Cody the Pony

Cody the Pony by Michelle Path, illustrated by Naya Ivashchuk (Little Steps Publishing) PB RRP $16.95

ISBN: 9781925117745

Reviewed by Anne Hamilton

The tender softness of watercolour illustration combined with the super-big eyes reminiscent of manga comics brings a unique style to this gentle story of learning to ride a special horse.

However, the book’s primary value is that it’s a book to teach horse-mad girls about the protocols around horses. It’s definitely not the sort of book where the impression is given that you buy a horse one day and leap on its back the next. Although patience is not mentioned in the text, it’s implicit in the process highlighted in the story.

The tack needed is described and illustrated. The taking of the horse to a trainer shows how Cody slowly learns to obey different commands, to tolerate someone on his back, then get into the arena and accept his owner—Mimi.

Cody the pony, Mimi his rider, and Anna the trainer, all feature in this book that seems to be aimed at 3 to 6 year-old girls. The age group is a little lower than I would have expected but it would certainly help to temper the passion of any little girl wanting a horse NOW.