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Merrylegs
Merrylegs wishes he was different. He's just a boring riding-school pony, stomping and clomping round day after day. But with a little magic he discovers that when you love yourself, you can see the world with fresh eyes! A future classic celebrating the power of self-belief.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
Paperback
First published August 1, 2019
19 people want to read
About the author
Pam Smy
22 books114 followersPam Smy studied Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, part of Anglia Ruskin University, where she now lectures part-time. Pam has illustrated books by Conan Doyle (The Hound of the Baskervilles), Julia Donaldson (Follow the Swallow) and Kathy Henderson (Hush, Baby, Hush!), among others. She lives in Cambridge.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 4, 2022
Merrylegs is a delightful, charming story of a riding school pony who needs a little help to see the magic in life and in himself. For younger readers, perhaps 5-6, and beautifully illustrated, this will touch a chord in your heart.
September 13, 2020
Uplifting message.
May 1, 2021
Disclaimer: Jonathan Ball Publishers kindly sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Merrylegs is a riding school pony. Day in and day out he gives rides to children, and even though he makes lots of children very happy, Merrylegs is not happy at all. The life of a riding school pony is not exciting enough, and he longs to be just like the racehorses he watches from across the field where he lives. He stands in the field with his best friend Feathers, who happens to be a bird, and watches as the horses race by. He longs to be one of them.
Feathers is quick to tell Merrylegs how happy he makes the children, but this is not enough excitement for the little horse, and they set off through the field to visit a fair that has come to town. In the middle of the fair is the most beautiful carousel and on the carousel are the most beautiful painted horses. All of a sudden all Merrylegs wants to do is be a carousel horse, and be surrounded by laughing and smiling children. Realizing that he can't be a carousel horse makes Merrylegs very sad.
That night as the horse falls asleep he dreams that one of the carousel horses comes to take him away on an adventure. They fly through the night and dance among the stars. In the dream even Merrylegs can fly. The next day he is the happiest he has ever been because now he has hope, and with that hope he has learned to love himself as he is.
Pam Smy's illustrations are beautifully nostalgic. They are reminiscent of long-ago greeting cards, and the magical story of Merrylegs and his ability to dream, in more ways than one, is also the story of discovering one's imagination and becoming best friends with it.
Merrylegs is a riding school pony. Day in and day out he gives rides to children, and even though he makes lots of children very happy, Merrylegs is not happy at all. The life of a riding school pony is not exciting enough, and he longs to be just like the racehorses he watches from across the field where he lives. He stands in the field with his best friend Feathers, who happens to be a bird, and watches as the horses race by. He longs to be one of them.
Feathers is quick to tell Merrylegs how happy he makes the children, but this is not enough excitement for the little horse, and they set off through the field to visit a fair that has come to town. In the middle of the fair is the most beautiful carousel and on the carousel are the most beautiful painted horses. All of a sudden all Merrylegs wants to do is be a carousel horse, and be surrounded by laughing and smiling children. Realizing that he can't be a carousel horse makes Merrylegs very sad.
That night as the horse falls asleep he dreams that one of the carousel horses comes to take him away on an adventure. They fly through the night and dance among the stars. In the dream even Merrylegs can fly. The next day he is the happiest he has ever been because now he has hope, and with that hope he has learned to love himself as he is.
Pam Smy's illustrations are beautifully nostalgic. They are reminiscent of long-ago greeting cards, and the magical story of Merrylegs and his ability to dream, in more ways than one, is also the story of discovering one's imagination and becoming best friends with it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews