It was somehow very pre-k in text yet older in wordplay. I did like that illustrations are gorgeous and completely lack detail so a child could see themselves as well as any horse they might image –in the imagery. I probably would not spend money on adding this to my collection.

PRE-K– OPTIONAL. Stephanie, Elementary School Librarian & Author
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't pick up this book until you have time to absorb the dreamlike double spreads, immersing yourself in the luminous aspirations of the narrator (created so that both boys and girls might identify with the flow of each single-line page). After several re-readings. I began to comparing the lines and images to friendship advice of THE LITLE PRINCE.( This could easily be used in a classroom or with an individual child who struggles with making friends.)
We all have dreams, but not all dreams come true. I believe there are many readers, (many who are young, but also many adults) who will feel dreams coming true on the pages of this book.

[Carol V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any child will love this book. Each page opens to a full-spread picture as a little child wishes for a horse. "If I had a horse, I would bring him the biggest apple I could find." And so begins a great friendship between child and horse. The child ponders what qualities are important to care for this animal. The imaginations are vivid, yet dreamy, in all shades of the rainbow. The watercolors splash on the page depicting beautiful landscapes and silhouettes of horse and child, riding together, free in the wind. Great character building story!

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marino celebrates a child's dream of having a horse--of the friends they would make and the free-spirited joy they would share. The watercolor illustrations are similar to negative art and somewhat featureless but full of emotion and tenderness, making the child and horse pop on the page for a large group reading. With only 5-8 words per page, Marino captures the thrill of horseriding, ownership, and making a new friend.

Reviewed by: Miss Kelsey, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This is a unique but gorgeous book. I like how the endpapers play a role color-wise, and you can see the space between the girl/character and horse when they are getting to know each other.


WBA:
Book jacket opens up to show long horse
Endpapers are colors of horse and also the horse - different parts on front and back endpapers
Landscape orientation to show whole horse and girl, sometimes with space between them when there is fear

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with the cover first. The illustrations are beautiful and dreamy and so perfect for taking me back to when I was a little girl and dreamed of having my own horse, tiger, whale, dolphin, dinosaur, pegasus, elephant, bear, and... well. Dreamy all around. Now I am stuck in my head, picturing myself like the little girl on the cover, looking at my amazing horse. Oh, and my girls loved it, too.

[Robin Loughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet book and easy to read to a child. I like the colorful illustrations, with the muted type pictures because it seems to leave more to the child's imagination and allow them to think about what it would be like to have a horse. The text helps a child think of the different characteristics that are important in having a horse, and how you both need to adapt to each other, and it takes time.