The riding lesson

Horse-infatuated Frances is offered a "very first riding lesson" when invited to her friend Mae's house, but she quickly learns that the equestrian experience isn't quite what she had envisioned. The barn smells, the clothing and gear prove daunting, and Snowball isn't the stately beast Frances had imagined. When the encounter turns intimidating, Frances willingly faces her fears and proves endearingly open to the challenges of the new experiences. Similarly formatted and paced to the author-illustrator's overnight-adventure story, The Camping Trip (2020), the gently humorous and emotionally tactful plot packs in helpful horse-care information that's visually supported by cartoonish mixed-media illustrations: for example, "'Was your mom picking up poop with that big fork?' 'Yup! It's called a pitchfork. That's how you clean the horses' stalls.'" Not everyone who loves horses has the opportunity/pleasure/responsibility/terror of actually riding one. This instructive guide harnesses the same spirit as Amy Novesky's If You Want to Ride a Horse (2024), and it will better equip eager hippophiles anticipating their own riding lessons.

An aspiring equestrian learns what horsemanship is really like. Frances is visiting her friend Mae, who has a stable, for her first riding lesson. She fantasizes about clearing obstacles while atop a noble steed like her favorite toy horse, Excalibur--only to meet an adorably round, filthy horse named Snowball. As Mae gives her a grounding in horse care, Frances discovers that the realities of horsemanship aren't quite as glamorous as she had anticipated: She notices Mae's mother mucking out the stables, and horse care entails scraping the dirt out of Snowball's hooves. When it's finally time to mount Snowball, she's a bit nervous. But Mae eases her into things by joining her for a tandem ride. Frances is finally ready for a solo ride, and she ends her visit eager for her next lesson and still daydreaming about riding--though now fantasizing about a considerably rounder mount. While this title isn't a sequel to Mann'sThe Camping Trip (2020), the books share the same reader-friendly text and deceptively simple artwork. Divided into graphic novel--esque panels, whimsically childlike, loose-lined illustrations, rendered in an appropriately muddy palette, offer accurate depictions of equipment. Mann captures the flavor of stable life as she infuses the narrative with well-chosen details, such as the clouds of dirt and horse hair knocked loose as the girls brush Snowball. Frances is light-skinned; Mae and her mother are brown-skinned. Readers will eagerly saddle up for this enchanting ride.(Picture book. 5-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.